Legal Aid and Service Providers

Legal Aid/Services Providers

JusticeMatters, Inc.

919-794-7511 ext. 1 (English)
919-794-7511 ext. 2 (Spanish)
www.justicemattersnc.org

JusticeMatters provides preventive and restorative legal services to low-income individuals, specializing in trauma-informed immigration and family law services that protect children and help survivors of human trafficking and other traumas rebuild their lives. JusticeMatters is located in Durham and serves clients throughout North Carolina; counties served vary by case type.

Disability Rights NC

1-877-235-4210 (Voice)
1-888-268-5535 (TTY)
www.disabilityrightsnc.org

Disability Rights NC helps people with disabilities to solve disability-related legal problems.

Land Loss Prevention Project

(919) 682-5969 (local)
1-800-672-5839 (toll free)
Fax (919) 688-5596
www.landloss.org

Land Loss Prevention Project provides legal support and assistance to all financially distressed and limited resource farmers and landowners in North Carolina.

Legal Aid of North Carolina

Statewide helpline:
1-866-219-5262 (toll-free)
www.legalaidnc.org

Legal Aid of North Carolina provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income and vulnerable people in all 100 North Carolina counties. Help is available with domestic violence and sexual assault, eviction and housing conditions, housing discrimination, public benefits, mortgage foreclosure, consumer rights, criminal record expunction, veterans issues, education rights, human trafficking, elder law, disaster relief and more.

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Client help line: 704-376-1600
Outside Mecklenburg County: 800-438-1254
Legal Services for the Elderly: 704-334-0400
Spanish line: 800-247-1931
www.lssp.org

The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy provides legal assistance in civil matters to low-income persons in the Charlotte area and in west-central North Carolina.

The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy serves low-income children and their families, the elderly, disabled persons and immigrants and their families in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties and Western North Carolina. CCLA provides legal assistance in civil matters, including family support, health care, immigrant justice, consumer protection, employment law, legal services for the elderly, tax, and veterans benefits/veterans rights.

N.C. Justice Center

1-888-251-2776 (toll free)
9:00-5:00 on Tuesdays
www.ncjustice.org

The Justice Center’s Immigrants Legal Assistance Project helps low-income immigrants with legal problems related to immigration law. The Justice Center accepts new client intakes on Tuesdays for immigration-related legal issues. New client intakes are by telephone.

N.C. Prisoner Legal Services

919-856-2200
www.ncpls.org

NCPLS represents inmates in the North Carolina Department of Correction and in North Carolina county jails who believe they have been wrongfully convicted, received a legally erroneous sentence, or face immigration consequences as a result of their convictions. Their office also represents inmate who believe the conditions of their confinement are inhumane — this includes cases where inmates have been abused by guards; assaulted by other inmates due to negligence by prison personnel; injured while doing a prison job; or who are receiving improper medical treatment.

Pisgah Legal Services

Monday through Friday 8:30am-5:30pm
828.253.0406 or toll free 1.800.489.6144

Pisgah Legal Services is committed to equal justice for all people, and primarily helps low-income people in Buncombe, Madison, Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford and Yancey Counties. They provide limited immigration services in other Western North Carolina counties.

They help children, families, and adults solve problems that affect their basic needs, including housing, safety from domestic violence or abuse, health care (including Medicaid or Medicare access), and subsistence income (including SSI/SSDI).

Children’s Services Providers

Advocates for Children’s Services

Legal Aid of North Carolina (Statewide)
1-866-219-5262
ww2.legalaidnc.org/apply/

ACS provides legal advice and representation to children from low-income families. The focus of ACS’ legal advocacy is public education; however, ACS will take a limited number of Medicaid or foster care cases.

Child Advocacy Commission of Durham, Inc.

Durham County matters only
Monday through Friday 9:00-5:00
919-490-4848

The Child Advocacy Commission of Durham provides general legal aid, legal representation and counseling for children and their families in areas of abuse/neglect, dependency, delinquency, custody, support, visitation, and suspension/expulsion. They provide mediation of family conflicts. Their fees are based on a sliding scale.

Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina

Forsyth County matters only
Monday through Friday
336-831-1909
www.childrenslawcenternc.org

The Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina represents children aged 0-18 in high conflict custody cases, domestic violence cases in which temporary custody is an issue, and in education issues. They accept all judicial appointments regardless of client’s ability to pay; and do not charge fees for Chapter 50B domestic violence cases. Sliding scale fees are charged for child custody and educational issues.

