In some places—especially urban areas—people can get by without driver's licenses. Neither Raleigh nor Durham, North Carolina, could be considered as such. Being able to drive is a necessity for most people in those cities. But if someone receives a traffic citation and is unable to pay traffic court costs and fees, that ability—and everything that depends on it—is jeopardized.

Under North Carolina state law, a person in this situation may be subject to an indefinite suspension of their driver's license, regardless of whether or not it is their first ticket. This situation is especially problematic for people who are economically vulnerable or live in rural areas without reliable public transportation. Suspensions also disproportionately impact people of color. For example, Black motorists have a suspension rate of up to four times higher than that of White, non-Hispanic drivers.

When Denisse Gonzalez and Katie Shay of Cisco's Research Triangle Park (RTP) office became aware of this issue, they recognized a pro bono opportunity. "We were crowdsourcing, looking for the right fit for our RTP legal team, when we became aware of the work the Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) was doing with drivers who'd lost their licenses," Denisse says. "We knew a project with them would be meaningful to the folks in RTP because of the direct impact it would have on the people in our community."

The PBRC suggested Cisco's RTP legal team could lead a driver's license restoration clinic to help North Carolinians reinstate their privileges. Six such clinics have been held to date. In fiscal year 2023 (FY23), more than 50 drivers were able to regain their licenses as a result of the RTP legal clinic. As many as 20 Cisco volunteers work on cases "with so much empathy for what these people are going through," Katie says. "Every little bit that we can do to help people get their licenses back is going to have such a meaningful impact on their ability to make essential trips—whether it's getting to and from work, making it to their doctor's appointments, or doing school dropoff."

The clinic is part of a larger Driver's License Restoration Project, through which the PBRC and its partners coordinate with the state's district attorneys to motion courts to remit traffic court costs and fees for people with long-term license suspensions stemming from low-level traffic offenses. Suspensions are no longer active and licenses are immediately restored once the costs and fees are remitted.

It's this kind of work that speaks to Denisse's and Katie's passion for pro bono. "People want to do the right thing and leave the world better than they found it," Katie says. "I'm glad I get to do that in my role every day and help others see how they can use their talents in ways that benefit the community more broadly." Denisse adds, "Our advocacy and the impact we can have on individuals' lives, to me, is the most critical part of our calling as legal professionals."