Meet Our Staff

Sylvia Novinsky, Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs

In its ongoing commitment to public service, Dean Boger has appointed Sylvia Novinsky as the school's first Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs. Novinsky has been with the School of Law since 1996, after practicing public interest law representing migrant farm workers and immigrant workers in Virginia and New York. She served as the school's first public interest career counselor and in 2000, became the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. In her new role, she will combine these varied experiences to counsel, advise and support students interested in public service and public interest law, as well as continuing to foster the school's pro bono activities.

"As a great public law school, our tradition of public service is deep-rooted and core to our mission," noted Dean Novinsky. Upon graduation, approximately 20% of the class goes on to pursue careers in the public sector. While in school, approximately 50% of the student body performs pro bono service. Still, there are challenges for students and graduates who want to do public service, particularly as debt burdens at all law schools increase. "Helping students identify avenues for pursuing their commitments to pro bono and public service, and supporting them while they are doing so, is crucial," said Dean Novinsky. "Our students are following in the footsteps of many great Carolina Law alumni who have gone on to serve our state and the nation and we want to make sure we support them as they incorporate these values of serving the public in their own educational pursuits and legal careers."

Sylvia K. Novinsky 
Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs
919-962-7813
5029 Van Hecke-Wettach Hall

Nikki Hubbard, Administrative Assistant, Student Services

A native of New York, Nikki came to North Carolina to attend UNC-Greensboro. Upon leaving UNCG, she began working in the non-profit sector as a Case Manager for individuals with HIV/AIDS. In this position her clients were dealing with issues such as homelessness, mental illness, extreme poverty, alienation, and it was her job to try and assist them with locating and acquiring the services they needed. She was then offered a position to work in Family Court as a Volunteer Coordinator with the Suffolk County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Program. The CASA Program is New York State's equivalent to the Guardian Ad Litem Program. This job enabled her to work within the court system, as she had work closely with Family Court Judges and attorneys (many of them practicing pro bono) to ensure children who were deemed abused and/or neglected be placed in safe, permanent homes. Before coming here, Nikki worked in a mid size law firm as a Legal Case Manager. She is excited to be working with Public Service Programs, and glad to offer any assistance or insight to students on the fulfillment and challenges of working in non-profit organizations.

Nikki N. Hubbard 
Administrative Assistant
919-843-9871
5022 Van Hecke-Wettach Hall

Allison Standard '09, Research Assistant, Public Service Programs

Allison is a 3L at Carolina Law who is planning to pursue a career in public interest law.  As the RA for Public Service Programs, she works on many public service related projects including the weekly Public Service Newsletter, the Peer Mentor/Mentee Program, summer grants, spring public interest OCIs, public interest retreats, and the public service website.