Upcoming Pro Bono Opportunities

Cordon, a white man with brown hair, wears a blue suit, white shirt and blue tie.By Cordon Smart

Greetings Section Members,

Anne Harvey, Mona O’Bryant and I serve as the co-chairs of the Environment, Energy, & Natural Resources Law Section Pro Bono Committee. We wanted to provide information about some upcoming pro-bono opportunities.

Updates to EENR Environmental Law Fact Sheets

In 2009, the EENR Section prepared a series of Environmental Law Fact Sheets as part of a series intended to provide an introduction to someone living or working in North Carolina who is confronted with an issue of environmental law. We are looking for volunteers to help update the existing fact sheets and, if there is sufficient interest, create new fact sheets. A link to the current version of the fact sheets is available.

Please contact Cordon Smart if you are interested in participating in this pro bono project.

2023 4ALL Statewide Service Day

We invite you to participate in the 16th annual 4ALL Statewide Day of Service! 4ALL 2023 will take place Friday, March 3, in a hybrid format using an online phone service accessible via website or mobile app. Volunteers may register to participate virtually or, in some locations, in person. Those volunteering in person must bring their own laptop or mobile device, with headphones and microphone, to access the online phone service.

Volunteers will register for two-hour shifts by practice area. Incoming calls will be screened by volunteer paralegal call screeners and forwarded to attorneys best able to answer the caller’s questions. More information and volunteer registration information can be found on the 4ALL web page.

Driver’s License Restoration Clinic

The NCBA will be holding Driver’s License Restoration Clinic with the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center at the Bar Center in Cary on March 23 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Registration information can be found on this page. Registration is limited to 60 attorneys and will close on March 17, 2023.

EENR Service Day

We are in the process of exploring potential opportunities to have a service day for EENR Section members. We are considering organizing a trail or river cleanup for EENR Section members this spring. Please stay tuned for additional details.

Additional Opportunities

If you are looking for additional pro bono opportunities, more information can be found on the North Carolina Bar Foundation’s other programs on the website. They include projects such as:

  • NC LEAP – volunteer attorneys provide business-related legal assistance to local entrepreneurs.
  • Lawyers in Schools – programs designed to engage legal professionals in volunteer service to promote civic education.
  • Free Legal Answers – a virtual legal advice clinic that connects citizens in need with attorney volunteers.
  • Wills for Heroes – volunteer attorneys draft simple wills, health care power of attorney and financial power of attorney documents for first responders and their families.

Finally, if you have other ideas for pro bono projects this year, please let us know! All suggestions are welcome – please email me, Anne or Mona.

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