Who We Are

Charlotte Triage is a project created by pro bono leaders from Bank of America, McGuireWoods, Duke Energy, Moore & Van Allen, Wells Fargo and Husqvarna.

The pro bono leaders formed a task force that works with Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center) and Legal Aid of NC - Charlotte (LANC) to identify practice areas with the highest pro bono needs and bring intentional leadership and coordinated pro bono manpower to those areas. The current areas identified are:

1. Housing/eviction defense
2. Expunction eligibility
3. Healthcare enrollment
4. Human trafficking
5. Special immigrant juvenile cases

The task force has found champions in each of these areas to work with the Advocacy Center and LANC to identify how to recruit, train and support additional pro bono volunteers so we can serve more clients and meet more of the community’s critical needs.

Members of the Charlotte Triage Task Force

• Casey Burke, Attorney and Pro Bono Specialist, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
• Sarah Byrne, Senior Counsel, Moore & Van Allen
• Alex Castle, Deputy General Counsel, Duke Energy
• John Grupp, VP Americas, Deputy General Counsel, Arrival
• Stephanie Gryder, Senior Manager of Diversity & Community Initiatives, Moore & Van Allen
• Larissa Mervin, Legal Aid of North Carolina – Charlotte
• Toussaint Romain, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
• Todd Stillerman, Associate General Counsel, Wells Fargo
• Joanna Wade, Associate General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Bank of America
• Angie Zimmern, Counsel and Pro Bono Director, McGuireWoods

Our Champions

Each of the Charlotte Triage areas of focus are overseen and coordinated by up to four “Champions” from participating organizations:

• Expunctions: Lara Nichols, Duke Energy; Nicholas Lee, Parker Poe; Patrick Doerr, Winston & Strawn
• Healthcare Enrollment: Christopher Javillonar, Honeywell; Chelsea Corey, King & Spalding; Melissa Romanzo, Robinson Bradshaw   
• Housing/Eviction: Tim Hughes, Bank of America; Mark Kinghorn, McGuireWoods; Bill Butler, Moore & Van Allen; Paul Osowski, Nelson Mullins
• Human Trafficking: Sarah Byrne, Moore & Van Allen; Anna O’Neal, Wells Fargo; Laura Sammon, Wells Fargo
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Mike Hosmer, Ally; Elizabeth Murphy, Alston & Bird; Blaine Sanders, Robinson Bradshaw  

Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Partnership Fifth Annual Event

September 28, 2022

For the past four years, law firm and corporate legal department leaders and volunteers have come together to address critical legal needs for the most vulnerable members of the Charlotte community. Our hundreds of volunteers have helped tenants avoid eviction and protect their rights to decent and stable housing; empowered survivors of human trafficking by assisting with credit repair and expunctions; helped clients expunge criminal records so they can obtain employment; secured healthcare coverage for clients in need; and restored driver’s licenses for deserving citizens. We are proud of the efforts of the Charlotte legal community, but there is more to do.

Leaders from the business and legal community will provide an in-person opportunity to learn about Charlotte Triage, obtain CLE training in one of our areas of service and network with fellow Charlotte Triage volunteers. Following the training session, we will host a reception to network with other Charlotte Triage volunteers.

Speakers

• Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, Duke Energy
• Kieth Cockrell, President, Bank of America Charlotte
• Mark K. Metz, Deputy General Counsel, Wells Fargo
• Ashley Campbell, CEO, Legal Aid of North CarolinaToussaint Romain, CEO, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

CLE Virtual Training Programs

Housing: Representing Tenants Facing Eviction

Thomas Holderness, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina
Isaac Sturgill, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid of North Carolina

Expunctions: North Carolina Criminal Record Expunctions — Eligibility and Process

Lashieka Hardin, Attorney, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy
Laureen Kickham, Paralegal-Advocate, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Healthcare: Access to Affordable Care in North Carolina

Johanna Parra Diaz, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Navigator Project Manager, Paralegal Advocate
Leah Shipulski, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Navigator Project, Paralegal Advocate

Immigration Relief for Victims of Trafficking

Jane Anderson, Attorney Advisor, Aequitas

Driver’s License Restoration: Driver's License Suspension and Restoration in North Carolina

Emily Mistr, NC Justice Center, Fair Chance Criminal Justice Project, Attorney
Madelyn Smith, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Consumer Protection Program, Paralegal Advocate

Social Security: Social Security and SSI Overpayments — Appeals and Waivers

Cassidy Estes Rogers, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Family Support and Health Care Program, Deputy Program Manager, Attorney

Additional Supporters

Learn More

Learn more about Charlotte Triage and its accomplishments from this PowerPoint presentation from our second anniversary celebration on October 1, 2020.

Press Releases and Articles

Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Project Celebrates Fourth Anniversary (October 6, 2022)

McGuireWoods, Dominion Energy and VCU Health Win National Corporate Pro Bono Award (August 11, 2022)

NLJ Profiles McGuireWoods for Pro Bono Hot List (November 12, 2021)

McGuireWoods Marks Third Anniversary of Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Project (October 27, 2021)

North Carolina Lawyers Weekly Quotes Oostdyk, Zimmern on Charlotte Triage (December 21, 2020)

McGuireWoods Marks Second Anniversary of Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Project (October 13, 2020)

National Honor for Pro Bono Collaboration (July 2, 2020)

McGuireWoods and Charlotte Triage Partners Earn National Corporate Pro Bono Award (June 25, 2020)

2020 Expunction Clinics Kick Off with Help of Triage Partners – Chartlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (January 23, 2020)

McGuireWoods Marks First Anniversary of Collaborative Charlotte Triage Project (September 24, 2019)

Charlotte's Big Law Helps Needy – Business North Carolina Daily Digest (September 5, 2019)

Charlotte Triage Pro Bono Partnership – Moore & Van Allen (September 2019)

Charlotte Pro-Bono Legal Program Expanding Focus in Second Year – Charlotte Business Journal (September 5, 2019)

Legal Nonprofit's New Program an 'Eye-Opening Experience' for Local BofA Attorney – Charlotte Business Journal (August 16, 2019)

Strengthening Communities Through Pro Bono Partnerships – Corporate Counsel Business Journal (July/August 2019)

McGuireWoods Harnesses In-House Talent For Legal Aid (November 26, 2018)

Pro Bono Institute Spotlights Charlotte Triage Project (November 7, 2018)

McGuireWoods Collaborates With Pro Bono Partners on Charlotte Triage Project (October 27, 2018)

McGuireWoods Launches ‘Charlotte Triage’ To Expand Community Pro Bono Legal Services (September 24, 2018)

Get Involved

If you or your company would like to get involved in Charlotte Triage and learn about current opportunities, please contact any of the following leaders:

Angie Zimmern
azimmern@mcguirewoods.com

Todd Stillerman
todd.stillerman@wellsfargo.com 

Joanna Wade Wade
joanna.wade@bofa.com

Casey Burke
casey.burke@charlottelegaladvocacy.org