North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center

Prison Law 2017
2017-11-14 09:00 (America/New_York) | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
Why You Should Attend
In an area where advocates face increasingly challenging legal issues whether they represent incarcerated people from a public interest practice, private practice or as a policy advocate, and where government lawyers also grapple with complex concerns, PLI’s Prison Law program offers a unique focus on evolving prison law issues.
What You Will Learn
Litigation strategies in connection with the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) and also monitoring and consent decrees
Mental health challenges for incarcerated persons
Ethical issues arising in prison actions
Detention of immigrants
Incarceration of young people: including treatment, conditions, and access to education

2017 Military & Veterans Law Section Annual Meeting and CLE on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel
2017-11-14 08:55 | North Carolina Bar Center, Cary, 8000 Weston Parkway , Cary, NC, 27513, US
This educational program serves military attorneys and paralegals working in legal assistance, as well as civilian counsel whose practices involve military clients or issues.

Advocating for Veterans: The Basics on VA Benefits, Discharge Upgrades and Veteran Cultural Competency 2017 (FREE)
2017-11-13 12:00 - 20:00 | PLI California Center, , NC, US
IMPORTANT! If you get accredited by the VA before you attend this training, the first three hours will satisfy the VA’s CLE requirement.
Attorneys and other advocates must be accredited to practice before the VA.To obtain accreditation you must complete this form:www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA21a.pdf.
Accreditation by the VA may take several weeks, so do not delay filing your application.You can speed up the process by emailing the form to: OGCAccreditationMailbox@va.gov.
Within 12 months after accreditation you are required to complete three hours of qualifying CLE. The morning session of this program satisfies that requirement, but only if you have already received your accreditation from the VA. If you have not received it, you should still watch this program, but keep in mind that you will need to complete three additional hours of CLE within 12 months after receiving your accreditation.
Attorneys and other advocates who become accredited will be listed on a national VA list, and are entitled to represent veterans in their claims for benefits, on a pro bono basis, and for attorney’s fees on appeals, where they are available.
Why You Should Attend
There are over 21 million veterans in the U.S.; many of them are not aware of the benefits to which they are entitled. Medical and financial assistance are available to those who have served in the military, but many veterans most in need are not receiving VA benefits. Navigating the VA claims system and applying for discharge upgrades before the Department of Defense are difficult and complex processes. Attorneys play an essential role in removing barriers to VA benefits, such as:
Lack of evidence to “service-connect” their injuries or disabilities.
Lack of current medical or mental health evidence documenting severity of symptoms for accurate disability ratings.
VA eligibility determinations for those given less than fully honorable discharges for behaviors that were related to minor disciplinary infractions or symptoms of Post- Traumatic Stress or other service-related disabilities.
What You Will Learn
Nearly 45% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seek compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for service related injuries; 30% of these veterans who file for VA benefits include claims for Post-Traumatic Stress. Many of those who should receive benefits will be denied. Many service members who may be VA eligible are unaware of their legal right to pursue VA benefits, and of those who do apply, more than 90% will be denied. All of them will wait months or years for the VA to issue decisions on their claims. Learn how to navigate the VA claims process and to become an effective advocate for veterans in need. This all-day program will provide an overview of VA disability law and military discharge review law. You will gain an understanding of different types of military discharges, why they are important, and how you can help veterans with less than Honorable discharges.
The three one-hour morning sessions provide the basics you need to represent veterans before the VA. It will also cover the interactions between VA benefits and other public benefits, such as SSI and SSDI. The morning session fulfills the VA’s requirement for qualifying CLE within the first 12 months of your VA accreditation.
The 1:45 session, Veteran Cultural Competency: Combat to Community will help veterans’ advocates to understand the challenges that veterans face in their transition to a noncombat community, and provide tips on interviewing and providing legal services to veterans with disabilities.
The 2:45 to 5:00 sessions will provide attorneys with the tools that they need to assist veterans in upgrading their discharge status and removing stigmatizing information from their discharge documents.
Who Should Attend
Attorneys seeking meaningful pro bono opportunities and any advocate who wants to help change the life of a veteran with a disability. Attorneys seeking to meet VA’s CLE requirements for new and continuing VA accreditation should also attend. Finally, attorneys who hope to expand their practice areas to include veterans’ cases where fees are available should register for one or more of the sessions.

