Mike Wells: Legal advice is free for the asking this week
February 28th, 2022 by admin
Do you have a legal question you would like answered without charge? This Friday (March 4), you can do just that during the 15th 4ALL event, a public service program of the NC Bar Foundation. N.C. citizens can talk to an N.C.-licensed lawyer for free on that day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Imagine that.
The 4ALL effort, widely acclaimed nationally, was started in 2008 under the leadership of then-President of the NCBA Janet Ward Black, a prominent lawyer in Greensboro.
Who can call? Any adult, including those who speak Spanish. The callers are not limited because of their level of income. What kinds of calls will be answered? Business, criminal and traffic, consumer/bankruptcy, education, employment, unemployment or workers’ compensation, construction law, estate planning, elder law, eviction and landlord/ tenant law, family law/child issues, foreclosure, governmental benefits, immigration, intellectual property, juvenile justice, personal injury, public benefits, social security benefits, tax law, and veterans’ benefits. When and where can you call? From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, statewide. In the Triad , the call-in number is 336-355-6262. Over 400 attorneys, paralegals and law student volunteers will work together to answer calls. Last year, volunteers answered over 9,700 calls. The program’s mission is to help address the access to justice gap by providing access to a lawyer for members of the public who otherwise are unable to access legal services. What numbers should you call? As noted, the number to call for Winston-Salem and the Greensboro/Triad is 336-355-6262. If you cannot get through or you cannot call on March 4, call Legal Aid of North Carolina at 1-866-219-5262, or call the NCBA Lawyer Referral Service at 919-677-8574. How callers should prepare:Be patient
Have a pen and paper available to write down the information the lawyer gives to you
Write down your basic facts. Prepare a timeline of what happened when
Explain what you have done to resolve your concern or issue so far
Explain what you want or need to happen
For additional information about this program, contact the N.C. Bar Foundation at foundation@ncbar.org
Lawyer referral serviceLRS is another highly successful NCBA program that annually serves over 25,000 citizens, regardless of their income level, providing answers to any number of legal issues. For no more than $50, you can talk to a lawyer for up to 30 minutes in your geographical area that is familiar with your legal topic; the number is 919-677-8574. Many times, these lawyers will field your questions and answer them without a fee, depending on how complex the facts and legal issues are.
“The public benefits greatly from these NCBA/ NCBF programs. Providing access to our members for direction about routine legal questions improves access to justice in North Carolina,” said Charlotte lawyer Jon Heyl, president of NCBA and NCBF. As a career-long member of NCBA and a past president, I would add that these are exactly the kinds of programs in which lawyers should participate.
If you are not able to call Friday, remember that all lawyers in our state are called upon to provide several pro-bono hours of service each year. (And they are happy to do so, BTW.) Call before you act if you have a question about a situation and your instincts are telling you that you need to check with a lawyer. The lawyer should answer your quick question as a courtesy, most times. Because your lawyer wants you to avoid “the best problem you never have,” too! Something you assumed is not a problem could, in fact, be a problem in waiting.
Remember: An informed choice is a smart choice.
Posted in: WS Journal Articles