On the third and final day of our trip to Cherokee, we participated in a civil clinic in partnership with Legal Aid
of North Carolina. This clinic was primarily intended to help the local community with family law matters, particularly divorce and custody issues. Legal Aid was tremendous in the training that they provided to each of us on the trip to ensure that the documents
were executed properly in order to best utilize both our resources and the client’s time. The civil clinic was held at Yellow Hill Activity Center on the reservation, and we arrived bright and early to greet our clients with a smiling face in hope that we would
be able to help satisfy their unmet legal needs.
Students were able to help clients with a number of different documents, including divorces, custody orders, and
modified custody orders. The services provided during the clinic ranged from client to client depending on their specific circumstances and what would be the best way to go about getting the end result that each client desired. Some clients attended the clinic
because they were trying to gain custody of a child, others were seeking visitation, and some were simply there to receive help on how to go about filing the proper paperwork for a divorce. One of the most eye-opening things that we were able to take from the
work done in this clinic was just how great of a need there really is for these services. Many of the clients in attendance would have had no other means for these documents to be created, and therefore they would not have been able to come to a resolution
to their particular issues without the help of this clinic. As law students we sometimes take for granted our ability to understand the law, or at least how to find adequate access to someone who does understand the law enough to help with whatever issue we
need resolved. Many times though that is not the case, and rather than searching or having the resources to find the proper way to solve a legal problem, the problem remains unresolved regardless of how important or necessary it is to be resolved. Being able
to help client’s resolve some of these problems was a very humbling experience.
The clinic lasted most of the day, and we worked steadily with clients until the clinic ended and we began reflections
of the trip as a whole with what each student had taken from our experience in Cherokee. Each student had a unique perspective on the trip and how it had impacted them, but there was no doubt that this trip impacted everyone involved for the better. The ability
to help someone with such sensitive family matters was truly a rewarding experience. Being able to learn about and understand Cherokee culture even just a little was life changing, and the gratitude that each client, as well as the community as a whole, showed
to us was touching. Further, the group of students who attended this trip became very close, and we have this experience and the people of Cherokee to thank for that. Thank you to Legal Aid of North Carolina for helping with this trip. Without them, the clinics
we hosted would not have been possible. To our special trips coordinators, thanks for making such a lasting experience for us. The work we did in Cherokee was impactful for a lot of people that we helped serve, and I know that it will stay with each of us as
we move forward in our legal careers.
Read More... (2015 Pro Bono Program Cherokee Trip Day 3)
| Posted by Kyle E. Grusholt on Mon. December 21, 2015 7:11 AM
Categories: Winter Break Trip 2016
On our second day in Cherokee, the UNC Law contingent fueled
up on the continental breakfast before heading to the Tsali Manor Senior
Center. There we broke into teams and provided assistance to approximately
twenty seniors in need of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Powers of
Attorney, and Advance Directives. Students were able to share lunch and connect
with both the volunteers and seniors that spend their time and energy making
the Center a special community. UNC Law 1L Andrew Simpson stated, “We came to
Cherokee hoping to serve the local community, and yet it was we who were
enriched by the graciousness of our clients.” At the close, the Center
expressed their gratitude by giving each student a Cherokee handcrafted
necklace of beads.
After continuing this clinic during the afternoon, our group
was able to do a self-guided tour through the Museum of the Cherokee Indian,
thanks to the generosity of Judge Saunooke. The museum included ancient
artifacts, displays, and a brief movie with Cherokee tribal stories that were
passed down through the generations. We returned back to the hotel for a
Jeopardy/The Price Is Right-themed reflection session, featuring our very own
MC Isaac Vargas. After a group dinner at a local restaurant, we explored
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, hoping to escape with minimal losses to add to our
respective debt obligations. All in all, day two made for a great mix of pro
bono service and exposure to Cherokee people, culture, and generosity.
