Annual Report 2018–2019
Letter from the Program Director In 2017-2018, the UNC School of Law Pro Bono students paired with nine supervising attorneys on the Line are running smoothly and, due to Program celebrated its 20th anniversary and and drafted answers to legal questions that were increased training opportunities, giving more achieved something that many people thought posted on the Free Legal Answers website. The students the opportunity to serve. The Cancer was impossible: 100 percent student participation project allowed the students to experience pro Project served 25 clients and engaged 22 students bono for the first time and work closely with an this year, while Lawyer on the Line tackled 79
in the graduating class.
This year, the Pro Bono Board wanted to reach attorney all before their first day of class.
cases and engaged 46 students in issues relating
In addition to the Empower Hour, the Pro to housing, employment, and criminal expunc-
that goal and bring student engagement to new
heights. We started an initiative called “Pro Bono Bono Program created several lower-hour, in- tions. They were a huge success. is People” centered on creating a more personal- person pro bono opportunities for students.
Finally, the program continued to reach geo-
ized pro bono experience for students. The Pro We hosted the second Wills for Heroes, where graphically diverse areas on its special trips. We Bono Program determined what areas of law in- students worked with attorneys to draft, review, sent students to Kinston, N.C. over Fall Break, dividual students were passionate about, found and finalize essential life-planning documents Cherokee, N.C. and Bryson City, N.C. over Winter pro bono projects that aligned with those inter- for first responders, and we partnered with Break, and Hickory, N.C. and Greenville, N.C. over ests, and then connected students to them. In the NC Pro Bono Resource Center to hold a Spring Break. The trips got 54 students involved areas of interest where projects did not exist, we three-hour expunction project during Pro Bono in pro bono and served clients all over the state Week. In the Spring, we organized a disaster re- on issues from wills to hurricane relief.
worked to create them.
At the close of the year, our three classes lief trip to Morehead City so that students could
These are just a few highlights from the Pro
reached the incredible participation rates listed assist North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Bono Program this year. I am excited for everyat the bottom of this page. These numbers are Florence. Each project was unique, and engaged one to read through this annual report and see reflective of the fact that doing pro bono at Caro- students who were interested in different the ways that the program is growing, improving, lina Law has become the norm, not the exception, practice areas.
and personalizing pro bono experiences for all
Beyond creating new in-person experiences, students. I am also excited for everyone to cel-
and more students than ever before are fostering
the board worked closely with the Pro Bono ebrate the accomplishments of the students who
a lifelong commitment to pro bono.
This annual report provides a summary of the Alumni Board to build new relationships with at- are featured in this report. The Pro Bono Pro2018-2019 Pro Bono Program, and celebrates the torneys all over North Carolina and create new gram would be nothing without them and their 1L, 2L, and 3L classes’ unprecedented commit- projects. Ninety-six attorney projects were sub- willingness to serve, and we are forever grateful mitted throughout the course of the academic for their time and commitment.
ment to pro bono.
year, and an additional 91 projects were complet-
New Pro Bono Opportunities
ed during Winter and Spring Break. With contin-
The Pro Bono Program surveyed last year’s ued support from our community partners, that students and learned that they wanted more number will continue to grow, and more lives will opportunities to work closely with an attorney. be positively impacted. Knowing that, we partnered with the NC Bar Foundation for the third 1L Orientation Project
Longstanding Projects & Trips
and held the inaugural Free Legal Answers Em- The program’s long standing projects like the power Hour. During the Empower Hour, 18 1L UNC Cancer Pro Bono Legal Project and Lawyer
Pro Bono At-a-Glance Based off national value of volunteer time, found at: https://independentsector.org value-of-volunteer-time-2018/
*
— Sierra Lyda 3L Director, Pro Bono Program
All Classes
3L
2L
1L
93.5% Participation 31,115.5 Hours $791,267*
100% Participation 14,361.5 Hours $365,213*
99% Participation 11,651 Hours $296,285*
81.37% Participation 5,103 Hours $129,769*