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Public: Recent News

Founding members of the N.C. Equal Access to Justice Commission at the N.C. Bar Center.

The N.C. Bar Center hosted the organizational meeting of the N.C. Equal Access to Justice Commission on Thursday, April 27. The daylong session focused on providing background information on the access to justice commission movement, both nationally and in North Carolina, and historical information on the legal services movement in our state to the commissioners and guests.

Included among the special guests was Evelyn Pursley, executive director of NC IOLTA and the individual often credited for initiating this conversation in North Carolina. She spoke on the commission’s historical context and explained that the notion of getting the entire legal profession wrapped around these issues is what the commission is about.

In North Carolina, all of the groups represented on the commission have an interest in the delivery of civil legal services for the state’s low and modest income people in and have played some part in providing services, but never have they worked together as this commission intends to do.

North Carolina is perhaps the only state to include a member of the philanthropic community in its commission membership.  This community in North Carolina has a long and deep commitment to the delivery of civil legal services in our state.

Also attending was former Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr. whose order established the commission last year.

The commission’s first public forum will take place on Saturday, June 17 at 12:30 p.m. during the NCBA Annual Meeting in Atlantic Beach. This forum follows up last year’s standing-room only roundtable discussion, and will provide an opportunity for annual meeting participants to meet many of the commission members and to learn more about its goals and objectives.

The commission will submit regular written reports to the state Supreme Court, the N.C. State Bar and the North Carolina Bar Association. The reports will also be posted on the NCBA Web site.

The Equal Access to Justice Commission was established by the N.C. Supreme Court on Nov. 3, 2005. Fully constituted, the commission has 25 members representing the legal profession, the judiciary, government and the business, philanthropic and client communities.

Chief Justice Sarah Parker chairs this commission while Michelle Cofield, NCBA director of public service and pro bono activities, serves as its executive director.

The Commission is housed in the NCBA Foundation.

Charter members of the commission, denoted by areas of representation, are:

Judiciary: Chief Justice Parker; Judge Linda M. McGee (Court of Appeals); Judge Paul L. Jones (Superior Court); Judge A. Robinson Hassell (District Court); and the Hon. Catherine P. Graham (Clerks of Superior Court).

Practicing Lawyers: Victor J. Boone and E. Fitzgerald Parnell (State Bar); J. Donald Cowan Jr. and George Hanna III (NCBA/NCBA Foundation); James M. Talley Jr. (IOLTA); Mel J. Garofalo (N.C. Association of Defense Attorneys); Anita S. Earls (N.C. Association of Black Lawyers); and Richard M. Taylor Jr. (N.C. Academy of Trial Lawyers).

Legal Aid Programs: Reid Calwell Adams Jr. (Legal Aid of N.C., board); George R. Hausen Jr. (Legal Aid of N.C., staff); Rhonda G. Raney (N.C. Justice Center); and Ken Schorr (unrestricted legal aid program).

Law Schools: Dean E. Carol Spruill, Duke Law School.

Public Members: Governor and President of the Senate, or designees thereof; Rep. Martha Alexander (designee of the Speaker of the House); Barbara Roole, representing philanthropy community; Willis Williams, client representative; and Jim Goodmon and Michael P. Rizer, business community representatives.