Council for Children’s Rights

Mecklenburg County matters only
Monday through Friday
704-372-7961
www.cfcrights.org

The Council for Children’s Rights’ serves children who are involved with many parts of the youth-serving system. The Council intervenes on behalf of children areas of law including: serve as court-appointed public defenders for children aged 6-16 who are alleged to be delinquent, represent children who have been committed to a psychiatric hospital or treatment facility due to mental health issues, represent children in custody cases, and represent children in crisis with mental health, education, health care, and child welfare-related cases.

The Child’s Advocate

Wake County matters only
Monday through Friday 9:00-5:00
919-821-5393
www.thechildsadvocate.org

The Child’s Advocate has very limited resources and is limited in the cases or matters it can accept for advocacy. The cases considered for advocacy include contested private custody proceedings, kinship placements, contested adoption proceedings, and criminal or civil cases where the child is a victim or witness.

 Law School Clinics

(Clinics listed have indicated that they accept a limited number of referrals from the public).

Campbell University School of Law

• Senior Law Clinic: Call 919-865-4693

Duke University School of Law

• AIDS Clinic: Call 919-613-7169 or 888-600-7274
• Children’s Law Clinic: Call (919) 613-7169 or (888) 600-7274
• Community Enterprise Clinic: Call (919) 613-7169 or (888) 600-7274
• Environmental Law & Policy Clinic: Call 919-613-7169 or 888-600-7274
• Guantanamo Defense Clinic: Call 919-613-7169 or 888-600-7274
• Wrongful Convictions Clinic: Call 919-613-7169 or 888-600-7274

Elon University School of Law

Humanitarian Immigration Law Clinic: Assists clients in applying for political asylum, permanent residency, citizenship, and employment authorization. Also assists with reunifying families separated by war and conflict.

Phone: (336) 279-9299 Fax: (336) 272-9667 Website: law.elon.edu/immigrationclinic

North Carolina Central School of Law

• Family Law Clinic: Call Legal Aid for a referral, or call (919) 530-7166
• Veterans Law Clinic: Call (919) 530-7166.

University of North Carolina School of Law

Community Development Law Clinic: Provides corporate and transactional counsel to North Carolina nonprofit community development organizations.

Contact Tom Kelley: Phone: 919-843-9909 Fax: 919-962-1277 Email: takelley@email.unc.edu

Wake Forest University School of Law

Child Advocacy Clinic
Call 336-831-1909, ext. 6, or email isunshine@childrenslawcenter.org

Community Law & Business Clinic
Clients must complete online application.

Elder Law Clinic
Call 336-758-5061
Clients must complete an online questionaire.

Innocence and Justice Clinic
Call 336-758-6111 or email buwaldaj@wfu.edu

State Agencies/Other Resources

ACLU of North Carolina

(919) 834-3390
www.acluofnorthcarolina.org

Provides limited legal services related to constitutional rights and issues.

Air Force: Pope Air Force Base (Legal Services Office)

(910) 394-2341

Army: Ft Bragg (Staff JAG’s Office)

(910) 394-2341

Attorney General: Consumer Protection Division

1-877-566-7226
919-716-6000 (outside NC)
919-716-0058 (Spanish)
www.ncdoj.gov/Consumer.aspx

The Consumer Protection Division helps consumers work with businesses to resolve disputes. If they are not able to find a mutually satisfactory resolution, they may refer the matter to other legal action through small claims or with an attorney consultation.

They do not provide legal advice or direct legal representation.

Better Business Bureau

www.bbb.org

The Better Business Bureau helps resolve complaints against businesses either consumer-business or business-business transaction that involve the advertisement and/or sale of a product or service. They can also provide information about how to validate a business or service.

Business Link North Carolina

1-800-228-8443

www.blnc.gov

A state agency program that is a comprehensive business-support network designed to assist North Carolina companies. They do not provide legal assistance.

Class Action Cases

1-888-893-0225

www.classaction.com

Class action website is not for a specific law firm, but it provides information about various law firms and class action law suits.

N.C. Commissioner of Banks

1-888-384-3811

www.nccob.gov

Agency regulating state-chartered banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, mortgage companies and some other financial institutions.

