NCJC celebrates the distinguished career of outgoing Litigation Director Carlene McNulty
For more than four decades, Carlene McNulty has worked to advance social and economic justice, using the law to protect and uplift low-income individuals and families across North Carolina. As Director of Litigation at the NC Justice Center for nearly 30 years, Carlene led some of the most impactful lawsuits in the state, including landmark class actions against payday lenders, subprime mortgage brokers, and debt buyers.
Her work has resulted in the recovery of tens of millions of dollars and the cancellation of millions more in unjust debt. In one set of class actions alone, Carlene and her co-counsel secured $45 million from payday lenders who had skirted North Carolina’s consumer protection laws. More recently, her work against a national debt buyer led to $10 million in consumer relief and the cancellation of $35 million in judgment debt.
Carlene also played a key role in cases that challenged harmful government practices. She co-led a class action that improved access to dental care for 600,000 Medicaid-enrolled children, and another that brought oversight to disability benefit denials affecting more than 80,000 applicants.
Her legal advocacy extended beyond the courtroom, as she worked closely with the NC General Assembly to draft and pass pioneering consumer protection laws—including the first in the nation to curb abusive debt collection practices, predatory mortgage servicing, and foreclosure scams.
Her expertise spans the interconnected realms of consumer, housing, and immigrant rights law. During the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, Carlene emerged as a key architect of North Carolina’s response, helping establish the foundation for national mortgage settlements and creating stronger protections that continue to shield homeowners today. She also served as interim project director for several NC Justice Center initiatives during pivotal moments, demonstrating the leadership versatility that made her indispensable to the organization.
Aside from her legal accomplishments, colleagues equally remember Carlene for her generous mentorship and collaborative approach. She trained the next generation of consumer advocates as managing attorney at the UNC Law Consumer Financial Clinic, and her willingness to handle the unglamorous but essential details that keep advocacy organizations running made her teams more effective and cohesive.
Carlene’s transformative work has earned numerous recognitions including the Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award (NC Bar Association, 2023), the Vern Countryman Award (National Consumer Law Center, 2011), the Public Justice Achievement Award (2011), the Julian T. Pierce Award (Legal Services of North Carolina, 1993), and the News & Observer’s “Tar Heel of the Week” honor in 2009.
Carlene retired in May 2025, having defended the rights of hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians and established legal precedents that will continue to protect consumers. In retirement, she tends her garden, delights in catering friends’ celebrations, and savors time with family—a well-earned respite after decades of litigation work.