Pro Bono Spotlight: Hannah Michalove
By Hannah Michalove is a bilingual immigration attorney at Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville, where she began her position in October 2024 — just ten days after Hurricane Helene.
Hannah’s dedication to pro bono advocacy began as a law school student at Campbell University Law School, where she served as Chair of the Naturalization Project, a student-led pro bono initiative focused on assisting eligible immigrants with applications for U.S. citizenship. Through this work, she witnessed firsthand how access to legal assistance can foster family stability, civic participation, and long-term security.
At Pisgah Legal Services, Hannah serves low-income immigrant survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault; unaccompanied minors; and young adults seeking renewal of their Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. She represents clients in applications for humanitarian-based immigration remedies that provide legally protected status and employment authorization. These remedies play a critical role in helping individuals and families “break cycles of poverty, achieve stability, and promote long-term wellbeing and empowerment.”
Hannah’s work is grounded in her belief that “all people have a fundamental human right to autonomy, safety, and prosperity.” In each case, individuals and families entrust her with helping to protect and secure these rights, often during the most helpless moments of their lives. She is “continually humbled and inspired by that trust and considers it an honor to serve her immigrant neighbors throughout Western North Carolina.”
While Hannah is not currently a member of a North Carolina Bar Association pro bono project, pro bono service has always been central to her legal career. From 2021 to 2024, she served on the Buncombe County Bar Pro Bono Committee and participated in Pisgah Legal Services’ Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyer (MAVL) program. As a MAVL pro bono attorney, she assisted young adults with DACA renewal applications, helping them maintain lawful presence and employment authorization.
The value and importance of this work mirror Hannah’s current practice. Her MAVL service was instrumental in motivating her to pursue a full-time position at Pisgah Legal Services, where she could expand her impact and continue serving immigrant communities on a broader scale.
In recognition of her commitment to pro bono service, Hannah received the 2024 Buncombe County Bar Association Younger Attorney Pro Bono Service Award, honoring her work through the MAVL program.
Pro bono service has shaped Hannah’s career and her understanding of the legal profession’s role in advancing justice. She remains deeply committed to using the law as a tool for dignity, empowerment and meaningful change within the communities she serves.