N.C. Board of Cosmetic Arts Examiners

919-733-4117
www.nccosmeticarts.com

Oversees the beauty (cosmetology, estheticians) practice.

N.C. Board of Dental Examiners

919-678-8223
www.ncdentalboard.org

This agency regulates the practice of dentistry in North Carolina.

N.C. Department of Health and Human Services

www.nccarelink.gov
Children/Youth Hotline (800) 859-0829
Families/Adults Hotline (800) 662-7030

The Department of Health and Human Services oversees programs and services across North Carolina for families, seniors, youth, and others. Also handles complaints about child care facilities, finding programs to help with family issues, and complaints against nursing home facilities.

N.C. Department of Insurance

800-546-5664
www.ncdoi.com/Consumer/

The Consumer Services Division of the NC Department of Insurance assists consumers with resolving insurance-related questions and complaints and helps them understand their options for dealing with these matters.

N.C. Department of Labor

919-807-2796 (Raleigh)
1-800-625-2267 (toll free)
www.nclabor.com/wh/fact sheets/wagecomplaint.htm 
www.nclabor.com/edb/edb.htm

The NC Department of Labor handles a variety of labor issues for employees and employers. The website also provides additional information for other contacts within the NC Department of Labor. Also handles wage complaints, employer complaints for wage and hour issues, workplace safety rights, and mine safety.

N.C. Department of Revenue

1-877-252-3052
www.dornc.com

State tax related matters

Employment Security Commission (ESC)

919-716-6000
www.ncesc.com

Unemployment Compensation Claims.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Charlotte: 1-800-669-400; 129 W. Trade St, Ste 400
Greensboro: 1-800-669-6820; 2303 W. Meadowview Rd, Ste 201
Raleigh: 1-800-669-6820; 1309 Annapolis Dr
www.eeoc.gov

Individuals who believe their work place rights have been violated may file an employment discrimination complaint with the EEOC. Covered classes include: age, disability, equal compensation, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race/color, religion, retaliation, sex and sexual harassment.

N.C. Licensing Board for General Contractors

919 571-4183
www.nclbgc.org

Oversees/regulates general contractors in N.C.

N.C. Industrial Commission

Claims Administration
1-800-688-8349, option 3
www.ic.nc.gov

This agency administers the NC Workers’ Compensation Act, Compensation to Persons Wrongfully Convicted of Felonies, etc.

Internal Revenue Service (federal)

www.irs.gov
800-829-1040

Legal Aid of North Carolina Senior Hotline

1-877-579-7562

This Senior Hotline offers a variety of legal services to seniors in North Carolina who are 60 years old or older.

Lawyer Referral Service: National Directory

www.findlegalhelp.org

LRS organizations throughout the country, both state and local.

Marines: Camp LeJeune (JAG Office)

910-451-1113

Marines: Cherry Point (Legal Services Office)

919-466-2311

N.C. Medical Board

1-800-253-9653
www.ncmedboard.org

This agency regulates the practice of medicine and surgery.

NC LEAP

1-800-662-7407
www.ncbar.org/ncleap (to complete an online application)

This organization provides free transactional legal services to low wealth entrepreneurs and business owners in North Carolina.

NC Center for Nonprofits

919-790-1555
www.ncnonprofits.org

This organization provides a variety of support and technical assistance to non profits throughout NC. They have a limited free legal services program.

N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence

1-888-232-9124
www.nccadv.org

This statewide agency works to help end domestic violence using a variety of resources. They may provide some limited legal assistance. Their website provides a listing of DV service providers throughout NC.

North Carolina State Bar

919-828-4620
www.ncbar.gov

This agency regulates the practice of law, including complaints against attorneys and unauthorized practice of law by non-lawyers.

N.C. Secretary of State

919-807-2000
www.sosnc.com

This state agency handles a variety of matters related to businesses and corporations.

State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project

1-866-234-4857
www.ncforeclosurehelp.org/

State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project is a partnership led by the NC Commissioner of Banks and other state and federal organizations, mortgage services, legal assistance organizations and community organizations to provide the resourced needed to avoid foreclosure.

US Patent and Trademark Office

www.uspto.gov

This federal agency provides trademark/service mark registrations, patents, etc related to intellectual property.

Veterans Affairs: Vet Centers

877-927-8387
www.vetcenter.va.gov

Veterinary Medical Board

919-854-5601
www.ncvmb.org

Oversees veterinary practice and receives complaints.