Join us at the Pro Bono Table on February 3!

By Mallory Lidaka and Samantha Aktug

Hello section members!

We are looking forward to the upcoming NCBA conference at the Grandover next week, the first to be held in person for the past two years! On behalf of the Pro Bono Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section, we wanted to make you aware of an exciting Pro Bono opportunity for our section members at the 2022 conference. Our section is partnering once again with the North Carolina Bar Foundation (NCBF) and NC Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Program, which allows Bar Association members to provide answers to civil legal questions from financially eligible citizens through a website – not by phone. Attorneys may choose from 25 available legal categories and anonymously respond to a question that fits their legal interests.

In an effort to resume our section’s commitment to Pro Bono, we are encouraging our section’s members on Thursday, February 3, 2022, during the conference session times to either register for the NC Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Program on your own or by stopping by the NCBF table that will be set up at the conference. If you are already registered for the NC Free Legal Answers Program, we encourage you to answer at least one question from the queue while you are at the conference on Thursday. Once you either register for the program and/or answer at least one question from the queue, please drop off your business card at the NCBF table to confirm your participation in this Pro Bono effort. All who participate will be entered to win one of two $50.00 Amazon gift cards! Virtual participants may also enter by meeting the requirements (register for NC Free Legal Answers and/or answer a question from the queue) and emailing our Pro Bono Committee Chairs Mallory Lidaka or Samantha Aktug with your contact information by 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 3. This is a great way to kickstart Pro Bono efforts for 2022 without leaving your seat at the conference or your office (remote or otherwise)!

If you prefer to register for Free Legal Answers prior to or at the conference on your own, please follow these steps. Registration takes just a few minutes:

1. Go to nc.freelegalanswers.org.
2. Click on “Volunteer Attorney Registration” at the top of the site.
3. Read and agree to Attorney Agreement.
4. Fill out registration information.
5. Click on the activation link sent to your email (check spam folder).
6. Await email confirming administrative approval of your account!

Samantha and Mallory are happy to answer any questions you may have about this Pro Bono event. See you at the conference and thanks for your commitment to Pro Bono on behalf of our section!