Advocating for Veterans: The Basics on VA Benefits, Discharge Upgrades and Veteran Cultural Competency 2017 (Free)
2017-11-13 12:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
There are over 21 million veterans in the U.S.; many of them are not aware of the benefits to which they are entitled. Medical and financial assistance are available to those who have served in the military, but many veterans most in need are not receiving VA benefits. Navigating the VA claims system and applying for discharge upgrades before the Department of Defense are difficult and complex processes. Attorneys play an essential role in removing barriers to VA benefits, such as:
Lack of evidence to “service-connect” their injuries or disabilities.
Lack of current medical or mental health evidence documenting severity of symptoms for accurate disability ratings.
VA eligibility determinations for those given less than fully honorable discharges for behaviors that were related to minor disciplinary infractions or symptoms of Post- Traumatic Stress or other service-related disabilities.

Civil Collaborative Practice Training
2017-11-07 08:15 | North Carolina Bar Center, Cary, 8000 Weston Pkwy , Raleigh, NC, 27513, US
November 7 and 8- Collaborative practice training is for litigators, mediators,
business, construction, employment and estate lawyers, and anyone
else looking for a quicker, less expensive way to resolve disputes without
destroying important relationships.
The following training program options are available:
• Half-day program for those interested in learning about collaborative
practice without undertaking a full training program
• One-day program designed for those who wish to be trained as
collaborative attorneys but are unable to complete the full two-day
training at once
• Two-day program providing all of the tools to enable the participants
to hold themselves out as collaboratively trained attorneys
• One day advanced program (day two of the full basic training) for
those who have been previously trained and are looking to further
enhance their training

Limited Scope Representation 2017: Ethical & Practical Challenges
2017-11-02 09:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
To respond to the access to justice crisis facing the legal system, the civil legal services community and the judiciary have partnered in the expansion of services based on limited scope representation. As a community, we have extensive experience now with limited scope representation models. Various models with many technology assisted interventions are being developed and information tables, drop-in legal clinics, websites and help lines have expanded. Limited Scope Representation 2017: Ethical & Practical Challenges will focus on how these models employ best practices to respond to common ethical issues and problems that arise.

Handling Wage Theft Cases: What You Need to Know
2017-11-02 08:55 - 16:30 | North Carolina Advocates for Justice Headquarters, 1312 Annapolis Dr. , Raleigh, NC, 27608, US
Interested in building your practice? North Carolina has seen an increase in demand for attorneys who handle wage theft cases. Wage theft cases offer an opportunity for attorneys’ fees and are a great way to gain practical experience. This discounted seminar will walk you through what you need to know to handle these cases, including discussion on the North Carolina Wage & Hour Act, basics of a wage & hour lawsuit, bankruptcy, along with practical pointers on representing undocumented workers, use of interpreters, and much more!
PLEASE NOTE: To qualify for discounted tuition, you must agree to accept up to two referrals in 2018.

Ethical Issues in Working with Pro Bono Clients in 2017
2017-10-27 13:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
Pro Bono clients are like any other clients in many ways. But some Pro Bono clients present ethical issues for attorneys that are often different than presented by fee-paying or contingent fee clients. Lawyers sometimes face difficult questions about defining who the client is, communication with clients, clients with diminished capacity, conflicts with fee-paying clients, and many others. Representation of nonprofit organizations also can present difficult ethical issues not faced with most for profit organizations.
As part of the ABA’s National Celebrate Pro Bono Week, please join Toby J. Rothschild, Of Counsel to OneJustice and retired general counsel of the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, for a free One-Hour Briefing as the following topics are addressed:
In brief, what is Pro Bono?
What ethical issues can arise in representation of Pro Bono clients?
How can you make sure your representation is conducted within the Rules of Professional Conduct?
How do ethical issues apply in hypothetical situations?
Don’t miss this important free presentation!

