Who We Are

Advocating for Equality, Efficiency, and Fairness
in the North Carolina Legal System

The North Carolina Justice for All Project (JFAP) is a non-profit advocacy association committed to expanding access to justice across the state. We strive to empower individuals by championing reform in the legal profession and educating the public, legal community, and other stakeholders on the pressing issues that greatly impact the lives of North Carolinians.

Our team is made up of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those with experience in family law and other areas of people law, public sector work, law enforcement, and victim advocacy. We are united by our personal experiences of trying to assist those caught in civil legal disputes with nowhere to turn to. We witness firsthand the failures of the legal system and the ways in which justice is often only attainable for those who can afford it.

To address this crisis, we propose innovative policy alternatives and advocate for the utilization of professionals other than attorneys to serve the public effectively in certain areas of the law. We are committed to fighting for the millions of North Carolinians who cannot afford a lawyer, do not qualify for legal aid or pro bono services, and have nowhere else to turn when they have a legal need. Join us in our mission to ensure that justice is truly for all in North Carolina.

Vision

Ensure that all North Carolinians have access to a reliable, fair, efficient, and socially responsible legal system.

Mission

Advocate for innovative policy measures that can help close the access to justice gap.

Core Values

Public Good: Working to enhance the rule of law, public access to the justice system, the efficiency of the judicial system, and the standard of legal representation.

Civic Leadership: Advocating for the right of all North Carolinians, regardless of income, to have access to legal representation.

Empathy: Recognizing that "Equal Justice Under Law" cannot exist until all North Carolinians have fair and equal access to meaningful legal assistance and the judicial system.

Our Story

Each member of the North Carolina Justice for All Project has a unique story that inspired their involvement in our organization. Some members have worked in public service for many years. Others have experience working in family law or other areas of people law. Still, others have worked or volunteered in victim advocacy or have personal stories of friends, loved ones, and even strangers who were in the midst of a legal crisis with nowhere to turn. Collectively, we looked around and saw a legal system that failed to serve the public. Justice seemed to be for sale for a price higher than most could pay. Who would take a stand against a broken system? If not us, who? If not now, when?

Projects

Our flagship project is our pending proposal for limited licensing. That concept is similar to the medical industry's licensing of nurse practitioners nearly fifty years ago. Adopting our proposal would create alternative legal service providers that could assist the public with legal issues that may not require an attorney. Our proposal envisions lowered costs and increased accessibility to legal services for the public.

Although our primary focus at this time is licensing Legal Practitioners, we also advocate for other types of regulatory reform, such as a regulatory sandbox, court navigators, otherwise liberalizing UPL, and a regulatory sandbox to allow for innovative partnerships with the tech, mental health, and other industries that will increase access to justice.

Affordable legal services are in the best interest of North Carolinians, the court system, and the justice system as a whole. It is time for the legal profession to evolve to serve the broader needs of society. Our current system places the interests of lawyers over the public's legal needs to the detriment of millions of North Carolina residents.

Note that a wide range of medical providers and mental health providers can aid the sick and support mental health. In the legal profession, 9 in 10 legal providers are lawyers. In the medical field, 8 in 10 medical providers are not licensed doctors (i.e., nurse practitioners, physician assistants, phlebotomists). To quote Camille Stell of Lawyers Mutual in her article on legal deserts, "Where are all the other resources that our citizens need to deal with problems that impact their lives in no less devasting ways than sickness? Where can they turn?"

Help us create accessible options that will improve legal outcomes for our communities.

Meet the JFAP Team

S.M. Kernodle-Hodges

NCCP, VSP, NCCMC, CA
Co-Founder

S. M. Kernodle-Hodges currently holds two significant roles in the legal field. She works as a Legal Project Manager at Tolliver, Richardson & Kernodle, LLC. Additionally, she serves as the Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission's Legal Support Center in Wake County. This center was founded in January 2023 to offer legal assistance and justice access to the community.

Kernodle-Hodges has an impressive educational background. She holds an A.S. in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration from Patrick Henry Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Sociology/Criminal Justice from Averett University, and a graduate certificate from Duke University's Law Studies Paralegal Program. These educational achievements provide her with substantial knowledge and experience for her work.

Beyond her education, Kernodle-Hodges possesses over ten years of experience as a criminal justice official, contributing valuable insights to her field. She holds various certifications, including North Carolina Certified Municipal Clerk, Superior and Federal Court Mediator, and Victim Services Practitioner.

Committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, Kernodle-Hodges graduated from the University of South Florida's DEI program. Her dedication to these principles is evident in her professional roles and interactions.

Kernodle-Hodges not only dedicates herself to her work but also actively contributes to the legal community. In 2023, she received the Outstanding Paralegal Pro Bono Service Award. She serves as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem, advocating for children's best interests in legal proceedings. Additionally, she holds leadership roles as Co-Chair of the Utilization and Pro Bono Committees for the North Carolina Bar Association, Paralegal Division, and as a Board Member of the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification.

For more information about Kernodle-Hodges and her professional background, you can refer to her LinkedIn profile.

