When legal professionals are nervous or not sure how they can help those impacted by a disaster, Brooks’ words come to mind. “One act of service (no matter how small you self-perceive it to be) can make the world of difference for a disaster survivor who needs trusted counsel after experiencing such severe loss.” Brooks has worked in disaster relief for several years from working at Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Project as a W.C. Dawson Fellow and Staff Attorney to serving as an Assistant General Counsel in the Disaster Recovery Division of the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Throughout her career in disaster recovery, she has served survivors directly to alleviate legal barriers with FEMA, insurance, and displacement matters and provided outreach and education on disaster legal issues. Notably in response to Hurricane Helene, Brooks is a volunteer leader with NC Disaster Legal Services (DLS), where she works closely with state and national DLS partners, recruits and trains volunteer legal professionals and coordinates DLS operations for clinics, FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, and case management, just to name a few responsibilities. Read more
Chris Fowler is a firm member and corporate finance and transactional attorney with Moore & Van Allen (MVA) in Charlotte. Chris began volunteering on pro bono projects immediately after joining MVA in 2012 after graduating from the University of North Carolina Law School at Chapel Hill. He heads the firm’s Pro Bono Wills Project in partnership between MVA and the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy to assist elderly residents of Mecklenburg County with estate planning services.
Approximately four years ago, on March 10, 2020, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in North Carolina due to the covid-19 outbreak which had originated in Wuhan, China in the late Fall of 2019 and began spreading to the United States in early 2020. The public is aware of the doctors, nurses and other medical workers who helped so many North Carolinians through the covid-19 crisis. The public is less aware of the significant role that lawyers played in providing pro bono legal services to North Carolinians with covid-19 legal issues, one of whom was attorney John Noor with the Asheville law firm of Roberts and Stevens.
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The 2024 Pro Bono Award winners have been selected and will be recognized during the NCBA Annual Meeting on Friday, June 21, 2024, in Charlotte. The honorees are:
Greenblatt Outstanding Lawyer Award: Rona Karacaova – Legal Aid of North Carolina
Thorp Pro Bono Service Award: Kerry A. Friedman – Patla, Straus, Robinson & Moore, PA
YLD Pro Bono Award: Palmer E. “Tripp” Huffstetler III – Sosna & Huffstetler
Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Service Award: Andrea M. Blosser – Robinson Bradshaw
Law Firm Pro Bono Award: Robinson Bradshaw
Outstanding Collaborative Pro Bono Award: NCBA SOGI LGBTQ+ Legal Clinics
Law School Pro Bono Service Award: “Better Together” – Duke University School of Law, NC Central University School of Law, UNC School of Law
The Filling the Justice Gap Award: Rachel Royal: Royal Touch Project Solutions, LLC
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Home to Fort Liberty and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina has more veterans than most states. For the last five years, McGuireWoods, Wells Fargo, and Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (CCLA) have teamed up to serve this community through an estate planning pro bono clinic called “Wills for Warriors.”
The annual clinic, which takes place around Veterans Day, is a one-stop shop where veterans meet attorney and legal professional volunteers from McGuireWoods and Wells Fargo to discuss their goals and leave with needed estate planning documents such as wills, power of attorney forms, and health care power of attorney forms.
“There are a few reasons I commit to pro bono work. First, it can be a nice shift from the normal concerns over disputes about money. Second, if I can find a project that helps me grow my skills or better my understanding on a section of law, then it’s the best type of CLE. Third, it feels natural to me to do it.” Martin is a dedicated volunteer attorney, who enjoys volunteering his legal expertise and taking on challenging legal projects. He is a partner at Nelson, Mullins, Riley, and Scarborough LLP and is a Board Certified appellate specialist who focuses on business and state constitutional litigation.
Across North Carolina, family land is lost, and people struggle to obtain benefits because they do not have a clear or marketable title to the home passed down to them. Fortunately, the North Carolina Bar Foundation, the NCBA Real Property Section, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Pisgah Legal Services, and the Land Loss Prevention Project have partnered together to create the Heir Property Pro Bono Project. The project helps heir property owners establish clear title to their homes and land, thereby preserving both generational wealth in families and safe and affordable housing in low-income communities, especially predominantly Black, rural communities.
“In general, I am a firm believer in “To whom much is given, much will be required.” I have been blessed with some skills and talents. Fortunately, I have been able to make a career using those skills and talents and I find it important to give back and be of service to others.” Meet Adam Arthur, attorney at Arthur & Kirkman, LLC, and pro bono provider extraordinaire. He volunteers with Court Watch of North Carolina which has recently begun efforts to rebrand itself as Court Support for Families. In addition, he has been involved in the NCBF’s 4ALL Statewide Service Day for a number of years. He is a frequent participant in the NCBF/ABA Free Legal Answers Project. And since 2012, he has served on every Guilford County District Court Civil Local Rules Committee that has been constituted. Please note this is not a complete list of all Adam’s volunteer contributions.
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Grabowski Law Firm has an obvious passion for pro bono work. Austin Grabowski graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina then attended Campbell Law School of Law, where he excelled in leadership roles and his pro bono interest took off. When Austin graduated, he held a prestigious position clerking for Superior Court Judge Eric Levinson. After that position, he worked for a national law firm and a boutique law firm. After those experiences, Austin wanted hands-on experience with his clients, and Grabowski Law Firm was born in Charlotte, NC.
When asked about her caseload as a mediator specializing in Workers’ Compensation and employment disputes, she replied, “It’s wild! I have a frenetic caseload!” Any mediator worth their salt can enjoy a great work/life balance, filling their calendar with as much work as they choose to accept. What distinguishes Kate from many of her colleagues is that she adds an extra element to her personal balance: a passion for social justice. This passion is articulated in every aspect of her life. This dedication to her craft and her cause has earned Kate repeated recognition from both within and beyond the legal community.
Kate gives freely of her time, talent, and energy very literally. For the past 13-14 years, Kate has blocked two to three days each week for pursuing both pro bono projects and community causes. That’s an extraordinary 50% of each work week! And for more than a decade! With that time, Kate has spearheaded several community-building initiatives. Kate has even woven her fervor for inclusiveness into the fabric of her family. Kate and her husband, Nick Maradei, are trans-racial adoptive parents, having adopted at birth two African American daughters to complete their family along with their biological son.
When legal professionals are nervous or not sure how they can help those impacted by a disaster, Brooks’ words come to mind. “One act of service (no matter how small you self-perceive it to be) can make the world of difference for a disaster survivor who needs trusted counsel after experiencing such severe loss.” Brooks has worked in disaster relief for several years from working at Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Disaster Relief Project as a W.C. Dawson Fellow and Staff Attorney to serving as an Assistant General Counsel in the Disaster Recovery Division of the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management. Throughout her career in disaster recovery, she has served survivors directly to alleviate legal barriers with FEMA, insurance, and displacement matters and provided outreach and education on disaster legal issues. Notably in response to Hurricane Helene, Brooks is a volunteer leader with NC Disaster Legal Services (DLS), where she works closely with state and national DLS partners, recruits and trains volunteer legal professionals and coordinates DLS operations for clinics, FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, and case management, just to name a few responsibilities.
