Leadership Institute: Leadership Principles in the Public Sector

The public sector presents many unique challenges as you progress through your career. Unlike the private sector, you will have sole client responsibility right away and you may find yourself moving into a leadership role 3-5 years into your first position. With great power comes great responsibility. As a community, we are good at providing skills training that serves clients. We are less effective at providing skills-building to help you be successful supervisors and community leaders.  All that will now change with our newly launched Leadership Institute. Join us for our Leadership Institute, designed specifically for public interest lawyers. We will address the specific challenges and rewards that come with early career leadership responsibilities, offer concrete tips and strategies for supporting your team, and explore how self-care must be a part of your professional competencies. We kick off this 4-part series with Leadership Principles in the Public Sector. Long-time legal services and now government advocate Beth Mellen, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Public Advocacy Division, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, will explore the leadership principles vital to public-interest leaders and how to manage increasing responsibility early in your career. Then, we will take a deeper dive into the core competencies of leadership in the following three sessions. Managing vs Supervising: How to Support Your Team While Moving Forward the Mission on Tuesday, April 23 Wellness & Managing Secondary Trauma: Why It's Important to Professional Competency on Tuesday, May 21 Personnel Actions on Tuesday, June 25 All the sessions are from 12:00-1:30 pm ET. The cost is just $40 per session for members and $60 per session for non-members. There is also a discounted package rate for all 4 sessions, which is available until the date of the first session. Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the DC Bar Foundation. Please fill out this online scholarship request form. Our Leadership Institute is appropriate for lawyers who are currently team leaders, first or second-line supervisors, those who hope to move into a leadership role in the next 12 months, and anyone who could use a primer on effective leadership.

2023 Justice Impact Awards: Photo Album

Thank you so much to everyone that came to the 2023 Justice Impact Awards Ceremony! We enjoyed a beautiful evening with everyone and are glad to share these memories! A special thanks to our award winners and all they do for our community

Litigation Skills Series: Advanced Hearsay

Hearsay may be common, but that doesn't make it any less complicated. There are so many obstacles to navigate and challenges that may arise in the courtroom but with a strong understanding of the rules you can navigate it all like a pro. Build your courtroom confidence with some practice! Join us for Litigation Skills Series:  Advanced Hearsay for a practical review of the hearsay rules, common examples, and how to navigate applying all the nuances. This training will be run by experienced faculty, Barbara Butterworth, Counsel, Litigation Mentor Program at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP and Jessica Kurtz Zagoren, Senior Supervising Attorney at Children's Law Center. The program is geared to go beyond the basics by allowing more space for practice and practical questions. This training is appropriate for public-interest, law firm, in-house, and government lawyers. Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. To apply for a scholarship, please complete this online scholarship form. CLE credit is available  as follows: 2.0 CA general, 2.3 NJ general, and 2.0 NY skills (newly admitted and experienced).  Reciprocal credit may be available in other jurisdictions. There will be cookies and light refreshments provided, but please feel free to bring your lunch!

Members-Only: Public Interest 101

Join us where career and community development collide! This members-only event is an incredible opportunity to learn more about how to find your niche in the public interest legal community, either in your career or volunteer work! Our panelists will discuss the intersectionality of the public interest legal community and ways you can tap into the robust community that wants to support you. Creating community is helpful for both your career and your clients. With a supportive community you can get connected to resources that can help you accomplish everything from building a more robust case for your client to reaching your career goals. Our panel will be moderated by Jodi Feldman, Pro Bono Manager, District of Columbia Courts. Our panel includes: Kelli Neptune, Executive Director, DC Bar Pro Bono Center Stephanie Johnson, Director of Externships and Public Interest Programming, Howard University School of Law Kathleen Wach, Pro Bono Counsel, Miller & Chevalier Dana Busgang,  Civil Rights & Employment Associate, Cohen Milstein There is space for everyone in the fight for access to justice, we love helping you find yours! Not a member yet, but want to join the conversation? Become a member today for this and other incredible member benefits!

Government Pro Bono Roundtable 2024

Our Government Pro Bono Roundtable is the perfect opportunity to learn about doing pro bono work as a government lawyer. Pro bono work can be a rewarding part of a government career; you just need to be familiar with the resources, policies, and strategies that allow you to do the work effectively. At this lively discussion, you'll learn about established pro bono programs for government lawyers. Our pro bono experts will share why pro bono work is meaningful to them, tips for managing your schedule and finding the support you need, and info about the many different types of pro bono work available to government lawyers. Our panel will be moderated by Jen Miller, Government Attorney. Our panel includes: Chris Jennison, Federal Government Attorney Juan Romero-Sanchez, Federal Government Attorney Elaine Block, DC Government Attorney The government lawyer panelists will share their experiences from their personal perspectives in their individual capacities, and will not be speaking on behalf of their agencies. Join us to find out how you can dive into pro bono work as a government lawyer!

Graphic: Best Practices in Pro Bono Addressing Non-Legal Client Needs

Best Practices in Pro Bono: Addressing Non-Legal Client Needs: Interdisciplinary Services and Pro Bono

Ever worked with a client who couldn’t concentrate on their legal issue because they were worried about something else? This conversation will be about the role and experience of pro bono attorneys working with clients who have multiple, overlapping needs, including non-legal needs. We will hear from panelists who work at organizations with interdisciplinary services combining legal and non-legal services, such as medical-legal partnerships, to learn how those models impact their pro bono program. We will also hear from pro bono facilitators about challenges and opportunities when non-legal needs arise while representing clients. We’ll explore what is working well, the gaps, and ways that legal services staff and pro bono attorneys can maintain defined roles while working together to holistically support clients. Bring your lunch and your questions. We'll provide the cookies and the answers. Pro bono coordinators from law firms, corporations, legal services providers, nonprofits, and government agencies are welcome to join the conversation!

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