How to Represent a Survivor of Domestic Violence in a 50B Protective Order Hearing
2017-10-26 15:30 - 19:00 | Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law (Room 105), 225 Hillsborough Street , Raleigh, NC, 27603, US
This annual October training is an opportunity to train our volunteer attorneys as well as recruit new attorneys into the PT program during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This event is a four in one celebration: 1) Domestic Violence Awareness Month; 2) Celebrate Pro Bono Week; 3) Project Together’s 20th Anniversary; and 4) honoring the life and legacy of our beloved former VLP Coordinator, Celia Mansaray. Attendees can expect a practical training on representing domestic violence victims, and a panel discussion with Wake County family law judges Margaret Eagles and Luis Meyer and dinner. Attendees will be provided a training manual, which contains detailed instructions on how to best represent our clients as well as gives a background on domestic violence.

Successful Pro Bono Models for In-House Counsel: How to Effectively Provide Legal Assistance to Low-Income People
2017-10-26 13:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
In-house counsel will hear from pro bono professionals at the two largest legal services organizations in the country about the most effective ways for attorneys at corporations to engage in pro bono efforts. The discussion will include the basic ingredients of a successful in-house pro bono project; common pitfalls to avoid; examples of successful pro bono models; and where to find specific in-house opportunities to provide pro bono support to low-income people.
Please join Karen Fisher Gutheil from The Legal Aid Society and Adam Heintz from Legal Services NYC as they address:
How to navigate the corporate landscape: strengths and challenges of doing pro bono at corporations
How to identify models that work and avoid common pitfalls when doing pro bono at corporations
How to find pro bono opportunities and get involved now

34th Annual Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation
2017-10-26 09:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
The law of Section 1983 is multi-faceted and continues to develop. There are myriad significant and difficult issues, many of which generate conflicts in the circuit court. To be an effective Section 1983 litigator it is necessary to stay abreast of the latest decisions. At PLI’s 34th Annual Section 1983 Civil Rights Litigation program, a highly experienced and accomplished faculty will analyze recent Section 1983 trends and developments. The faculty includes a law school dean, legal scholars and authors, a federal magistrate judge, and Section 1983 plaintiffs’ and defendants’ practitioners.
What You Will Learn
This year’s program will cover a wide range of important subjects, including:
In-depth review of the Supreme Court Section 1983 decisions of the past term
Municipal liability
Wrongful conviction claims
Malicious prosecution under Section 1983
Recent evidence developments

The Habits of Cross-Cultural Lawyering
2017-10-25 13:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
profession interacts with a diverse client base, lawyers improve interactions with their clients and other legal players by understanding how culture shapes legal practices and interactions and developing skills and approaches that help them be effective cross-cultural lawyers. All lawyering is cross cultural because non-lawyers have not been socialized or introduced to legal culture.
Using examples from her practice, Professor Susan Bryant will:
Explore how lawyers can work across cultures to introduce clients to the legal culture;
Discuss how lawyers can better build client trust;
Explain how lawyers can improve fact gathering; and
Address how lawyers can engage clients in effective decision making.

Ethics of Pro Bono Representations
2017-10-24 11:30 - 13:30 | Bar and Foundation Center, 2850 Zebulon Ave , Charlotte, NC, 28208, US
This course will address the most common ethics issues in pro bono representations. After reviewing the call to facilitate access to justice, attendees will explore matters of competency, supervision, potential conflicts, risks with incoming and departing lawyers, the importance of engagement letters and effective disengagement.

