WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

Trying to find a way to fit pro bono service into your schedule? Join us for a rewarding day of service, where your skills can make a significant difference in the lives of those seeking legal guidance and support! Volunteer on Saturday, February 22nd to gain experience in serving the D.C. community in a variety of matters! At the clinic, you’ll provide brief advice (and referrals) to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to legal help. We meet at Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (2427 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20020). Street parking is available. Please arrive at 9:00 am, a brief orientation takes place at 9:15 am, and volunteers are asked to stay until the last client is seen, usually at least 3:00 pm. There’s no time commitment beyond the clinic itself. As a volunteer attorney, you’ll answer questions about consumer law, family law, housing law, public benefits, bankruptcy, and other topics. You don’t need to be an expert in these areas of law: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center staff and expert mentors will be on hand to help. You do need to be a member of the D.C. Bar, or a federal government attorney barred in another state to participate. The deadline to volunteer is Thursday, February 13 at 5:00 pm. We are currently looking for volunteers in private practice, including solo practitioners and those at firms. If you are currently in a government position and would like to volunteer please contact Lara Eilhardt at Lara.Eilhardt@usdoj.gov. If you are currently a law student and would like to volunteer please contact Rachel Lawrence at lawrencera@cua.edu. Thank you!

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.

In this skills-based training, you will obtain the skills necessary to draft effective declarations. We will provide you with the tools and tips you need to understand: how and when to use a declaration to tell your client’s story. how to assist clients with language access needs and those experiencing trauma. Additionally, we will cover a range of advocacy and style considerations when drafting a persuasive declaration.  We will draw on examples from immigration, family law, and housing cases, but the skills and information will be applicable to other legal services practices. During this session, you will have a chance to draft a declaration, collaborate with peers, and receive feedback in order to build your skillset. Our conversation will be led by: Andrea Mangones, Managing Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) Jenadee Nanini, Family Law Staff Attorney, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Scholarships are available due to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. To apply for a scholarship, please complete this online scholarship form.

Knowing how to impeach a witness can be a pivotal skill, influencing case outcomes and elevating your trial advocacy. This training features a blend of expert-led presentations, hands-on demonstrations, and dynamic workshops, enabling participants to explore the finer points of impeachment techniques. Experienced trial attorneys will share insights, best practices, and real-life examples, guiding you on how to: Identifying opportunities for impeachment Utilizing prior inconsistent statements, bias, and credibility challenges Cross-examination tactics to discredit witnesses Admissibility of impeachment evidence Effective use of exhibits and demonstrative aids Our faculty for this training are trial experts Greg Lipper, Lipper Law PLLC, and Gwen Washington, Pro Bono Attorney at Cleary Gottlieb. This training takes place on Wednesday, February 12 from 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm at Arnold & Porter (601 Massachusetts Ave NW). We will provide the drinks, cookies, and answers! You come with your lunch and questions! Scholarships are available due to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. To apply for a scholarship, please complete this online scholarship form. The following CLE credit is available for this training: 2.5 CA general, 2.9 NJ general, and 2.5 NY skills (newly admitted and experienced).

Knowing when and how to object is critical not only to winning at trial, but also to making sure that issues are preserved for appeal. Our next installment of our Litigation Skills Training will focus on the skills and tactics of an effective objection. Litigation Skills Series: Objections will be led by Daria Zane (Adjunct Professor at George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School; former Magistrate Judge at the Court of Federal Claims) and Sharon Goodie (Judge, DC Office of Administrative Hearings; former prosecutor, DC Attorney General's office). This award-winning training offers both demonstrations and a Jeopardy-style game so that you can learn the rules and how to apply them. Scholarships are available due to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. Please fill out this online scholarship form. Bring your lunch and get ready to object!

