Lydia Shelley joined Disability Rights North Carolina in February 2026 as a CASE Team Attorney. In this role, she supports clients through the intake process and advises teams across DRNC as they navigate incoming cases. Lydia earned her undergraduate degree from Western Carolina University, where she majored in English literature and minored in history and political science. She went on to receive her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Before joining DRNC, Lydia worked at the UNC Law Clinic and at Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she represented survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She has been committed to a career in public interest law since 2016 and is driven by a deep passion for using the law to improve the lives of others. Her work with survivors helped shape her dedication to supporting clients during some of the most difficult moments in their lives.
In her free time, Lydia enjoys spending time with her fiancé and their four cats, crocheting, and reading horror literature.