Read More... (2015 Pro Bono Program Cherokee Trip Day 2)
| Posted by Brian K. Kettmer on Fri. December 18, 2015 11:16 AM
Categories: Winter Break Trip 2016
The first day of our trip to Cherokee, North Carolina is in
the books, and it was quite an eventful one. Students met bright and early
Monday morning and made the commute across the state to the beautiful, scenic
mountains of Western North Carolina. Prior to the trip, students prepared
extensively for the types of work that would be done at the legal clinics in
order to be as prepared as possible to ensure the best quality work would be completed
for the clients being served. Upon arriving in Cherokee, students further
participated in trainings with Legal Aid of North Carolina where we were able
to practice our skills with the partner that will accompany us during the
clinics. The training was extremely insightful, as students were able to review
and build on the training we had already received as well as ask any questions
to the attorneys from Legal Aid who will be accompanying us for the
clinics. This was a great opportunity for us to interact as a group, and
we really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know one another better prior to
the first clinic on Tuesday.
After the
training, we were able to witness a domestic violence hearing at the Cherokee
court. Before the hearing started, Chief Justice Boyum spoke to us about the
unique challenges of the Cherokee court system. Chief Justice Boyum explained
how the reservation has extremely limited jurisdiction over non-enrolled
persons who commit crimes on the reservation, leading to some criminal
offenders slipping through the cracks due to a lack of jurisdiction. He also
talked about the problems that arise from the per capita payments each enrolled
member receives annually; upon turning 18, each enrolled member receives a lump
sum payment that has accrued until reaching adulthood. Chief Justice Boyum
explained how this, combined with a poor education system, has led to some
members being taken advantage of. Another important thing we learned was how
many of the members don’t receive the proper education on things that many of
us take for granted, such as managing finances or using a checkbook. Visiting
the courthouse was an eye-opening experience, and we are very thankful for the
kindness and hospitality that everyone there showed to us.
Read More... (2015 Pro Bono Program Cherokee Trip Day 1)
| Posted by Kyle E. Grusholt on Fri. December 18, 2015 11:05 AM
Categories: Winter Break Trip 2016
Name and Year of Graduation from UNC Law:
Meriwether Evans, UNC Law Class of 2013
Place of employment:
Vinson & Elkins, LLP, Dallas, TX
Area of practice:
Complex Commercial Litigation
Favorite class/professor in law school:
Professor Coyle’s Business Associations. Prof. Coyle teaches the class in a way that really helped me realize how fascinating the world of corporate law can be. (That sounds super nerdy, I know.) Good thing for me, because my practice is mainly securities litigation!
Pro Bono experience in law school:
You name it, I did it. As I 1L, I drafted wills and other end-of-life documents on my first fall break trip. As a 3L, went on the winter break trip to assist the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian with legal issues they face. I was also heavily involved with the Pro Bono Program itself, which served as my anchor in the stormy seas of law school. I was 1L Class Coordinator, 2L Class Coordinator, and then Director my 3L year. Being a part of that group of students, either as a member of the board or by doing pro bono work, was truly one of my favorite aspects of law school.
What inspired or prompted you to start doing Pro Bono work?
I entered law school a little later in life and knew in my second try at a career that I wanted to have the skills and knowledge to make a difference. I saw my first chance to do that with the Pro Bono Program.
Read More... (Alumna Feature: Meriwether Evans '13)
Posted by Jared S. Smith on Mon. November 30, 2015 9:23 AM
Categories: Alumni Features
Name and Year of Graduation from UNC Law:
Joe Vossen, UNC Law Class of 2011
Place of employment:
United Educators Risk Retention Group in the Washington DC area.
Area of practice:
Higher Education, Risk Management, Insurance
Favorite class/professor in law school:
It’s a tie. The two classes I enjoyed most were Evidence with Professor Broun and Insurance with Professor Hornstein.
