WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

DC Pro Bono Week 2024 is a wrap, but the inspiration to make a difference in our community and the celebration of pro bono service continues. We know the need for pro bono lawyers doesn’t stop and as lawyers, we have a duty and obligation to help bridge the access to justice gap. Whether it’s by taking on a pro bono case, volunteering for an advice and referral clinic, contributing to systemic advocacy, or financially supporting a legal services organization, we can all do something for the public good.

That’s a wrap on DC Pro Bono Week 2024! We hope the events, trainings, and more throughout October inspired your to commitment to pro bono service. If you’re looking for creative ways to make pro bono service a part of your career, check out these stories!

The Prison Policy Initiative projects that Maryland incarcerates 475 persons per every 100,000 people in the state. Maryland’s exceptionally high rate of incarceration stands out on an international scale, outpacing several NATO-member nations. See id.  As the State’s Attorney General recently acknowledged, Maryland’s prisons are among the worst in the nation for their racially disparate incarceration of Black people. The disparities are particularly extreme among the more than 2,000 people serving life-with-parole sentences: about 77% of Maryland lifers are Black, in a state that is about 31% Black. For those who were children at the time they were first incarcerated, the numbers are even more stark – 84%.

Tim Cordova, an associate in the Health Care Group at Alston & Bird, has built a reputation for his meticulous work in health care legislative and regulatory compliance matters. But beyond his daily practice, Tim's has established a commitment to pro bono work, particularly in helping disabled individuals secure much-needed Social Security disability benefits and health care coverage. Tim has become an advocate for those who need it most, working tirelessly to assist clients through difficult appeals processes and ensuring they receive the support they deserve.

In Washington, D.C., the collaboration between La Clinica Del Pueblo and the Tahirih Justice Center is significantly impacting the lives by—Latiné* immigrant survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). This medical-legal partnership represents a crucial lifeline for communities often excluded from traditional healthcare and legal support, particularly for those within the Latiné immigrant population. By combining the expertise of La Clinica Del Pueblo in providing culturally appropriate health services with the legal advocacy strength of the Tahirih Justice Center, this initiative provides an integrated and holistic approach to the complex challenges faced by these individuals.

Nonprofits play a critical role in serving low-income, historically underserved communities. In Washington, DC, the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project fills these gaps by recruiting, training, and supervising pro bono attorneys who in turn represent clients in family law, child advocacy, and immigration matters. DCVLP and its volunteers focus on serving survivors of domestic violence, survivors of gender-based violence, and vulnerable children. Volunteer attorneys donated 48,000 pro bono hours in 2023 alone. Two of these volunteers are Anne (Annie) Bonfiglio and Sarah Tunney.

In addition to the main DC Pro Bono Week events, a series of affiliated trainings will take place before, during, and after Pro Bono Week. The full list is below: October 9 Introduction to Pro Bono Advocacy for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children 2:00-3:15 pm CT Register October 23 Family Separation Learn about the Ms. L v. ICE settlement agreement and the legal processes it provides for separated families. 12:00 - 1:00 pm  ET Register November 7 Understanding Family Law vs. Probate Law  1:00-2:00 pm ET Virtual Register  If you are hosting a training between now and the end of November, we would love to feature it on our Affiliated Trainings page! Please email Chris Marin at cmarin@wclawyers.org for more information.

Pro Bono Week profiles frequently highlight traditional client work done by lawyers, but law firms and their professional staff can also be a resource for advancing access to justice in systemic ways. For over a decade, DLA Piper has provided a range of support to the D.C. Access to Justice Commission to further its efforts to examine and address the access to justice crisis in the District.

Barb Burr always wanted to help people. A certified CPA, she decided to pivot into a legal career because she missed the opportunity to engage with “people in a deep and meaningful way.” After graduating from Harvard Law School, Barb started her legal career as a civil rights lawyer, eventually falling in love with family law. Her background in civil rights and her commitment to low bono and pro bono  work reflect her original mission: “I find it really rewarding when I can help people,” Barb shares, “including people of modest means through DC Refers.”