New Internet web site available to pro bono (volunteer)
attorneys in North Carolina
November 16, 2006 MEDIA RELEASE
(Raleigh, NC) – A new Web tool that will enable lawyers to
substantially increase their volunteer assistance to low-income
North Carolinians was launched today at
www.probono.net/NC.
The Web site was developed by Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) in
partnership with the
NC Bar Association (NCBA) and the
NCBA Foundation. LANC seeks to expand the outreach of the
legal aid community by posting actual legal cases, projects and
training opportunities that are available for “pro bono” (“for the
public good”) service by the private bar.
“We developed the pro bono site to provide resources and make it
easier for attorneys to volunteer their time and expertise to the
representation of low-income and economically disadvantaged clients
in North Carolina,” said
Janet Ward Black, a Greensboro attorney and president-elect
of the NC Bar Association. “The majority of the over-one
million families eligible for legal services in our state are
working families living in the shadow of prosperity, and they often
need legal help to preserve basic necessities. Volunteer
lawyers from private practice are essential to help meet the
tremendous need.”
“It’s our professional obligation,” added Black.
The partnership intends
www.probono.net/NC to become "cyberspace central" by linking
attorneys to the multitude of volunteer lawyer opportunities
available through the legal aid organizations in North Carolina.
Black noted that the key will be to integrate the new Web site into
other networks already present in North Carolina.
“Pro bono service is a well-established part of our profession,”
Black stated. “However, the utilization of the Internet to
support this important component is relatively new. The
establishment of
probono.net/NC
provides an exciting new way for attorneys to get involved with
clients and obtain life-altering solutions to their critical legal
needs.”
The NC Bar Association actively promotes pro bono services to its
membership through its Public Service and Pro Bono Activities
Department. The NCBA Foundation provided initial funding for
the new web site.
The Web site,
www.probono.net/NC, is also part of a national network of
legal aid organizations that promote volunteer service by attorneys.
Initially encouraged by grants from the federal Legal Services
Corporation, legal aid law firms from at least 22 states are
developing statewide websites that utilize a platform developed by
Probono.net, a
New York nonprofit that assists nonprofit legal groups.
Although much of the Web site is available to the public, resource
sections will be restricted to attorneys who have indicated their
interest in pro bono work in specific substantive law areas.
To “join” a specific area, attorneys go online to the Web site and
complete a survey of their interest in performing pro bono work.
“Last year, more that 2,800 attorneys signed up or made themselves
available for pro bono work with LANC,” added George Hausen,
the executive director of LANC. “North Carolina has nearly
20,000 lawyers. As we develop the site, we see tremendous
potential for greatly increasing the numbers of volunteer attorneys,
creating a wider dialogue about poverty law issues and generally
helping more vulnerable clients get access to justice for their
basic needs. It’s easier than ever to get information and to
get your name into our volunteer pool.”
Legal Aid of
North Carolina (LANC) is a statewide, nonprofit
law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to
eligible, low-income people in all 100 counties in North Carolina
through 24, geographically located offices in North Carolina.
LANC’s clients typically have an annual income of 125% or less of
the federally established poverty levels.
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CONTACTS:
George R. Hausen,
Jr. (Executive Director, Legal Aid of NC), Raleigh, NC;
919-856-2564
Dock Kornegay
(Director, Public Relations & Development, Legal Aid of NC),
Raleigh, NC; 919-856-2564
Celia Mansaray
(PAI Coordinator, LANC-Raleigh Office), Raleigh, NC;
919-863-1446
Roselle Margolis
(PAI Coordinator, LANC-Wilmington Office), Wilmington, NC;
910-763-6207
[Click
here to view
the new website, www.probono.net/nc.]
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website are for information and educational
purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Please contact your
Legal Aid of North Carolina office or a private attorney if you need to speak to
an attorney regarding your particular situation. See our complete
disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.