The Art & Science of Interviewing Pro Bono Clients 2017
2017-10-23 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
Asking the right questions in the right way can start your attorney-client relationship off on the right note and prevent unnecessary frustration. This skill is especially important when working with pro bono clients who have had limited experience with the legal system or face other barriers. PLI’s latest massive open online course (MOOC) is free to anyone who wants to learn more about how to master the art and science of interviewing pro bono clients.

Pro Bono Week Begins
2017-10-22 | Statewide/National, , NC, US
START YOUR NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF PRO BONO PLANNING NOW!
Over the past eight years, with your help, the ABA’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service has succeeded in focusing an annual national spotlight on pro bono. During the 2016 National Celebration, over 700 organizations participated by planning more than 1200 events!
This year’s National Celebration is only a few short months away! Stay-tuned for exciting updates about the 2017 Celebration.
https://www.probono.net/celebrateprobono/

Consumer Bankruptcy Cases 2017
2017-10-17 09:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
Consumer bankruptcy lawyers are the solution for millions of individuals facing financial difficulties. This half-day program will provide legal and practical information for both experienced consumer bankruptcy lawyers and lawyers who do not regularly practice in this field, but are finding an increasing need to understand essential information in this area. The program will also feature an important review of recent cases and hot topics as well as ethical considerations for consumer lawyers. The program features a dynamic group of panelists including a Bankruptcy Judge, an attorney for the United States Trustee’s Office, Chapter 7 panel trustees and experienced debtor and creditor attorneys.

Consumer Bankruptcy Cases 2017
2017-10-17 09:00 | Online Training- No Venue, , NC, US
Consumer bankruptcy lawyers are the solution for millions of individuals facing financial difficulties. This half-day program will provide legal and practical information for both experienced consumer bankruptcy lawyers and lawyers who do not regularly practice in this field, but are finding an increasing need to understand essential information in this area. The program will also feature an important review of recent cases and hot topics as well as ethical considerations for consumer lawyers. The program features a dynamic group of panelists including a Bankruptcy Judge, an attorney for the United States Trustee’s Office, Chapter 7 panel trustees and experienced debtor and creditor attorneys.
What You Will Learn
A view from the Bench: Ethical considerations for consumer bankruptcy lawyers
A view from the Office of the United States Trustee: Role of the United States Trustee and current issues
What every non-bankruptcy lawyer should know about bankruptcy including tips and traps
Exemptions: Planning, choice, amendments and recent cases
Recent case law and hot topics

Annual WCBA Day of Service
2017-10-07 09:00 - 13:00 | Raleigh Rescue Mission, 314 E Hargett St , Raleigh, NC, 27601, US
The Annual WCBA Day of Service will be held on Saturday, October 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Raleigh Rescue Mission. Free legal services will be provided to the residents. We have specific needs for volunteers:
Family Law – 9:30-11 a.m.
Criminal Law – 9:30-11 a.m.
Driver License Restoration – 9:30-11 a.m.
Expunction – 9:30-11 a.m.
A speaker on Criminal Law general topics from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Help with childcare – 9:30-11 a.m.
Help serving lunch – 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
If you would like to assist with this event, please contact Ashleigh Dunston at ashleighparkerdunston@gmail.com or Meredith Cross at mcross@divorceistough.com.

2017 Senior Lawyer Division Fall Meeting and CLE
2017-10-05 15:00 - 19:00 | Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock, 185 Chetola Lake Drive , Blowing Rock, NC, 28605, US
October 5 through 8, 2017
The North Carolina Senior Lawyers Division Pro Bono
Conference highlights the emphasis on pro bono activities.
According to the 2016 ABA Commission’s report on the “Future
of Legal Services,” more than 80 percent of the civil legal needs
of lower-to-middle income individuals are unmet. The Senior
Lawyers Division supports and encourages the idea that all
people should have some form of legal assistance, regardless
of income level or social standing.
In this program, we explore ethical and professional responsibilities
to help achieve access, and we hear from the agencies organized
to meet those needs. Join the Executive Director of the Chief
Justice’s Commission on Professionalism, leaders of NCBA, and
pro bono service providers as they share their knowledge and
experience to inspire you to become part of the solution.

