The NC MBA is primarily a mentorship and networking organization for our law student, paralegal, and attorney members. The NC MBA does not engage in direct client representation and we do not give legal advice.
One of the NC MBA’s goals is to help educate our community about the legal system in North Carolina. Learning more about how the attorney-client relationship works and how the legal profession operates can help you have a positive experience with your attorney.
We hope you will find this information and resources helpful. Translations for this page are coming soon.
Can the NC MBA help me with my legal problem?
Not directly. The NC Muslim Bar Association is not a law firm or a legal services agency. Our primary goal is mentorship and network to strengthen the community of Muslim legal professionals. We do not directly represent clients or provide legal advice.
Who is an attorney or a lawyer?
An attorney is an individual who is licensed by the state to practice law within that state. An attorney and lawyer are both words for the same kind of professional, and the title may also be written as “Attorney and Counselor at Law.”
If you have a legal problem in North Carolina, you should only seek advice from an attorney who is licensed to practice law in North Carolina. In some kinds of law, such as immigration, which are federal (national) in nature, an attorney may be able to represent you regardless of their state of licensure. In parallel, a North Carolina licensed attorney will not be able to provide you with specific legal advice about a problem happening in another state unless they are licensed to practice in that state.
A paralegal or a law student will not be able to give you legal advice unless they are under the direct supervision of a practicing attorney who is licensed in North Carolina.
What is an attorney-client relationship?
In the event that a person wishes to hire an attorney, such person becomes the client of the attorney and a legal relationship is established between them. The parameters of their relationship should be detailed in writing by means of a retainer agreement. The retainer agreement details the nature of the work the attorney will be doing, responsibilities of all parties involved, disclaimers regarding potential issues that may arise throughout the course of the case, and an explanation of fees the client is responsible for paying. Rules of professional conduct in each jurisdiction dictate the nature of the attorney-client relationship.
What should I know about finding and working with an attorney?
How do I find an attorney?
For most civil and criminal legal issues, you should look for an attorney who practices in the county where your case will take place, because your attorney will file the lawsuit in that county court. You can perform a Google search for the county plus the kind of law you need help with, then browse the attorneys whose names come up. For example, you can search for: “Divorce in Wake County” or “Criminal Defense in Durham County” or “Traffic Ticket in Halifax County.” Immigration, copyright, patent, trademark, and other types of federal law are not limited by county. However, it may still be good for you to look for an attorney who is close to you so that it will be more convenient for you to meet with them.
You can find a lawyer in any of the following ways:
The NC Muslim Bar Association’s Referrals page has a list of some of our members practicing in North Carolina, as well as several of our colleagues and allies.
The North Carolina State Bar has a searchable index of lawyers licensed to practice in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Bar Association has a Lawyer Referral Service. You can call 919-677-8574 and have a 30 minute initial consultation with an attorney for a cost of $50. You can also use the online database to look for an attorney. The Lawyer Referral Service will have an initial conversation with you and then refer you to an attorney who may be able to help with your specific problem. These will not be pro bono legal services.
Pro Bono (free) services are very rare and depend mostly on the client’s income level and ability to pay. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney because you have low income, you might qualify for help from the Legal Aid of North Carolina. If you have low income, you may also qualify for the ABA Free Legal Answers program.
If your legal issue is complex, you may wish to look for a Board Certified Specialist. These attorneys are certified as experts in their field by the North Carolina Bar State Bar after additional training and certification exams. Fees for these attorneys may be higher due to the level of their expertise. You can search the database here, see a list of 2023 Specialists here, and learn more about the Specialist certification here.
How do I choose an attorney?
When you are seeking an attorney for legal advice, it is a good idea to speak to several different attorneys through a standard intake conversation to find a “good fit” and decide which person you feel most comfortable working with. It is also normal for attorneys to charge a consultation fee for the first intake, a conversation which usually lasts 30 min to 1 hour. The consultation fee can vary based on the region of the state, the field of law, the attorney's experience level, or other factors. It is not common for attorneys to offer free consultations for more than 15 to 20 minutes.
What kind of attorney should I choose to help me?
Similar to other professions, the practice of law is divided into specialties. While some attorneys have a broad practice in civil law or criminal law, others will specialize only in a particular field. You may wish to look for a general practice attorney, or one who specializes in the specific kind of law with which you need help.
As an ethical practice, most attorneys stay within their field of specialty and limit their advice to that area, unless they have extensive knowledge of another field of law. It is unlikely that an attorney who, for example, practices immigration law will be able to advise you on a landlord tenant or family law issue.
What can I expect when I hire an attorney? How much will it cost?
You can expect that in the first conversation with an attorney, the lawyer will ask your general questions about your situation. They may outline the laws regarding your situation, but will probably not provide you specific advice about the problem until you officially become a client with a signed contract.
