Triangle law firms and
corporations rallying to support Legal Aid of North Carolina
July 16, 2007 Media Release
(Raleigh, NC) – Attorneys from
across the Triangle area are reaching out to their communities for
support during the new
“Access to Justice Campaign" this year in support of the
work of
Legal Aid of North Carolina
(LANC).
Led
by co-chairs
Alfred P. “A.P.” Carlton, Jr. of
Raleigh and
Willis P. Whichard of Durham, the
campaign team hopes to raise more than $1 million over the next
three year to help Legal Aid of NC provide legal services in civil
matters for low-income people.
“Our purpose is to raise critically needed funds,” says
Carlton, “and also to educate the legal community, lawmakers and the
broader public about the vital role of Legal Aid and the need to
strengthen this safety net in our Triangle communities.”
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a
statewide, non-profit organization that provides free legal
assistance to children, the working poor, the disabled, the elderly
and others living in poverty. Last year it assisted over
25,000 poor people in North Carolina. In 2006 in the Triangle
area alone, 30 Legal Aid lawyers handled over 5,000 matters
involving homelessness, domestic violence, access to benefits and
more.
“The dire circumstances of most legal aid clients motivates our
involvement in this campaign. Their average income is $9,000
per year,” notes Whichard. “It is an unfortunate fact that
Legal Aid lacks the resources to meet the extraordinary, and
constantly growing, legal needs of these citizens.”
Only those with very low incomes qualify for Legal Aid assistance.
The annual income cap is $12,762.50. In North Carolina, 1.6
million people have incomes at or below that level. In the
Triangle area alone, more than 115,000 people qualify.
“Over
the years as both a practicing attorney and as a Judge, I have come
to fully appreciate how critically important it is for all our
citizens, particularly those with limited financial means, to have
access to good legal advice,” says Robert F. Orr, former NC
Supreme Court Justice. “Legal Aid has done an outstanding job with
limited resources but there is still much more that can and should
be done.”
Equal justice has always been one of the issues
championed by Rep. Brad Miller (NC-13) who opposed efforts to cut
legal aid in North Carolina when he served as a state lawmaker.
"Clearly,
there are huge differences in the economic and political power of
poor folks and rich folks," said Rep. Miller. "But the one
place they have stood as equals has been the court-standing before a
judge and jury."
Legal Aid of North Carolina
provides civil legal services only. It cannot represent
individuals in criminal matters, does not conduct class action
litigation and cannot accept fee-generating cases, including
personal injury cases. Legal Aid focuses on basic necessities
such as housing, income, and family. Over 70% of its cases are
resolved or settled without recourse to litigation. When
litigation is required, Legal Aid prevails more than 90% of the
time.
“The funds raised by the Access to Justice Campaign will help
us fill the gaps in our struggle for equal justice,” says George
Hausen, LANC’s executive director, “and will enhance our
capacity to provide free legal advice and representation to
low-income families.”
Hausen noted that for the poor and disadvantaged, access to the
legal system can often be the single most important factor in
determining the course of their lives. LANC’s involvement and
legal help also complement the efforts of local family shelters,
children’s organizations, community development groups and other
nonprofits in North Carolina.
Unfortunately, in the past LANC has raised only one percent
of its budget from individual contributions, mainly through mail
appeals to lawyers. Carlton and Whichard hope to dramatically
increase community support of LANC.
“Our campaign committee includes representatives from law firms,
large and small, and executives of major corporations,” adds
Carlton. “We have former Supreme Court Justices and Court
of Appeals judges as well as other distinguished members of the
legal and corporate community involved with this Access to
Justice Campaign. This campaign is open to all who care
about access to justice for all North Carolinians.”
Congressman
Brad Miller (left) and
retired
N.C. Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Orr (right)
speak in support of Legal Aid of NC.
To make a contribution and/or pledge to the
Access to Justice
campaign, send a check (made payable to “Legal Aid of North
Carolina”) to:
Access to Justice Campaign, Legal Aid
of NC, P.O. Box 26087, Raleigh, NC 27611. Contributions can also be
made online at the Legal Aid of NC website:
http://www.legalaidnc.org.
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:
-
Alfred P. Carlton, Jr. (Attorney and
Partner, Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP), Raleigh, NC,
919-420-1831
-
Willis P. Whichard (Attorney and Partner,
Moore & Van Allen), Research Triangle Park, NC,
919-286-8054
-
George R. Hausen, Jr. (Executive Director,
Legal Aid of NC), Raleigh, NC, 919-856-2564
-
Robert F. Orr (Retired N.C. Supreme
Court Justice; 2008 Gubernatorial Candidate), Raleigh,
NC, 919-836-2228
-
LuAnn Canipe (Communications Director,
Congressman Brad Miller), Washington, DC, 202-225-3032
-
Dock Kornegay (Director, Public Relations &
Development, Legal Aid of NC), Raleigh, NC, 919-856-2564
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.