Pro Bono experience in law school:
Pro Bono Board Winter and Spring Break Co-Coordinator, 100 hours of pro bono service at graduation
What inspired or prompted you to start doing Pro Bono work?
In law school I sought pro bono opportunities to provide a more practical component to my legal education. I also believe that public institutions like Carolina Law have a responsibility to give back to the state and its citizens. Serving as the Winter and Spring Break Co-Coordinator with Emily Wallwork was an incredible opportunity to pair interested law students with deserving North Carolina communities. After graduation I continued to search for pro bono opportunities in Western North Carolina, where I practiced for two years, and then Washington, DC after I moved.
Read More... (Alumnus Feature: Joe Vossen '11)
Posted by Jared S. Smith on Mon. November 2, 2015 8:24 AM
Categories: Alumni Features
The Pro Bono Program at the University of North Carolina School of Law is one of a kind. Since the Pro Bono Program's inception in 1997, students have been connected with hundreds of projects. Last year, Carolina law students completed over 35,954 hours of Pro Bono work, worth $771,932.
Read More... (The Pro Bono Bucket List)
Posted by Olivia E. Taylor on Wed. October 28, 2015 1:40 PM
Categories: General
Name and Year of Graduation from UNC Law:
Jonathan Sasser, UNC Law Class of 1981
Place of employment:
Ellis & Winters
Area of practice: Business Litigation
Favorite class/professor in law school:
William Aycock
What inspired or prompted you to start doing Pro Bono work?
It was an honored tradition at my first law firm, Paul Weiss.
What does your current Pro Bono practice look like?
Representing NC families in the same-sex marriage case; many representations for the ACLU.
Read More... (Alumnus Feature: Jonathan Sasser '81)
Posted by Jared S. Smith on Thu. October 1, 2015 7:55 AM
Categories: Alumni Features
Name and Year of Graduation from UNC Law:
Will Corbett, UNC Law Class of 2003
Place of employment:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Area of practice: Regulatory/Policy
Favorite class/professor in law school:
If I have to pick just one, I'd say Professor Charles Daye - his Housing Law class continues to shape my
approach to policy.
Pro Bono experience in law school:
I served on the Pro Bono Program Board all three years in law school, so I spent a lot of my
time coordinating projects for other students. But I also did research for Legal Aid, and I worked with a group of law
students to start the Street Law Project, which taught middle school students
about the law and the constitution.
What inspired or prompted you to start doing Pro Bono work?
My first experience with pro bono work was before law school, working as a paralegal in San Francisco,
through the Homeless Advocacy Project. I got a chance to help associates at my firm on their pro bono cases and work
directly with clients. I saw how the plight of individuals could change dramatically once a lawyer was on their
side. Later on, I served as a legal services attorney and then joined the Office of the Commissioner Of Banks, helping North Carolina respond to the foreclosure crisis. As a public servant, I've tried to facilitate greater access to legal resources through developing projects and training aspiring pro bono attorneys.
Read More... (Alumnus Feature: Will Corbett '03)
Posted by Jared S. Smith on Mon. August 31, 2015 8:33 PM
Categories: Alumni Features
Name and Year of Graduation from UNC Law:
Martin Brinkley, UNC Law Class of 1992
The UNC Law Pro Bono Program is excited to welcome Dean Martin Brinkley home to Carolina Law and to recognize him as this month’s Pro Bono Featured Alumnus. Dean Brinkley comes to us from Smith Anderson in Raleigh where he worked as partner for twelve years, practicing in areas including corporate law, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust and trade regulation, public finance, charitable foundations and nonprofit organizations, and appellate litigation. He also served as the 2011-2012 president of the 17,000-member North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA); in his inaugural address he shared: “[Pro Bono] work is one of the title deeds to which each of us took delivery when we applied for a license to practice law.”
Read More... (Alumnus Feature: Dean Martin Brinkley '92)
Posted by Jared S. Smith on Sun. August 2, 2015 8:44 AM
Categories: Alumni Features