RALEIGH, North Carolina — Campbell Law will add a fourth service-focused clinic to its roster with the addition of the Campbell Law Community Clinic. The new clinic will provide backup legal services free of charge to area non-profit agencies and their clients when legal issues complicate such important steps as acquiring housing or a new career. A grant of $150,000 from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation that has been matched by other donors is making this effort possible.
The Campbell Law Community Clinic joins a roster of clinical support programs designed to help in key social matters such as bankruptcy (Stubbs Bankruptcy Clinic), as well as the elderly (Senior Law Clinic) and youth who find themselves in trouble (Restorative Justice Clinic).
“Our clinics allow our law students to get hands on experience while also lending a helping hand to our community,” said Campbell Law Dean J. Rich Leonard. “The community law clinic has been in the works for some time and has been conceptualized and created with the support and insight of some of our area’s most important non-profit agencies. It flows from our school’s Christian mission to provide legal services to some of our most unfortunate fellow citizens.”
The clinic will launch in the fall 2016 semester and will immediately support organizations like StepUp Ministry, Urban Ministries of Wake County and the Raleigh Rescue Mission (more below).
Campbell Law is actively seeking a director for the position and interested parties may apply here. In addition, the community law clinic will be located outside of the law school at a spot most convenient for the majority of clients it is designed to serve. A ribbon cutting and ceremony will take place once that space is finalized.
What they’re saying about the Campbell Law Community Clinic:
Linda Nunnallee, executive director, StepUp Ministry
“Each year 500 adults and children come to StepUp because they want to work and build a safe and stable life. Most of these people face incredible barriers to employment, housing and transportation. All are living in poverty with dreams to build a better life. Many would realize success with legal expertise. Often times the complexity and cost to address simple legal matters are overwhelming. They can be the insurmountable obstacles that keep individuals unemployed and unable to provide a safe place for their family to live. Access to advice from an attorney with training and expertise could mean the difference in a family’s ability to build a stable existence. On behalf of families we serve, we look forward to building a relationship with the Campbell Law Community Clinic.”
Dr. Peter J. Morris, executive director, Urban Ministries of Wake County
“Our clients set out to change their life course but have previously passed bad checks, or missed rent or credit card payments and worst, have a felony charge or conviction. They are excluded from housing and even consideration for employment. Legal counsel can be life changing for these folks, restoring their credibility and helping them to create a new future.”