Alicia Mitchell-Mercer

PMP, CSM, LPP, NCCP, SCCP, ACP, RP
Co-Founder

Alicia Mitchell-Mercer is the Director of Project Management at Lex Project Management Consulting Group. She also works as a Hybrid Project Manager/Paralegal at a well-known litigation law firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. She's actively involved as a FINRA Securities Arbitrator, handling securities dispute resolutions with a very active caseload.

Mitchell-Mercer has a strong track record in the legal community. She served on the NCBA Internet and Regulations Task Force in 2016 and held roles such as Council Member and Chair of various committees, including Communications, Publications, and Technology. She currently leads the Utilization Committee. She was also part of the former NC State Bar Subcommittee that studied Regulatory Change from 2021 to 2022. Her contributions have earned her awards like the NC Judicial Branch Service Award for her Guardian ad Litem service and the 2021 Distinguished Paralegal Award from the North Carolina Bar Association.

Mitchell-Mercer's impact extends to the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), where she served on the Board of Directors in 2021-2022 and chaired the Continuing Education Council. With a focus on enhancing access to justice in North Carolina, she's now pursuing a doctorate in public policy and administration, leading her to step back from some previous roles.

In 2023, Mitchell-Mercer was appointed as a Special Advisor to the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission by Justice Richard Dietz, underlining her influence. She has also collaborated with the IAALS on important publications like "Allied Legal Professionals: A National Framework for Program Growth" (June 6, 2023) and "The Landscape of Allied Legal Professional Programs in the United States" (November 16, 2022). She was the author of the NCJFAP Legislative Proposal, which garnered support from the US DOJ, the American Bar Foundation, and many other organizations.

For more about Mitchell-Mercer's professional background, her LinkedIn profile provides further information.

Shawana Almendarez,

NCCP

Charter Advisory Committee Member

Shawana Almendarez has a demonstrated history of working in state and local government administration. A lady of many capacities, she dutifully served the Mecklenburg County community as a Family Court Case Coordinator and as an Absolute Divorce Clinic facilitator for the 26th Judicial District’s Self-Serve Center. She has also served as a child custody advocate for the Council for Children’s Rights and has volunteered in various pro bono statewide projects. Presently Shawana is a successful freelance paralegal and owner of NC Paralegal Consulting Services. She is also an event planner, grant writer, mentor, and trainer. Her skills include coaching, consulting, team building, and legal research. In 2015, Shawana joined the NC Bar Association’s Paralegal Division. She has served the Paralegal Division as Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Visit LinkedIn for more information.

Yazmeen Gadalla,

NCCP
Advisory Committee Member

Yazmeen O. Gadalla, NCCP, has expertise in bankruptcy, corporate work, and healthcare. Yazmeen currently works as a bankruptcy paralegal, where she assists attorneys with bankruptcy and state court-related proceedings. She has experience with start-up practices and corporate clients, including business formation and other business-related matters. Yazmeen is a 2016 cum laude graduate of North Carolina State University, where she earned B.A. degrees in English and Criminology. She also completed the Guilford College Paralegal Program in 2017, obtaining her NCCP certification the following year. In addition, Yazmeen is the 2022-2023 Chair of the NCBA's Paralegal Division and serves as co-chair on various committees for the division. She is also passionate about pro bono and volunteer work, having volunteered for 4ALL Statewide Service Day, Wills for Heroes, and the Food Bank of Eastern & Central North Carolina.

Morag Black Polaski,

ACP, NCCP
Charter Advisory Committee Member

Morag Black Polaski currently works as a paralegal in a litigation firm. She is also the owner of Just A Paralegal Virtual Services. Before her current employment, she worked as a legal transcriptionist for the US Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. She also assisted attorneys with civil litigation matters and specialized in Social Security Disability from 2011 through 2017. As an active member of the legal community, she has served on the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division Council and has also served as Treasurer. Morag is a graduate of the NALA Leadership Enhancement and Preparedness Program (LEAP) and dutifully served the North Carolina Fourth Judicial District for over a decade as a Guardian ad Litem (child advocate). Visit LinkedIn for more information.

Rachel Royal,

CP, NCCP

Charter Advisory Committee Member

Rachel Royal owns Royal Touch Legal & Business Solutions, LLC. Additionally, she is a Project Manager for the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, presently working on the upcoming Wake County Legal Support Center. She has also worked as a Project Coordinator for the NC Pro Bono Resource Center, which has recently included life-changing Driver’s License Clinics and a Restoration and Housing Stability Project. Rachel’s legal experience includes family law, insurance defense, and municipal law. She volunteers for numerous statewide pro bono projects with Legal Aid of North Carolina, the NC Bar Association, and the NC Bar Foundation. She has also served in many roles with the NCBA Paralegal Division, including as Council Member, Secretary, and Pro Bono Co-Chair (current). Visit LinkedIn for more information.

Who We Are Advocating for Equality, Efficiency, and Fairness in the North Carolina Legal System

Our Story

Meet the JFAP Team

Who We Are

Advocating for Equality, Efficiency, and Fairness
in the North Carolina Legal System