Annual Professionalism Roundtable and Annual Civil Law Update
2017-10-03 12:15 - 16:00 | Crabtree Marriott, 4500 Marriott Dr , Raleigh, NC, 27612, US
It’s tradition! Don’t miss two of our most popular annual CLEs: the Professionalism Roundtable and the Civil Law Update. The Professionalism Roundtable will once again be held during the WCBA’s luncheon THIS YEAR AT THE CRABTREE MARRIOTT on Tuesday, October 3, beginning at 12:45 p.m. The Roundtable was coordinated by the Professionalism Committee and will provide 1.0 hours of pending Ethics credit. Immediately following the luncheon, we will hold our annual Civil Law Update for 2.0 hours of pending General credit, so stay tuned for further information.
*All 3.0 hours (and lunch!) are FREE for WCBA members. Non-members are welcome to join us, but WILL BE CHARGED $30 per credit hour, as well as an additional charge for lunch.*

FASB’s New Financial Instrument Impairment (CECL) Standard
2017-09-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Webcast, , NC, US
This One-Hour Briefing will help you build an understanding of the underlying principles, processes and implementation challenges in the FASB’s new financial instrument impairment standard. The standard’s current expected credit loss (or CECL) model requires complex new judgments and estimates. This new approach applies to all financial instruments, including accounts receivable, loans receivable and investments. Significant process changes will be required in many businesses, particularly financial institutions.
Please join George M. Wilson, director at PLI’s SEC Institute Division, and Louis Fanzini as they help you:
– Outline the key issues in the new CECL impairment model for amortized cost instruments
– Review the changes to the available for sale investment impairment test
– Recognize the major changes from existing impairment standards
– Identify the appropriate implementation date for your business
– Identify the key estimates required to implement the CECL model
– Enumerate the steps required to implement the CECL model

WCBA Pro Bono Appreciation Cocktail Event
2017-09-27 17:30 - 19:30 | Sitti, 137 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC, 27601, United States
Performing pro bono work can be personally rewarding, but sometimes thankless — until now! All Wake County lawyers who have provided pro bono legal services and government lawyers supporting our public service efforts during the 12 months are invited to attend this special cocktail event. Hosted by the WCBA Public Service Committee, this event will be held 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. onWednesday, September 27 at Sitti, 137 S. Wilmington Street. Drinks and light hors d’œuvres. Please join us and allow us to celebrate you and the work you do in our community!

Legal Ethics for Health Care and Life Sciences Attorneys – Hot Topics
2017-09-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Webcast, , NC, US
Attorneys practicing in the health care and life sciences fields address issues on a daily basis that touch on questions of regulatory compliance, corporate codes of conduct and ethics, and corporate social responsibility considerations, all of which are unique and specific to their industries. At the same time, the attorneys themselves are also regulated by the rules of professional conduct governing all attorneys in the jurisdictions in which they practice. This One-Hour Briefing will highlight some hot topics in attorney ethics that are likely to arise in the health care and life sciences areas.
Please join Jennifer Smith Finnegan, General Counsel of the law firm Herrick, Feinstein LLP, as she discusses and offers some practical tips for attorneys to ensure their compliance with attorney ethics rules on topics such as:
– Use of social media in representing clients
– Do you know who your client is?
– Multijurisdictional practice of law
– What should you do about metadata?
– Confidential information through the lens of the attorney-client relationship

Shadow-Boxing in 2017: An Update on Shadow Banking Reform
2017-09-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Webcast, , NC, US
The Financial Stability Board has been spearheading a review of “shadow banking” entities and activities since the onset of the financial crisis. Pursuant to the FSB’s work, many regulatory reforms have been introduced at both the national and international level in a wide-range of different areas. At the recent G-20 meeting in Germany, the FSB published an assessment of present shadow banking activities and the adequacy of reforms and policy tools that have been introduced since the financial crisis. Issues to be covered by Peter J. Green and Jeremy C. Jennings-Mares of Morrison & Foerster LLP during the presentation include:
Current aspects of shadow banking giving most concern to the G20
Money market fund regulation and recent MMF Regulation finalized by the European Union
Repos and effect of recent reforms
Investment funds exposed to shadow banking risks
Impact of crowdfunding and peer to peer lending growth

