The Law Offices of John Eluwa, PLLC provides attorneys for immigration, criminal, traffic violations, and personal injury cases. Eluwa’s team has been practicing since 1995 and operates in Wake, Durham, Franklin, Harnett, Johnston, Orange, Person, Sampson, and Wilson Counties in North Carolina. The website for the practice, johneluwa.com, details the main areas of law that the lawyers there specialize in. These include, “Immigration, Criminal Law/Criminal Defense, Traffic Violations, Personal Injury, and Uncontested Divorces.”

The Law Offices of John Eluwa have offices in Raleigh, Wilson, and Clinton. On the homepage of the website, they make it clear that they will “represent clients with immigration issues from any part of the world.” In fact, in the past, they have been designated “Excellent” and a “Client’s Choice” for Immigration services on popular legal services ratings Avvo. The website for the practice is very accessible and easy to navigate, and even has a way for you to pay bills online. You can contact John Eluwa and his office directly through the website via a contact form or by calling them at the number provided on the website. They are also active on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

There is another highly rated personal injury attorney worth mentioning. John McCabe P.A., whose website is mccabelawoffices.com, is based in Cary but serves all of North Carolina. The website specifies that McCabe specializes in personal injury and accident cases as well as workers’ compensation for these types of events. Similar to Eluwa, McCabe’s office has been operating since 1994. John McCabe has a “Superb” rating on Avvo and was named a U.S. News Best Law Firm for personal injury in 2021.

John McCabe’s practice’s website is also accessible and easy to use. You are able to send a direct message through a contact form that informs McCabe of your case and allows him to get back to you. McCabe provides free consultations online but also does phone consultations. All of their contact information is provided on the website.

Unfortunately, crises are bound to occur in our lives and we are mostly unable to predict when something is going to go awry. However, there are people whose job it is to make sure the process of making things right is easy and fair. Reach out to personal injury and accident lawyers if something has happened in your life that you need trustworthy assistance with.

“Getting more red wolves in the wild in North Carolina is what we’ve been fighting for, and this is finally a step in the right direction,” said Sierra Weaver, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “The ultimate question is going to be whether this marks a return to the service’s historic conservation commitment, or whether it is going to take more court orders to keep this up.”

As few as seven red wolves remained in the wild following the agency’s refusal to release any captive wolves for the past six years. In 2015, the USFWS suspended its longstanding and successful practice of releasing captive red wolves into the wild within the approximately 1.7- million acre Red Wolf Recovery Area.

By contrast, during the first five years of its red wolf reintroduction program in eastern North Carolina, the USFWS released an average of eight wolves per year, totaling 134 red wolves over the program’s 35-year history. Proven conservation measures, such as captive red wolf releases and coyote sterilizations, helped the wild red wolf population grow to nearly 130 animals in the late 2000s, and it was estimated at 100 or more wolves from 2002 to 2014.

“Without this coalition’s dedicated legal advocacy, the red wolf could have been lost from the wild again,” said Ben Prater, Southeast program director at Defenders of Wildlife. “One release is not enough. It is my sincere hope that FWS is finally recommitting to the recovery effort, and will conduct annual releases to ensure a future for the species.”

The Southern Environmental Law Center sued the USFWS in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina on November 16, 2020, on behalf of the Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Animal Welfare Institute for violations of the Endangered Species Act caused by illegal agency policies that bar the use of proven management measures to save wild red wolves.

The groups filed for a motion for preliminary injunction in the case on November 19, 2020, seeking to temporarily prohibit the agency from implementing its recent policy change barring the release of captive wolves into the wild. That motion was granted on January 22, 2021, when the court ordered the USFWS to develop a plan for the release of captive red wolves into the wild during the pending litigation. This release of captive wolves into the wild population is pursuant to that plan.

“These releases represent an exciting and important step toward boosting the wild red wolf population,” said Johanna Hamburger, director and senior staff attorney for AWI’s terrestrial wildlife program. “Though the USFWS’s efforts are many years overdue, and a long road lies ahead, we are encouraged to see the agency again managing the species for recovery, not extinction.”

“The Red Wolf Coalition is grateful to the Species Survival Plan participants that made these releases possible,” said Kim Wheeler, executive director of Red Wolf Coalition. “Our hope is that these newly released red wolves will flourish in the wild, and that the USFWS Red Wolf Recovery Program will continue to take actions that offer a path forward toward recovery in North Carolina.”

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About the Red Wolf Coalition
The Red Wolf Coalition (www.redwolves.com) advocates for the long-term survival of red wolf populations by teaching about the red wolf and by fostering public involvement in red wolf conservation.

About the Animal Welfare Institute
The Animal Welfare Institute (www.awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. AWI engages policymakers, scientists, industry, and the public to achieve better treatment of animals everywhere – in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and other important animal protection news.

About Defenders of Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With nearly 2.2. million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org.

About Southern Environmental Law Center
For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With over 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast’s foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org

Ten years later, I continue to be surprised by how little the public really understands about the topic. Most think it‘s strictly about your credit. But there’s a much bigger picture people need to know about.

Criminal identity theft is a little-known problem that can really hinder a job search. This form of identity theft involves someone using your name and identifying information to commit a crime. As background checks become more common in the hiring process, identity theft can become a major stumbling block to getting hired.  

I have friends who were denied employment due to criminal identity theft. None of them knew about it beforehand, and, if they had not inquired to find out why they did not receive the job – they might not have known it then either. One friend spent 129 days in jail because of the criminal activities of an identity thief. It has taken her a decade to clear her name.  

Identity theft involving our healthcare records is the newest major threat. The 2015 Study on Privacy and Security of Healthcare Data, conducted by the Ponemon Institute, found that 91% of the healthcare organizations they surveyed had between one and 5 data breaches in the last 2 years.

