When Rachel became a mom, she had no idea she would soon begin a long and expensive journey to gain custody of her teenage niece and nephew. Rachel’s sister-in-law was incarcerated and unable to serve as her children’s primary caregiver. Because the kids were under 18, Rachel and her husband knew they had to step in to protect their family members.

Without the knowledge or experience of navigating the custody process, Rachel maxed out a credit card to pay for an attorney to get custody of her nephew. Two years later, an attorney’s assistance was out of financial reach, and Rachel was forced to draft and file documents on her own to get custody of her niece simply to send her to school. Helplessness consumed her as she struggled to find the resources to provide for her extended family and the time required to gather all the necessary documents.

This was the moment Rachel felt compelled to help others struggling—not just with custody and guardianship issues, but also with other common challenges that go unresolved because lawyers are too expensive or too hard to find.

The idea of law school seemed out of reach – the costs and the time commitment alone were overwhelming. Also, there was not a traditional law school close to her home in North Carolina. However, Rachel decided to attend community college and seek a paralegal degree. Within two years, she managed to translate her paralegal training into a career of helping people in her community—friends, family, and neighbors who know they can come to her for help finding resources for many of their routine legal problems.

“Because I now know what the legal process looks like, what documentation is needed, and even the professional relationships I have made with pro-bono attorneys, I can help my community in ways I never thought possible.”

Rachel lives in North Carolina, a state that doesn’t allow anyone except a licensed attorney to provide legal advice. So, Rachel’s justice work looks different than it might in a state with more permissive laws. She can do pro bono work under the supervision of a licensed attorney, which she did extensively in the wake of Hurricane Florence in 2018 and Hurricane Helene in 2024. Rachel witnessed families who lost everything – their homes, cars, jobs - and had nowhere to go.

“Many of the families I was helping had no home, no computer, and no phone. How were they expected to complete forms on their own or get notifications about their FEMA applications? There are so many people falling through the cracks of our legal system because they can’t get basic help navigating the red tape.”

Other justice work Rachel has done includes helping a family member get old charges expunged to open the door for a better job and helping a friend navigate an employment discrimination claim. Rachel is rebuilding and strengthening her community. She knows the intricacies of the legal services, court systems, and administrative processes that serve as barriers to the justice system. She also recognizes the lack of trust rural communities have in the government and legal institutions:

“The people who come to me with questions about their legal issues relate to me on a level that opens the door. They know we are from the same region; we have shared life experiences, which creates a level of trust to begin helping them receive the services they deserve.”

Rachel can’t always give legal advice to community members because of NC’s laws, but her education and experience allow her to guide people to helpful resources when she can’t. For instance, when her family member needed an expunction, Rachel connected with a pro bono attorney she knew to review the petition she prepared. She then helped her family member file the paperwork, attended the hearing with them, and followed up with the court until the record was cleared. Without this guidance, her family member would have been unable to navigate this process on their own, thus keeping them in the cycle of poverty. Rachel is also involved in efforts to change NC’s rules on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, making it easier for her and others to assist with straightforward legal issues.

Rachel joined the Frontline Justice teambecause she believes the justice worker movement is one part of the solution to the nation’s access to justice crisis.

“I often think about the founding document of our country and the overarching principle that our government is supposed to be for the people and by the people. We must get back to that ethic: The design of the legal system should be accessible to the people it's supposed to protect.”

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