How Can We Help?

Afi S. Johnson-Parris
Chair, NCBA Family Law Section

The past few weeks have been surreal. With the rising crisis of COVID-19, we’ve had to adapt and change every plan we’ve had for the Family Law Section, our annual meeting, our CLE, and much of the business of the Association. We face the very real possibility that our practices and our lives will be damaged in ways that we can’t fully imagine.

In chaotic times, it helps me to focus on what I can do to help. We can all help in some way, and that’s what the leadership of the Family Law Section has endeavored to do.

At our last meeting of the Family Law Council, we voted to donate $5,000 of our Section funds to the Jane B. Weathers Lawyers Helping Lawyers Fund. This Fund was established upon the retirement of a long-time association staff member, Jane Weathers, to provide grants to lawyers experiencing financial hardship due to unforeseen difficult circumstances. Be it medical, personal, or professional challenges, the Fund is there to help.

The deadline to apply is April 15, 2020. You can obtain more information and the application here.

This is just one way that the Section can help lawyers and we’re continuing to think of ways to assist as we confront the uncertainties that lie ahead. I encourage you to do the same. Can you offer an opposing counsel some grace? Can you call a colleague just to see how they’re doing? Ask yourself, “how can I help?”