Blog Posts: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

It’s a cool feeling to know that I have written documents that will have a real effect on someone’s life.

I had four clients throughout the trip, and one of the things that surprised me most was how that they were as diverse as four people could be with respect to educational background, race, and socioeconomic status. They all had interesting stories and special situations which affected their wills. And they all picked up on nuances in their wills and the other advance directives that I’m not sure that I would have picked up on my first time through.

No Comments | Posted by Frederick Johnson (Fred) on Tue. March 15, 2011 4:26 PM
Categories: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

En route to our site in Kinston, we passed my high school’s arch-rival, the hospital where I was born, and other landmarks that reminded me I was home.

This was my second year participating in the Spring Break Pro Bono Trip to Eastern North Carolina. I was especially excited this year because we went to Kinston, North Carolina – my birthplace.

Day One

We were stationed in Rocky Mount and my first client was a Carolina fan (we’re everywhere!). While my client lived with one of his children and did not own a home, he still wanted to ensure that his personal property was split equally among all his children and requested we draft a will. My skills were somewhat rusty even though I had drafted wills during the trip last year, but thanks to the supervising attorneys from Legal Aid of North Carolina and the UNC Center for Civil Rights, my skills were back intact in no time.

No Comments | Posted by Erika Nicole Jones on Tue. March 15, 2011 4:21 PM
Categories: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

I breathed a sigh of relief and smiled in satisfaction, knowing that I spent my Spring Break performing services that were needed...

As a 3L, most would think my last Spring Break EVERRRRR would consist of laying back and looking forward to walking across the stage two months from now. I mean, what 3L in their right mind would volunteer to wake up before 7 a.m. during a time of break from law school? *raises hand* Yep…me.

No Comments | Posted by Atiya Nicole Boddie on Fri. March 11, 2011 4:15 PM
Categories: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

As of Friday, March 4, we had three clients…currently we have forty.

(This trip, the Eastern NC team consists of 22 students, two UNC Law administrators, and several Center for Civil Rights attorneys who are traveling to Rocky Mount, Weldon/Roanoke Rapids, Scotland Neck, and Kinston.)

I worked and lived in Kinston for two summers with the UNC Community Campus Partnership . I had a great variety of experiences in Kinston. I lived in a firehouse while working with the City of Kinston. I wrote grants for LED streetlights and improvements to city buildings. I organized community meetings around downtown revitalization and helped administer grants. I studied the tax base and potential sources of revenue. I lobbied for methane gas capture at a landfill. I helped design an educational reform model in Lenoir County, funded in part by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. I helped link together the Southern Historical Collection at UNC’s Wilson Library and the family of Harvey Beech, the first African-American to graduate from UNC Law who was also a proud resident of Kinston.

No Comments | Posted by Adam C. Parker on Tue. March 8, 2011 4:12 PM
Categories: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

I was surprised how great it feels to start and finish a legal project with a tangible result in such a short time.

So far the trip is going really well. I was a little intimidated before setting out yesterday (the first day), after all I had never done anything like writing a will before. But when I started working with my partner everything just fell into place. We were able to craft a will and health care power of attorney without any major difficulties. I was surprised how great it feels to start and finish a legal project with a tangible result in such a short time, and it’s wonderful to have a real world application for some of the materials from property class.

No Comments | Posted by James A. Bartow on Tue. March 8, 2011 4:11 PM
Categories: Spring Break 2011 (Eastern)

Day One: Rocky Mount

A day in the life of a wills clinic:

Wake around 5 a.m. – leave Chapel Hill at 6:15 a.m. – breakfast stop at Hardees at 7:30 a.m. – set up at 8:00 a.m. at clinic site – start interviewing clients at 8:30 a.m. – start drafting around 9:30 a.m. – execute documents around 11:30 a.m. – lunch – second client interviews at 1:00 p.m. – start drafting around 2:30 p.m. – execute documents around 5:30 p.m. – pack up – check into hotel – barbeque dinner!