By Rachel Royal 

In August 2021, the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center (NCPBRC) will partner with the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office and SelfServe Center, as well as the Charlotte DA’s and PD’s Offices, to offer advice regarding applicants’ eligibility for expunction relief under North Carolina law. Applicants will meet with a volunteer attorney to learn whether they are eligible or ineligible for relief.

This will be the fourth clinic of its kind. The previous three were held in October 2019, June 2020, and February 2021. For the first time, the project contemplates recruiting paralegal volunteers to review records and prepare petitions in advance of the clinic. Each petition should take about 15 minutes to prepare, and approximately 60 clients are expected to be eligible for relief. Virtual training will be provided by NCPBRC and partner staff.

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Alicia Mitchell-Mercer has been selected to receive the 2021 Distinguished Paralegal Award. The award will be presented at the 2021 NCBA Annual Meeting, which will take place virtually on Thursday and Friday, June 17-18. Mitchell-Mercer will be honored during the Awards & Recognitions Presentation on Thursday, June 17, at 5 p.m.

Mitchell-Mercer received a B.S. in Paralegal Studies from Charter Oak State College and an M.S. in Project Management from Missouri State University. She has earned paralegal certifications from NALA (ACP), NFPA (RP), the South Carolina Bar (SCCP), and the North Carolina State Bar (NCCP).

She holds advanced paralegal certifications in trial practice, contracts administration, e-discovery, and business organizations: incorporated entities from NALA. She is certified by the International Institute of Legal Project Management (IILPM) as a Legal Project Practitioner and by the Scrum Alliance as a Certified ScrumMaster.

Mitchell-Mercer works in Charlotte as a legal project manager and paralegal at Brown & Associates, PLLC and as a legal project manager consultant at Lex Project Management Consulting Group using traditional and Agile methodologies. She is a securities arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Mitchell-Mercer is very involved in the legal community. She focuses her efforts on causes that advance the proper utilization of paralegals, access to justice, and that support the well-being of children.

She serves as the Communications Chair for the NCBA Paralegal Division, a role she has held for three years. She is the Chair of the division’s Technology Committee and the Publications Committee. She previously served as a member of the Paralegal Division Council (2015) and a participant in the Internet and Regulations Task Force (2016).

Mitchell-Mercer is currently serving on NALA’s Continuing Education Council which is charged with planning conference education sessions; developing, coordinating, and facilitating continuing education programs and certification review courses; and producing Facts & Findings magazine.

She is a Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children in the 26th Judicial District and was recently appointed to the North Carolina State Bar’s Subcommittee Studying Regulatory Change.

Mitchell-Mercer teaches CLEs and contributes to legal publications on the topic of legal project management and lives in Charlotte with her husband and son. She enjoys reading, traveling abroad, and time spent by the ocean. She also volunteers with Autism Speaks, Compassion International, and Central Church of God in Charlotte.

Previous recipients of the Distinguished Service Award were (2008) Teresa L. Bowling, (2010) Virginia M. Burrows, (2011) Phyllis M. Hines, (2012) Stephanie C. Crosby, (2013) Kaye H. Summers, (2014) Sarah Hall Kaufman, (2015) Yolanda N. Smith, (2016) Wanda Pitts Nicholson, (2017) Alicia Lewis of Raleigh, (2018) Sarah L. White and (2019) Lakisha Chichester.

By Alicia Mitchell-Mercer

Frequently, legal professionals find themselves in a dual role – leaders and managers. While there are many similarities between those two roles, the primary distinction is that a leader focuses more on people while a manager focuses more on the technical aspects of completing a project. Legal professionals need both skill sets to be effective in their organizations.

If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this. Leaders are thermostats. They set the temperature of their organization. Staff, volunteers, and team members are thermometers. They read the temperature of their organization. This “setting” and “reading” of temperatures is your organizational culture. It affects how your members work together. Organizational culture can be an engine propelling a mission forward or a blockade stifling every opportunity for improvement. To create a healthy work environment, legal professionals must create and maintain a functional organizational culture that is informed, effective, respectful, candid, compassionate, and just.
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By the Supreme Court’s Office of Administrative Counsel 

The Supreme Court of North Carolina has adopted amendments to the General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts in response to the Judicial Branch’s ongoing eCourts initiative. The Supreme Court’s order amending the rules was adopted on April 21, 2021, and is effective on May 10, 2021.

Beginning this summer, the Judicial Branch will implement Odyssey, a statewide electronic-filing and case-management system. The system will be made available across the state in phases over the next few years. Among other things, the amendments adopted by the Supreme Court define electronic filing in counties with Odyssey.

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By the Communications Committee

Paralegal Spotlight is the division’s monthly publication designed to share division members’ stories with colleagues, inspire present and future paralegal professionals, and strengthen awareness of the profession and association.

Each month, we select one amazing paralegal from among our membership and ask them to share a little bit about their personal and professional life. Join Paralegal Spotlight as we learn more about member talents, skills, personal and professional goals, technology tips, accomplishments, volunteer work, and more.

This month’s Paralegal Spotlight is on Katsiaryna Fox.

Position Title: Patent Paralegal.

Major Duties: Assist patent attorneys and agents with patent prosecution. Read more