Katie Webb is a solo practitioner in Kinston, North Carolina and a 2018 graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law. Katie practices in criminal, family, civil litigation and veterans’ law, and she is accredited by the Veterans Administration to represent veterans before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in their pursuit of earned benefits. Katie calls pro bono service the “equalizer for public access to the rights guaranteed by both the United States and North Carolina Constitutions,” and she is committed to making pro bono service a central part of her practice.
Serving veterans is Katie’s passion both in her regular practice and her pro bono service. Katie attributes this to her family: “I come from a service-oriented family. Many members of my family have served in our Armed Forces, including my husband. Serving those who have served our country is precious, whether it is basic legal assistance or preparing claims for benefits, it gives me satisfaction to know I helped even a little.” For attorneys who have not done a pro bono project, Katie says, “Do it. You have a skillset that you worked hard for and it is immensely valuable to those affected by catastrophe or strife. Our country guarantees our rights but not everyone knows how or can afford to assert them. You will get more than you give.”
This fall, Katie volunteered at the New Bern Disaster Recovery Center doing intake for the North Carolina Bar Foundation/ Legal Aid of North Carolina Disaster Legal Services Hotline. The highlight of her experience was assisting a veteran and his wife who had been denied an insurance claim. Katie reports that restoring hope to a retired combat veteran was a very proud moment for her. “Engaging in pro bono service gives me the gift of professional fulfillment. I can use my knowledge and skills to assist people in complicated legal scenarios from which they would be otherwise unable to help themselves. I place high value on helping those who cannot otherwise afford to hire a lawyer and cannot execute their rights without such help,” says Katie.
Most recently, Katie volunteered at the Pro Bono Resource Center’s FEMA Appeal and Restoration Clinic in New Bern, NC and helped victims of Hurricane Florence navigate the FEMA appeals process. To get involved with this project, click here.