By Rachel Royal In January 2022, the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center will launch a voluntary Paralegal Pro Bono Reporting process for the first time. While there is no requirement for paralegals to offer pro bono services in North Carolina, there is an ethical responsibility for attorneys to do so under North Carolina Rule […]
By Shawana Almendarez NCBA Paralegal Division Special Nomination Committee The Notification On June 23, 2021, the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification (hereinafter “Board”) notified the Paralegal Division (hereinafter “division”) of a call for nominations pursuant to 27 N.C.A.C. Chapter 1G – Section .0105 to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Board.
By Shawana Almendarez Welcome to all our division members. Thanks to all who have served and will serve! I am honored to serve as the 2021-2022 Paralegal Division Chair. Last year, our division worked during unprecedented times and continued to advance its mission and achieved many goals. The Paralegal Council and its committees served our […]
By Rachel Royal In August 2021, the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center (NCPBRC) will partner with the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office and SelfServe Center, as well as the Charlotte DA’s and PD’s Offices, to offer advice regarding applicants’ eligibility for expunction relief under North Carolina law. Applicants will meet with a […]
By Mary Accardi I became a paralegal a few years ago, not as a recent college graduate nor as my first profession, but as someone looking for divine intervention. My younger self was a stay-at-home mom until my divorce. At the time, I was determined to support myself, and against the advice of my attorney, […]
Alicia Mitchell-Mercer has been selected to receive the 2021 Distinguished Paralegal Award. The award will be presented at the 2021 NCBA Annual Meeting, which will take place virtually on Thursday and Friday, June 17-18. Mitchell-Mercer will be honored during the Awards & Recognitions Presentation on Thursday, June 17, at 5 p.m. Mitchell-Mercer received a B.S. […]
By the Communications Committee Paralegal Spotlight is the division’s monthly publication designed to share division members’ stories with colleagues, inspire present and future paralegal professionals, and strengthen awareness of the profession and association. Each month we select one amazing paralegal from among our membership and ask them to share a little about their personal and professional […]
By Alicia Mitchell-Mercer Frequently, legal professionals find themselves in a dual role – leaders and managers. While there are many similarities between those two roles, the primary distinction is that a leader focuses more on people while a manager focuses more on the technical aspects of completing a project. Legal professionals need both skill sets […]
By Rachel Royal As of April 2019, there were over 1,225,000 active license suspensions in the state of North Carolina related to unpaid traffic fines and failure to appear in court.[1] Even more disheartening is that poverty and systemic racism, rather than a willful refusal to appear in court or to pay fines, are the […]
By the Supreme Court’s Office of Administrative Counsel The Supreme Court of North Carolina has adopted amendments to the General Rules of Practice for the Superior and District Courts in response to the Judicial Branch’s ongoing eCourts initiative. The Supreme Court’s order amending the rules was adopted on April 21, 2021, and is effective on […]