Clear the Queue

Brad, a white man with brown hair, wears a white shirt and black suit.By Brad Piland

The holidays and new year can be a time of heightened emotions and contrasting circumstances. Joy and plenty abound alongside anxiety and need. Throughout December and January, the NCBA YLD Pro Bono Committee and the North Carolina Bar Foundation will strive to satisfy one of these needs through the Clear the Queue initiative.

NC Free Legal Answers offers a no-cost avenue for those seeking legal answers but who face limitations in their options to seek advice from traditional legal sources. The program allows qualifying users to submit their questions to an online forum where pro bono attorneys answer their inquiries. Whereas many pro bono opportunities require both the client and attorney to meet at a specific location at a specific time, NC Free Legal Answers conveniently allows those seeking assistance and the attorneys answering questions to do so from anywhere at any time. All that’s needed is an internet connection.

Because of the heightened need, the current question queue has grown to over 200 questions. The goal, as the name of the initiative implies, is to answer as many questions as possible throughout December and January with the ultimate goal of clearing the queue.

For those volunteers who already participate, this initiative is a call to continue your efforts and then a little extra. For those who have never participated, it is an invitation to both give the program a try and an opportunity to provide legal assistance at this critical time of year. All you have to do is sign up.

If you have any questions about the program and how to get started, please reach out. We look forward to your help at this critical time of year.

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