Akerman recently partnered with the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center to conduct a clinic under the auspices of the Driver’s License Restoration Project. On September 10, 25 Akerman lawyers and professional staff from the firm’s Winston-Salem and other offices provided assistance to 75 North Carolina residents to advise and assist in re-acquiring their licenses, where possible.

Under North Carolina law, a person who fails to appear in court to resolve a traffic ticket or fails to pay traffic or criminal court debt, for example, can be subjected to an indefinite suspension of his or her driver’s license, regardless of whether it is the person’s first ticket or first time failing to resolve a ticket. Losing a license can have dire consequences for drivers and their families, particularly for the economically vulnerable and those who live in areas without reliable public transportation.

Since 2017, the Driver’s License Restoration Project has held clinics across North Carolina, in partnership with a variety of organizations, including the North Carolina Bar Foundation Endowment and law firms.