The lawyer will offer you a contract with a price outlined for their legal services and any court fees or other fees outside the attorney and staff’s own work. The contract will include a Scope of Representation, by which you and the attorney will agree on the specific work the attorney will be doing for you and at what cost. The contract will also lay out the client’s duties and responsibilities, which will include providing the attorney with truthful and complete information about the issues at hand, documentary evidence as needed, and paying the legal fees in a timely fashion.
Because of our ethical obligations, it is extremely unlikely for an attorney to give you specific legal advice before you sign an official contract. The attorney will only provide you advice after fully understanding all legal and factual issues in your case. (By comparison, imagine that a doctor would not prescribe you medication or treatment without a full understanding of your medical history and a full physical exam.)
The cost of legal representation varies based on several factors, including the common hourly or flat fee rate for attorneys in that geographical area or practice of law, the kind of legal work you need done, the complexity of the issues at hand, the experience of the attorney, and how quickly the issue needs to be resolved.
What happens when an attorney-client relationship ends?
Attorney-Client relationships can be terminated (ended) by the client or the attorney for a variety of reasons, some of which may be detailed in your contract and others that are part of the attorney's ethical obligations set by state law. At the end of a relationship, your attorney may send you a letter of termination and give you a copy of any legal documents they prepared for you for your records. For more information, read the section on Attorney-Client relationships above.
When an Attorney-Client relationship is terminated, you may not be entitled to a full refund. The ethical rules that govern how attorneys practice do allow an attorney to keep any payment that the attorney has already earned in their service for you. Your contract will give the specifics of these legal fees and what to expect when the representation is completed or terminated.
What is Pro Bono Representation?
Pro Bono or a Low Bono representation refers to an attorney-client representation done for free or at reduced cost. Law offices and legal service organizations will often do an income check before authorizing Pro Bono or Low Bono representation.
Attorneys may not be able to provide you pro bono representation even within their own practice of law. This could be because of the attorney's own time or capacity issues. It could also be because the terms of their employment with a law firm limits their ability to take on pro bono cases. It does not mean that they do not find your case compelling.
Pro Bono (free) services are very rare and depend mostly on the client’s income level and ability to pay. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney because you have low income, you might qualify for help from the Legal Aid of North Carolina. If you have low income, you may also qualify for the ABA Free Legal Answers program.
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Resources on Legal Information and Representation in North Carolina
Please also see the list of resources below. The NC MBA makes no promises or quality recommendations about the organizations listed; they are simply provided as resources for your information and for you to learn more about on your own.
NC State Bar Lawyer Directory: Has a list of several directories of NC licensed attorneys
NC State Bar Lawyer Referral Service: “Find a North Carolina lawyer online or request a referral. LRS lawyers are available for a one-time initial consultation at a reduced rate. To reach the Lawyer Referral Service by phone, please call 919.677.8574. If you use the LRS, it will cost you $50 for an initial 30-minute consultation with the attorney.”
Assistance for Low-Income North Carolinians: “NC Free Legal Answers is a web-based pro bono civil legal services program that expands public access to legal advice for low-income North Carolina residents.”
Legal Aid of North Carolina: From Legal Aid of NC’s website: ”We provide free legal help to low-income North Carolinians in civil cases involving basic human needs like safety, shelter, income, and more.”
Self-Help Clinics by Legal Aid - Sign up for free clinics providing information about how you could do these basic legal procedures. (Including Simple Divorce, Child Custody and Visitation, Criminal Record Expungement, Employee Rights, Tenant Rights, and Health Care POA and Living Wills, Medicaid Managed Care, Social Security Disability)
Self-Help Library by Legal Aid
Office of the NC Attorney General : Much information about legal rights and protections in North Carolina from North Carolina’s Attorney General
Lawsuits in NC Small Claims Court
Small claims court is part of the district court division of the North Carolina state court system. Magistrates decide cases in small claims court. The maximum amount of money that can be requested in a small claims case varies by county, from $5,000 to $10,000.
How to get a Domestic Violence Protection Order in NC Courts
Landlord/Tenant Issues in NC Courts
Resources on Civil Rights, Social Justice, and Charitable Organizations
This is a non-exclusive list of community resources. The NC MBA does not specifically endorse the views or actions of any of these organizations.
Local (NC)
National
DISCLAIMER: The NC MBA is not a law firm or a clinic and does not provide legal advice or take on clients for direct legal representation. The information provided in this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. There is no attorney-client relationship related between the NC Muslim Bar Association and any recipient of the information in this email. Any referrals do not constitute an endorsement of the referred attorney or organization’s work. Interested clients must contact and engage the attorney on their own according to their needs. The NC MBA is not responsible for any part of that relationship, including fees, terms of service, and the attorney’s work product. No user of this website should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship with the NCMBA. All liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this website are hereby expressly disclaimed. Any referrals do not constitute an endorsement of the attorney’s work. Interested clients must contact and engage the attorney on their own according to their needs. The NC MBA is not responsible for any part of that relationship, including fees, terms of service, and the attorney’s work product.