RALEIGH — Campbell Law School held its annual 2023 Pro Bono Council Awards Banquet on Monday, April 17, at Vidrio.
Award winners for the year included:
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Most Outstanding Pro Bono and Service Project: Immigration and Refugee Rights Project
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Most Outstanding Pro Bono Student: Kiersten Reed ’23
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Most Outstanding Pro Bono Professor: Jon Powell ’98
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Most Committed Community Partner/Supervising Attorney: Jen Story of Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC)
Pro Bono Council Director Brigitte Kelly ’23 said amidst the chaos and confusion of the 2020 pandemic, the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (IRRP) has continued to serve the Raleigh community. Since starting in 2019, IRRP has successfully hosted clinics serving various groups in need of legal help.
Reed ‘23 has experience in all areas of Education Law from K-12 to Special Education to Community Colleges. Reed plans to pursue a career in Education Law after graduation.
Powell ’98 has served as the founding director of the Restorative Justice Clinic for the past 20 years. Prior to joining Campbell Law, he practiced criminal defense in Wake and Harnett counties with an emphasis on juvenile law.
Story is the Managing Attorney of Advocates for Children’s Services, the statewide education justice project of Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC). Since moving to North Carolina in 2005, Story has focused solely on youth and education advocacy.
“What an incredible night,” wrote Kelly on the Pro Bono Project’s Facebook page. “The Pro Bono Banquet was a huge success and we couldn’t be more proud of all of our law students for their hard work and dedication to pro bono service. It was inspiring to hear about the impact they’ve made in their communities and we’re grateful for their commitment to making a difference in the world. Congratulations to everyone involved in this amazing event!”
Assistant Dean of Students and Pro Bono Projects Raven Byrne ’06 added, “We’re thrilled to announce that Amber Doyle ’24 will be taking over as director of the Pro Bono Council next year! As current Pro Bono Director Brigitte Kelly graduates and moves on to new adventures, we’re grateful for her leadership and dedication to pro bono service throughout her time with us. And we’re excited to see what Amber will bring to the table as she takes on this important role. Congratulations to both Brigitte and Amber, and thank you for your commitment to making a difference in the world!”
The Pro Bono Council at Campbell Law was informally started by two students in 2009 and subsequently became a formalized group in the fall of 2010. The Pro Bono Council is comprised of council leadership and student coordinator for each project. The Pro Bono Council works closely with the Director of Student Life and Pro Bono Opportunities and the faculty Pro Bono Publico Committee to develop and implement opportunities for students to participate in pro bono service.
ABOUT CAMPBELL LAW SCHOOL
Since its founding in 1976, Campbell Law School has developed lawyers who possess moral conviction, social compassion, and professional competence, and who view the law as a calling to serve others. Among its accolades, the school has been recognized by the American Bar Association (ABA) as having the nation’s top Professionalism Program and by the American Academy of Trial Lawyers for having the nation’s best Trial Advocacy Program. Campbell Law boasts more than 4,700 alumni, who make their home in nearly all 50 states and beyond. In 2024, Campbell Law is celebrating 45 years of graduating legal leaders and 15 years of being located in a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of North Carolina’s Capital City.