Cases of medical identity theft reached 2.3 million in 2014. Medical identity theft happens when an imposter walks into a clinic or hospital using your name and identifying information. Your medical records can be altered with diseases you don’t have, and critical data such as your blood type can be changed. In a trauma situation, this incorrect data can become life threatening.

How would you know if you were a victim of criminal or medical identity theft? 

Watch out for these:

• Being denied employment or access to any activity that required a background check. Make sure you inquire as to the reason for the denial.
• Being stopped by a police officer, and you’re not sure why. Be sure to ask. Unknown outstanding arrest warrants are a possibility!
• Receiving an “explanation of benefits” notice from your insurance carrier, or a bill for a healthcare provider. If you haven’t had any healthcare procedures, investigate immediately!
• HIPAA laws can deny you access to your own records once somebody else has their information in them! You may need assistance from an attorney.
• An increase in health insurance premiums due to a condition you do not have!
• A drop in your credit score for non-payment of a doctor or hospital bill you know nothing about!

If you prefer working through the issue yourself, you can find helpful information by going to identitytheft.gov.

The best resolution for these situations is to have a comprehensive identity theft protection program in place, which includes private investigator services, before an incident happens. To communicate with an experienced identity protection specialist, email your first/last name, contact #, and best time for us to contact you to info@thecityinsightmag.com. Make sure to mention this article.

When I walked into the world of Law back in August 2014, I quickly realized that it’s true what they say – what you learn in a classroom versus what you learn through practical application on the job, are two different worlds. I’m sure that many have said the same thing about other industries, but what makes the legal system so different? Well, I thought I was going to be a “paralegal.” Truth is that I am a paralegal, and a researcher, and a public relations practicioner, and the biggest shoulder to cry on if there ever is one. So, why am I all these jobs?.. because I am a paralegal.

From my perspective, once I receive the call that a potential client needs assistance, I quickly schedule them onto our calendar for the next available appointment. That client comes through the door and most of them enter with such trepidation. I can quickly see it in their eyes. It appears as if they are walking into the unknown, or swimming in the ocean and unable to see their feet through the water (Remember “Jaws”?) I greet them with a smile, and present them with an intake sheet where they are expected to provide some background about themselves. This is no different from a doctor’s or dentist’s office but for some reason, their eyes grow wider and they begin to scramble to find their vital statistics. After asking the client if they would like something to drink, or if they would like the television turned on for them, I begin to see their shoulders sink a bit. They begin to find some comfort in the sofa or chairs in the waiting room and forget about what happens next.

Suddenly, a large voice booms through the hallway and it happens to be the attorney greeting them to his office. What was once becoming a relaxed atmosphere has now turned nuclear. The trepidation kicks in and a genuine fear now appears. However, as with any great attorney, it is their job to put that client at ease immediately. Laughs are shared, handshakes are given, and a warm welcome to the office is provided. Sometimes I attend the meetings if I need to translate from Spanish to English, but usually I await the client after they are asked a series of questions that have made them ask if they will be reported to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I realize that it is part of the job but I cannot help feeling bad for these clients who are trying so desparately to stay with their families in lieu for leaving them behind and going back to countries who are in horrible conditions.

As a researcher, the attorney depends on me to find the answer he needs. It really is as simple as that. Here is the case, here is the problem, now what is the answer? If we can find the answer, then it can be used to make or break our case; in other words determine a client’s fate. Even with the right answers, I have learned that anything can still happen. Then comes the most important part to me personally – talking to the client and getting answers from them. Will all clients be forthcoming with answers? Not at all because sometimes the truth hurts if you have to relive it. This is where my shoulder becomes important. There are times when a case requires an affidavit on behalf of the client, and within the affidavit, the nightmares of the client have to be spoken about. I have found that clients will get quiet during these times. It is not only my job to relax them and assure them that they will be okay; but it is my job to also pull the whole truth out of them regardless if I trigger up nightmarish memories. The box of tissue is usually required at this stage, as is a nice break for the client. I sit back while they gather together, and I truly am in awe of them. The stories they have lived through are remarkable. Stories of true survival are told and to see these people in front of me today is simply miraculous. I tell them how proud I am of them for sharing this information and I humbly am proud. It is not easy to tell the truth, and it is certainly not easy to relive such thoughts.

Then, as the process progresses, I get the occasional phone call from them to find out how things are going. I let them know that I will call them when I have some news. Life unfortunately is not always about good news, but when that good news arrives, the phone call to the client is the best ever. Sitting with the attorney and sharing that news is what is the most rewarding aspect of the job. To hear, and to sometimes see that monkey jump off the back of our clients is we fight for daily. I realize that in legal terms I may be a sidekick, but when I share that news, and know how much of my work went into the success of the case, I feel like I am the superhero too.

For those who are hesitant to approach an attorney to fight for your cause, take a breath and jump in with feet first. No, not all attorneys are evil villians. A few bad apples do ruin a bunch but you will find that anywhere you go. Attorneys are not here to take your money; they are here to fight for you, to argue for your cause; to win at all costs because they believe in you so much that they will go to no end to provide you with a positive outcome. As for the paralegal, we are always here by the attorney’s side fighting for the same beliefs and principles, and championing your rights. We will give you our time, our best efforts, and our positive energy. When you walk into a law firm, you join a team who is ready to take you as their star receiver and together make their way to the end zone.

Remember, feet first to make that dive. Keep your nerves to one side and be ready to fight for your life when you hire an attorney. Let them lead your team to victory, and let us paralegals create that playbook to earn that victory.

Written by Kris Alvarenga