Category: Uncategorized

The Board of Trustees is deeply grateful to our dedicated CCLA staff, donors and many supporters. In 2024, the Advocacy Center faced and succeeded through multiple challenges and changes.

Through the incredible focus and hard work of our committed staff, we continued to deliver legal services for thousands of clients. In particular, we wish to recognize the leadership of Kara Moskowitz, who has served ably as our interim CEO, assisted by the indomitable Cassidy Estes-Rogers as Interim Chief Operating Officer. At the same time, driven by Kelly Lynn, who while new to her role as Chief Philanthropy Officer, has revitalized our funding efforts. Kelly, ever resilient, persuasive and creative, has worked with Legal Aid of North Carolina to hold our first major fundraising event since 2019, the Access to Justice Breakfast. On February 20, despite snow, to a sold-out audience of 500, the Advocacy Center and Legal Aid presented their combined efforts to serve the underserved.

We are also grateful to our many funders. From IOLTA to Mecklenburg County and the Levine Foundation, and so many others, you have allowed us to deliver on our mission to address systemic inequalities. You have also supported our efforts to empower clients through comprehensive legal representation, advocacy and education.

As board chair, I am thankful to my fellow board members. They have dedicated many hours to oversight, fundraising and governance. We are proud to have significant and complete giving from our board. Our board has also evolved, adding and retaining members with experience serving our client community as well as representatives from Charlotte’s largest employers, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Ally, and many large law firms. Our board now stands at 19 members, each of whom has delivered their talents to serve the Advocacy Center.

Under Kara and Cassidy’s leadership, our operations and finances have also improved. As an example, we have hired Labeebah Doe as VP of Finance and retained Ascend Nonprofit Solutions to support our accounting. Ascend supports the operations of many large nonprofits in Charlotte, including United Way and the Council for Children’s Rights. Importantly, our financial status is stable and improving.

Our search for a CEO is well underway. As we announced in the Fall, we have retained Coleman Lew Canny Bowman to conduct our search efforts. We developed a timeline and have completed key stages of the process. We will continue to update the community as we continue our process.

In sum, the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy continues to provide access to justice for people in our community who need it the most. Here we are pleased to report in detail on the past year’s overall impact of our organization and our successful programs. We also want to share more about the individuals and families whose lives are better today because of the civil legal services provided by the Advocacy Center.

Throughout our efforts to meet our challenges, we have remained true to our mission. We work to ensure people can access health care and public benefits. We help people avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes. We give peace of mind by preparing end-of-life documents. We fight for immigrants and help them receive asylum so they will not be in fear of having to leave the country. We resolve stressful tax disputes so people can be on firmer financial footing. We serve our greater Charlotte community through our legal expertise and efforts to advocate on their behalf.

We are grateful to our partners… our funders… our pro bono attorneys… our staff and board of trustees… It takes all of us to resolve issues that are holding people in our community back. And while we look back to provide you with this impact report, we also look forward to the opportunities to serve even more people in the future with your support. We believe in justice for all.

With sincere gratitude,
Ed O’Keefe
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees

Ten years ago, Eric Spengler took on his first pro bono case with Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy (Advocacy Center). Through a Continuing Legal Education program, he learned about the wave of unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. and felt compelled to help—and that’s how he met Jonathan.

Jonathan was just 13 when he arrived in Charlotte from Honduras with his cousin. His mother, who had him at a young age, had left years earlier to build a better future in the U.S. Jonathan’s father was not a part of his life, and he was raised by his grandmother in Honduras—until she was tragically murdered, leaving him alone. With nowhere else to turn, he made the journey to reunite with his mother in Charlotte.

Eric worked closely with Jonathan, listening to his story, and guiding him through the complex immigration process. Over two years, Eric helped him secure Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), a U.S. immigration classification that allows certain young people who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected to obtain immigration status and become lawful permanent residents.

Eric first secured a custody order in favor of Jonathan’s mother in Charlotte, finding that Jonathan had no viable options for adequate care in his home country of Honduras. He then represented Jonathan in immigration court, a process that resulted in the termination of removal proceedings against Jonathan. When Jonathan received his green card in 2017, it marked the start of a new chapter. After five years, Jonathan became eligible for U.S. citizenship, and Eric is now helping him prepare a citizenship application.

But the legal case was just the beginning. Over the past decade, Eric has remained a mentor and friend. The two meet up regularly to catch up over a meal at L’Empira restaurant. Eric was there to celebrate when Jonathan started his career in the construction industry, specializing in roofing and HVAC work. Jonathan’s also found a strong support system in his church community. Whenever Jonathan faces challenges, he knows he can turn to Eric for guidance.

Eric credits his mother for instilling in him the value of being a good neighbor—she was the one who shoveled sidewalks for others and welcomed a widowed neighbor for regular Sunday dinners. That spirit of service stayed with him and has shaped his commitment to helping immigrants find stability and opportunity.

A decade after his first case, Eric considers his work with Jonathan the most rewarding part of being a lawyer. So much so that he recently signed up with the Advocacy Center’s Pro Bono Program to help another young person—another teenager from Honduras, beginning his own journey toward a brighter future.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles has proclaimed February 20, 2025, as “Access to Justice Day” in Charlotte. This proclamation coincides with World Day of Social Justice, a global observance dedicated to advancing fairness and equity in society.

Proclamations issued by the Office of the Mayor provide an opportunity to recognize and honor occasions of significance to Charlotteans and increase public awareness of issues that contribute to the well-being of the people of this city. This proclamation shines a light on the vital role of civil legal aid in building a more just community and highlights the impactful work we do every day at Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.

As we recognize Access to Justice Day, the Access to Justice Breakfast (taking place on February 20) serves as both a meaningful recognition of the importance of our services and a call to keep fighting for justice for all.

The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is deeply concerned about the recent executive orders and their potential impact on the individuals and communities we serve. In the face of these changes, our advocates are working tirelessly to address the evolving challenges and ensure that our clients and community continue to have access to the legal support and resources they deserve. We remain steadfast in our commitment to pursue justice for those in need.

– Kara Moskowitz, Interim Chief Executive Officer

We have officially launched the search for our next Chief Executive Officer. This is a pivotal moment for our organization as we seek a leader who will guide us into the next chapter of growth and impact.

The ideal candidate will embody our values and bring visionary leadership to the Advocacy Center, ensuring we continue to fulfill our mission of providing justice for those in need.

The search is being led by search firm Coleman Few Canny Bowen (based in Charlotte and New York), and the job post can be found here: https://charlottelegaladvocacy.org/join-our-team/.

I invite you to share this opportunity with your networks. Your recommendations and connections can help us identify exceptional candidates who align with our mission and vision.

We are committed to ensuring a thoughtful and inclusive hiring process and will keep you updated on key milestones as the search progresses.

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this important journey. Together, we will ensure a bright and impactful future for the Advocacy Center!

Sincerely, 

Kara Fisher Moskowitz
Interim Chief Executive Officer