The American Bar Association is making a huge difference in the lives of North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene, thanks to volunteers working with the Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Services program.
November 25, 2024 Disaster Relief
ABA volunteers deliver critical disaster legal services in NC
DLS provides pro bono legal services for low-income individuals who are unable to secure legal services to meet their needs as a consequence of a major disaster, such as hurricanes and floods. The 52-year-old program is administered through the states in partnership with the Young Lawyers Division, which collaborates with a number of state and local organizations.
After the remnants of Hurricane Helene ripped through North Carolina in late September, more than 1,500 DLS volunteers have stepped up to assist 350-plus survivors with disaster legal issues such as filing or disputing Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance claims, navigating housing recovery matters and advising on contracts and contractor issues, according to Elizabeth Savage, North Carolina DLS program coordinator and a Young Lawyers Division district representative.
“It has been an incredible team effort with state and national partners,” Savage said. “We have made significant progress since DLS hotline activation on Oct. 2, including recruitment of DLS volunteers, managing case referrals and coordinating DLS case management with state partners, and coordinating attorney volunteer staffing at FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers.”
In the past decade, DLS in North Carolina has been activated in response to Hurricane Matthew (2016), Hurricane Florence (2018) and Tropical Storm Fred (2021).
“The impact of the Disaster Legal Services program in North Carolina cannot be overstated,” said Amanda Brown, director of the ABA DLS program. “Young lawyer leaders, supported by the relationships and frameworks established by the program, are taking the helm coordinating a large contingent of stakeholders, conducting in-person outreach and problem solving in realtime to ensure survivors have access to critical civil legal services in the aftermath of Helene.”
Volunteers are still needed. You can sign up to be an in-person volunteer at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center or accept a case referral to assist a hurricane survivor pro bono (largely remote-based work).
The ABA DLS program is also working on major Hurricane Helene responses in South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Florida.
Related links:
- ABA Young Lawyers Division
- North Carolina DLS volunteer sign-up form (case referrals)
- North Carolina DLS in-person volunteer sign-up form
- ABA Journal: