Pro Bono Spotlight: Nicholas Lee
Nicholas Lee
Nicholas Lee, a Litigation Partner at Parker Poe, handles mainly complex business litigation in federal and state court. He has worked on various pro bono projects over the years, including wills clinics and Guardian Ad Litem appeals. However, over the past decade, his primary focus has been helping North Carolinians get a second chance by clearing their criminal records through expunctions.
Nicholas has handled dozens of expunctions over the past ten years. Expunctions help low-income individuals by removing old or dismissed criminal charges or convictions from their records. It offers individuals a clean slate and removes barriers to employment, housing, and other benefits.
“I’m encouraged by the positive impact expunction work can have on a person’s life,” Nicholas explained. “Most times, the charges on a client’s record are old and represent a difficult time in the client’s life. The client is trying to build a stable life, but those old charges linger and follow him/her and can be a barrier to improving his or her situation. It can be a huge help to the client to get some (or all) of those old charges erased, and the clients are always so grateful.”
Nicholas recalls one particularly impactful case involving a client with charges across multiple counties.
“He was struggling to find employment. Every time an employer saw his record, doors would close. We were able to get almost every charge expunged. When I called to tell him, he teared up. He said this would change his life. That moment has stayed with me.”
In addition to handling expunction cases, Nicholas also trains other attorneys on the expunction process. From 2019 to 2025, Nicholas served as a Pro Bono Champion for the Charlotte Pro Bono Triage Program for expunctions. In this role, he recruited and trained attorney volunteers and helped match expunction cases with pro bono counsel. He was inducted into the NC Pro Bono Honor Society in 2018, 2019, and again from 2021 through 2024. Most recently, he was recognized by his firm with Parker Poe’s Pro Bono Leadership Award in 2024.
On his commitment to his pro bono work, Nicholas explained: “It always reminds me of the many blessings in my life, and I’m grateful that I can help the clients in a way that is truly meaningful and impactful on their lives.”
Laura Merriman serves as the NCBA Pro Bono Recognition Co-Chair.