Litigation Skills Series: Trial Advocacy

Join us for three educational days of Trial Advocacy from Wednesday, May 7 to Friday, May 9. We are using a new hybrid format! The first and third days will be virtual, the second day will be fully in person. View the 2025 Litigation Skills Series Trial Advocacy Schedule. If you have any questions about the schedule, please email Chris Marin at cmarin@wclawyers.org. We will focus on the four fundamental trial skills: Opening Statements, Direct Examinations, Cross-Examinations, and Closing Arguments.  Each topic will begin with a lecture by an expert trainer and a demonstration by skilled litigators showing how to put the lesson into practice. Then, we will move to small group breakout rooms where each attendee will get up and practice the skill of the day. Breakout room facilitators will offer individualized, constructive feedback to each participant. Attendees should plan to spend some time between each session to prepare for the on-your-feet breakout sessions. We are excited to try the new hybrid format. We are building on past feedback to make sure you can get the most from the training while ensuring you can still manage your busy schedule. Our fact pattern features a Landlord and Tenant case, but you need not know anything about substantive law in this area to benefit from the training. For Washington Council of Lawyers members, this comprehensive Trial Advocacy training costs just $165. For non-members, the cost is $265. (Join Washington Council of Lawyers to take advantage of the discounted member rates.) 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 credits are pending for this training for CA, NY, NJ. This session always sells out. Save your seat today! Registration closes Friday, April 25 at 5:00 pm ET.

Government Pro Bono Roundtable (2025)

This event has been postponed, please keep an eye out for details regarding the rescheduled event.  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, in both the local and federal government spheres. 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 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. The panel will be moderated by Liz Symonds,  a retired public interest attorney and Washington Council of Lawyers'  Board Member. Anthony Scerbo, DC Office of Open Government, Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Christine Ennis, Environmental and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Washington Council of Lawyers' 2024 Government Pro Bono Award Recipient Acacia Bellamy, Government Attorney, appearing in personal capacity Lara Eilhardt, Pro Bono Program Counsel, Office for Access to Justice, Department of Justice Join us to find out how you can dive into pro bono work as a government lawyer!

Racial Justice Series: Fireside Chat – Dismantling Mass Incarceration A Handbook for Change

Building a future together requires a vision of what is possible, perseverance, and hope. We find all this and more in the pages of Dismantling Mass Incarceration: A Handbook for Change from Premal Dharia, James Forman Jr., and Maria Hawilo. Join us for a fireside chat with Premal Dharia, author and Executive Director of the Institute to End Mass Incarceration at Harvard Law School and Jonathan Smith, Chief, Assistant Attorney General for the Maryland Attorney General. We will continue what the book starts, creating a forum to discuss - and disagree - on the best ways to confront the harms of mass incarceration. The conversation will highlight some of the many stories included from activists, lawyers, judges, scholars, people who were formerly incarcerated, and more that help to create understanding around such a large and nuanced topic. If you feel passionately about prison reform and are unsure of what to do next, this conversation is your next step! Join us whether you've read the book already or have it on your TBR! The conversation will expand your understanding of the topic beyond what you'll find in the book! You can be a part of the conversation on social media using #RJSHandbooktoChange

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