The Paralegal Division and Family Law Section Partner Again to Serve Guilford County Residents with Family Law Issues

By the Paralegal Division Pro Bono Committee 

In April 2021, the Paralegal Division and the Family Law Section partnered for the first time to hold a Pro Se Custody and Family Law Advice Clinic for residents of Wake County. This pilot was held at the Blanchard Community Law Clinic and successfully served eleven clients by answering their family law questions and drafting pro se custody packets for several of them.

Since the first clinic was so successful, Guilford County family law attorney, Manisha Patel, approached the Paralegal Division with the backing of the Greensboro Bar Association and its Family Law Section and Pro Bono Committee about partnering for a clinic in Guilford County. The clinic is set for February 11, 2023, from 9 a.m. to noon at Elon Law School.

The Paralegal Division is now recruiting paralegal volunteers for virtual intakes, although documents will not need to be drafted before the clinic like they were in Wake County. Paralegals will also be needed on the day of the clinic beginning at 8 a.m. The Family Law Section will be recruiting volunteer attorneys and Elon Law School students for the day of the clinic beginning at 8 a.m. Elon Law School students will be paired with an attorney and paralegal at the clinic. Spanish-speaking volunteers are needed, but volunteers do not have to be bilingual to participate.

The clinic will be tailored to provide advice on the following needs:

  • Filing a non-emergency custody complaint;
  • Filing an emergency custody complaint;
  • Filing an answer to a custody complaint served on the client;
  • Filing for divorce; and
  • Filing an answer to a divorce complaint served on the client.

Depending on a client’s individual needs, they may also be provided with ready-to-file documents at the end of their session.

On the day of the clinic, paralegal and law student volunteers will be paired with attorney volunteers to assist eligible clients to complete forms specific to their legal need or to provide advice only regarding their legal situation. Individuals who have already filed for custody or who have been served with a custody complaint may attend the clinic to speak with an attorney at no cost about the details of their case. Individuals may also speak with an attorney about divorce, alimony, or equitable distribution. Again, there is no guarantee that any documents will be completed by the clinic volunteers under any of these circumstances. The extent of the scope will be determined by the volunteer attorney who speaks directly with the client at the clinic.

The Paralegal Division and Family Law Section have worked tirelessly to bring this second clinic to fruition. Information links are below.

If you would like to join in on other efforts that the Pro Bono Committee of the Paralegal Division is a part of (or any other Committees of the Division!), please consider signing up.

The NCBA Paralegal Division Pro Bono Committee consists of co-chairs, S.M. Kernodle-Hodges and Rachel Royal, and committee members, Yazmeen Gadalla (Paralegal Division Chair), Katie Riddle, Natalie Porter, Ileigh Kuga, Diane Wells, and Kimberly Johnson. The committee meets at least once per quarter and each member contributes to projects that include family and immigration issues, as well as develops new ideas that will offer ways for the Paralegal Division to participate in pro bono projects.

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