We understand that a legal issue can be overwhelming for not only a student but for their family as well. Our staff is dedicated to supporting students in understanding their rights and options in legal matters.
About SLS
UNC Charlotte Student Legal Services, Inc. (SLS) is a nonprofit corporation that is a separate legal entity from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
SLS operates on campus in Suite 126 of the Popp Martin Student Union through an agreement with the University.
Our employees cannot advise or participate in legal actions between university students or against the University, the University of North Carolina System, or the State of North Carolina.
Student Eligibility and Costs
SLS is funded from the Student Activities fee, so our services are available at no additional charge to eligible students. However, students will be responsible for paying any court filing fees or court costs.
SLS individualized services are available to currently enrolled UNC Charlotte students who have paid the Student Activities fee as part of their on-campus, degree-seeking programs.
Distance Education, Continuing Education, and any other enrolled students who are not required to pay the Student Activities fee are ineligible for SLS assistance.
Current Services
SLS provides legal advice and limited representation (primarily in the form of document preparation) to students in various areas of the law, including landlord-tenant disputes, expungements of NC criminal records, minor traffic citations, powers of attorney, and more. We also provide notary services at no additional cost to students.
If a student’s issue involves an area of law that we do not practice, then we may still be able to provide them with a referral and/or legal resources.
Client Confidentiality
As members of the State Bar of North Carolina, SLS attorneys, and the staff that they supervise, adhere to the Rules of Professional Conduct.
If we are working with your student, please know that the student is our legal client. Only student clients may attend SLS consultations. Family members and other third parties are unable to attend SLS consultations in-person, virtually, or via phone call.
We are required to protect the confidentiality of our clients, which includes the information that we acquire about a student’s legal matter and our communications with the student.
If a student is a legal adult (age 18 or older), we cannot discuss a case with family members or any other third party without the student’s written, informed consent.
Requesting SLS Assistance
Students submit intake forms via our website. We review the forms to determine how we can assist with legal matters. This decision is based on a few factors including, but not limited to, our current caseload and case intake priorities, the area of law involved, and the type of question(s) asked.
a. Conflicts of Interest: If a case involves a conflict of interest, we can typically provide resources and referrals which will be handled via email.
b. Legal Advice and/or Resources via Email: Some student inquiries are handled entirely through email communication to provide legal advice and/or resources on a matter.
c. Attorney Consultation: If applicable, we will send students a scheduling link for an attorney consultation.