Accessing the U.S. Capital Markets from Europe without SEC Registration: Understanding the Interplay between Different Regulatory Regimes and Market Practice
2017-09-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Webcast, , NC, US
London-based Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP partner Mark S. Bergman will provide an overview of the issues U.S. securities counsel should be aware of when representing European issuers, which are not SEC reporting companies, that are seeking to access the U.S. capital markets as part of initial public offerings or follow-on offerings.
The presentation will focus on:
Alternatives available to European issuers seeking to access the U.S. capital markets on an exempt basis
Offering structures commonly used in the European capital markets
“Home jurisdiction” regulatory requirements European issuers typically need to comply with
Accommodating different, and at times, inconsistent regulatory requirements and market practice when adding a U.S. tranche
Mark has been resident in the firm’s London office for over 16 years and heads the firm’s Global Capital Markets and Securities Practice.

Representing the Pro Bono Client: Advocacy Skills for Administrative Hearings 2017
2017-09-20 09:00 | Webcast, , NC, US
This is a webcast that begins at 9:00 am pacific time, which is 12:00 pm eastern standard time.
This training is designed to help mitigate the crisis faced by low-income families everywhere by providing attorneys with a basic understanding of common issues and strategies in providing pro bono assistance with administrative hearings. The program will focus on California law, but will also cover many topics such as due process and other rights that apply nationwide; therefore, advocates from other forums would benefit from the information and attending the program.

NCBA Annual Meeting Presidents Luncheon & Pro Bono Awards
2017-06-23 | Omni Grove Park Inn, 290 Macon Ave, Asheville, NC, 28804, United States
The winners of the North Carolina Bar Association’s 2017 Pro Bono Awards have been selected. The recipients were chosen by members of the Pro Bono Activities Committee and will be recognized during the NCBA Annual Meeting, scheduled June 22-25, at The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville.
Formal recognition will take place on Friday, June 23, during the President’s Luncheon.

The winner of the William Thorp Pro Bono Service Award is William L. Esser of Parker Poe in Charlotte.
The winner of the Chief Justice Award is the Wake County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Expunction Project.
The winner of the Deborah Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award is Jim Holloway of Legal Aid of North Carolina in Sylva.
The winner of the Large Law Firm Award is Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP of Raleigh.
The winner of the Small and Medium Law Firm Award is Garrity & Gossage, LLP of Matthews.
The winner of the Law Student Group Award is Elon University School of Law’s Country Conditions Project.
The Younger Lawyer Award will be presented to Brooks Jaffa and Cabell Clay of Charlotte and Rachel Blunk of Burlington for the Disaster Legal Services Project. Selected by the Young Lawyers Division, the winners of the Younger Lawyer Award will be recognized at the President’s Luncheon and will receive their awards on Saturday, June 24, at the YLD Luncheon.

Fee and Registration Required

CLE: Increasing Pro Bono Participation
2017-06-14 00:00 - 23:59, 2017-06-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Alston & Bird, Charlotte Office, 101 S. Tryon Street, Suite 4000, Charlotte, NC, 28280, United States
As the former United States Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell, Jr. once said, “’Equal justice under law’ is not merely a caption on the façade of the Supreme Court building, it is perhaps the most inspiring ideal of our society.” Today, many citizens in North Carolina have no access to legal services. Alston will be sponsoring a free CLE program titled “Increasing Pro Bono Participation,” a training designed to provide resources and information to help bridge the access to justice gap. The program will be held on the dates and times at the following Alston & Bird office locations:
Read more: http://www.alston.com/probono/. CLE pending.
