NCCU Law Students Bridge Technology and Service in Legal Aid Externship

Two North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law students recently showcased how technology and public service can work together to expand access to justice across North Carolina.

During a luncheon presentation held April 21 in the School of Law, Aminah Ghaffar and Amyah Solomon shared their experiences participating in the Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) Innovation Lab externship through the law school's Technology Law & Policy Center.

The externship provides students with hands-on opportunities to explore how innovation can improve legal services for underserved communities.

Throughout the semester, Ghaffar and Solomon worked on projects designed to make legal assistance more accessible and efficient. Their work included testing housing document automation tools, contributing to the Legal Information Assistant (LIA) AI platform and developing expunction information to strengthen the platform's knowledge base.

The students also participated in community outreach through Lawyers at the Library, a mobile Legal Aid initiative that connects residents with legal information and assistance.

"Leveraging technology to help close the access-to-justice gap has been a rewarding experience, in addition to examining some of the risks associated with generative AI," Ghaffar said. "Working in the Innovation Lab allowed me to explore combining advancements in technology with social justice and advocacy."

"It was especially meaningful to work directly with individuals in need and see firsthand the barriers people face in accessing legal help," Solomon said.

She added, "This experience exposed me to the growing role of AI and other emerging technologies making legal services more efficient and accessible. It also reinforced my belief that the future of legal advocacy must expand beyond traditional representation and incorporate more creative, technology-driven solutions to ensure that everyone is given access to justice."