Trying to find a way to fit pro bono service into your schedule? Join us for a rewarding day of service, where your skills can make a significant difference in the lives of those seeking legal guidance and support! Volunteer on Saturday, November 16th to gain experience in serving the D.C. community in a variety of matters! At the clinic, you'll provide brief advice (and referrals) to people who otherwise wouldn't have access to legal help. We meet at DC Bar Office, 901 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20001. Street parking is available. Please arrive at 9:00 am, a brief orientation takes place at 9:15 am, and volunteers are asked to stay until the last client is seen, usually at least 3:00 pm. There's no time commitment beyond the clinic itself. As a volunteer attorney, you'll answer questions about consumer law, family law, housing law, public benefits, bankruptcy, and other topics. You don't need to be an expert in these areas of law: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center staff and expert mentors will be on hand to help. You do need to be a member of the D.C. Bar, or a federal government attorney barred in another state to participate. The deadline to volunteer is Tuesday, November 12 by 5:00 pm ET. Once you register to attend, our Program Director and volunteer coordinator, Chris Marin, will be in touch with additional details. We are currently looking for volunteers in private practice, including solo practitioners and those at firms. If you are currently in a government position and would like to volunteer please contact Lara Eilhardt at Lara.Eilhardt@usdoj.gov. If you are currently a law student and would like to volunteer please contact Rachel Lawrence at lawrencera@cua.edu. Thank you!

If you represent a client pro bono in a family law or domestic violence case in Superior Court, there’s a high likelihood that you’ll be litigating against a self-represented party. In cases where one side is represented by counsel and the other side is self-represented, the dynamic necessarily impacts the judge’s perspective from the bench. Join this candid conversation with Superior Court judges about what considerations come into play when litigating against self-represented parties. The judges will share their perspectives on topics ranging from discovery and related sanctions to the preference for making decisions on the merits, as well as their ethical responsibility to facilitate all parties being fairly heard in a proceeding. Judge Carmen G. McLean will moderate the conversation with: Judge Julie Becker Judge Adrienne J. Noti Judge Stephen Rickard Judge Ebony Scott Thank you for joining us for this series! If you have questions for our panel, you can submit them ahead of time when you register!

It’s true -- pro bono work in D.C. Superior Court primarily involves litigation. Yet every lawyer, no matter their type of practice or area of expertise, will benefit from the experience of handling matters in Superior Court. Join this interactive discussion with Superior Court judges about how you can use pro bono work in D.C. Superior Court to positively impact your professional development and career trajectory. The judges will share their perspectives on the transferable skills-building opportunities that pro bono work offers whether your routine practice involves litigation, transactional work, or administrative law. You’ll also learn about ways you can help expand access to justice in the D.C. Courts without necessarily taking on a case for representation. This discussion will be moderated by Judge Carmen G. McLean. Our panelists include: Judge Laura E. Crane Judge Deborah J. Israel Judge Carl Ezekiel (“Zeke”) Ross Judge Steven Wellner Please submit any questions you have ahead of time using the Questions section on the registration page. Register for the final session now! Session 3: Litigating Against Self-Represented Parties: What Judges Want You to Know April 1, 2025; 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Register

You may have heard about the staggering numbers of individuals trying to navigate their way in the civil branches of D.C. Superior Court without representation -- simply because they cannot afford a lawyer: 88% of tenants face eviction proceedings without a lawyer, while 95% of landlords are represented; over 80% of plaintiffs and 90% of respondents in child custody and divorce cases don’t have a lawyer; 88% of petitioners and 95% of respondents in civil protection order cases are self-represented. Join this engaging conversation with Superior Court judges about how pro bono counsel – no matter their area of expertise or level of experience --make a critical difference in the administration of justice, particularly in the busiest courtrooms. The judges want to see you in court! And you’ll hear what the court is doing to help encourage pro bono counsel to keep “coming back.” Judge Carmen G. McLean will moderate a conversation with: Judge Robert Okun Judge Judith Pipe Judge Kenia Seoane López Judge Darlene M. Soltys And we encourage you to submit your questions for the judges in advance on the event registration page. Register for the next sessions right now- Session 2: Ramp Up Your Skills with Pro Bono: It’s Not Just for Litigators! January 28, 2025; 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Register Session 3: Litigating Against Self-Represented Parties: What Judges Want You to Know April 1, 2025; 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET Register