Campbell Law student helps expunge client’s criminal record through BCLC

Campbell Law School’s Brian Hedrick ‘24, through the Blanchard Community Law Clinic (BCLC), successfully represented his client in the Vance County Superior Court on Oct. 3, 2023, to expunge his client’s 22 prior charges.

Supervised by BCLC Professor Kristin Parks, Hedrick worked with the client, the clerk’s office and the District Attorney’s office, and appeared before North Carolina Superior Court Judge Michael O’Foghludha.

“Having these 22 charges expunged from the client’s record will give her the opportunity to be more involved in her daughter’s academic and extracurricular activities, including the ability to chaperone her daughter’s undefeated volleyball team to their next tournament,” Parks explained.  “The client expressed her gratitude to the clinic for restoring her future and bringing her family closer together.”

The BCLC partners with non-profit agencies in the community — Alliance Medical Ministry,  StepUp Ministry, the Raleigh Rescue Mission, and Urban Ministries — to provide solutions to legal problems encountered by clients of those agencies.

The clinic, which was launched in September 2016, has made a tremendous impact in the Raleigh community within a short period. Legal services are provided by Campbell Law students, under the supervision of Clinic Director Rick Glazier. Students handle cases with a high level of independence and conduct client interviews, prepare motions, oversee case management, and make court appearances. Through this experience, students gain important practical legal skills and an appreciation for the challenges faces by citizens living in poverty. This program prepares students to be resourceful and practice-ready upon their entrance into the profession.

The clinic is located off-site downtown’s Warehouse District at 311-200 Martin St., the beautiful and historic former home of Clearscapes, artist Thomas Sayre’s famed architectural firm.

On Feb. 7, 2018, Campbell Law renamed the clinic in honor of legal pioneer and servant leader Charles Fuller Blanchard. “If you dig deep enough, almost every important legal initiative in this community traces back to Charlie Blanchard,” said Dean J. Rich Leonard. “There is no one who has done more for this city, and no one whose name is more appropriate to mark our clinic.”