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Reflections on the 2024 Public Interest Internship Program: Kayla McInnis

North Carolina Central University law student Kayla McInnis talks about having the opportunity to work in the district attorney’s office for Craven, Carteret and Pamlico counties.

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As the Chief Justice’s North Carolina Commission on Professionalism and the wider North Carolina legal community work to address the shortage of attorneys practicing in many rural areas across the state, NC IOLTA has reestablished the Public Interest Internship Program, which funds summer internships for North Carolina law students .

Following their summer work, 2024 interns including Kayla McInnis, a second-year law student at North Carolina Central University, gathered in Raleigh to reflect on their experiences. Below, McInnis talks about her experiences serving in three eastern counties and what it means to practice law in smaller communities.

Read more about the 2024 program in our annual report story, “The Most Rewarding Thing I’ve Ever Done”: Interning in a Legal Desert. Enjoy hearing from other PIIP interns on our Stories page.

North Carolina Central University law student Kayla McInnis talks about serving in the DA’s office of Craven, Carteret and Pamlico counties in the summer of 2024 through NC IOLTA’s Public Interest Internship Program.

Legislation passed by the North Carolina General Assembly on July 9, 2025, bars NC IOLTA from grantmaking from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Consistent with the legislation, our 2026 funding cycle has not been opened.

NC State Bar Executive Director Peter Bolac provided an update to members of the Bar on Nov. 6, 2025. Details are available here. The NC State Bar and NC IOLTA continue to seek a resolution to preserve funding for civil legal aid, which plays a critical role in building a legal system that works for everyone, breaking down barriers and creating strong communities across North Carolina.