WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

Annually, Washington Council of Lawyers hosts Fellowships 101, where law students and aspiring public-interest lawyers learn about the fellowship process and receive concrete tips for creating a successful fellowship application. This year’s event was virtual, but our expert panelists made the experience interactive and helpful. This summary also includes additional resources and important dates and links.

On Wednesday, July 7, 2021, over 225 law students, lawyers, and legal aficionados attended Supreme Court: View from the Press Gallery, our annual panel of journalists who dish and discuss the inside scoop on SCOTUS, and the Justices.

50 years ago -- Washington Council of Lawyers was founded to reform the DC Bar and fight for social justice. Today -- Washington Council of Lawyers is a vibrant voice for the DC pro bono and public-interest community, fighting for access to justice, with more than 70 programs during the past year. Washington Council of Lawyers has a rich history of service and advocacy, and last week we were thrilled to host our founders, past presidents, long-time members, community partners, and new friends for our 50th Anniversary Reunion.

Summer associates and summer interns from across the country joined our Intern Happy Hour last week for a discussion of what to expect from their summer experience. Our expert panel of supervisors from the government, law firms, and legal service providers gave tips and advice on how to make a remote internship successful.

The final session of our Summer Forum 2021 was the Criminal Law and Death Penalty Panel. This topic is of utmost importance, especially after the racial reconning this year, because of the unfortunate reality that communities of color are disproportionally affected by the criminal justice system. The panel discussed the impactful work they do and the ways that the broader legal community can help be a part of addressing these injustices within our society.

The final day of our Summer Forum 2021 began with a panel on civil rights and civil liberties which highlighted how this past year has increased awareness of the disparities in our nation between people groups. Because of these disparities, there is a great need for lawyers to take part in pro bono civil rights and civil liberties work which promotes equal rights and justice for all people.

On June 10, we convened the Immigration and Human Rights Panel for our Summer Forum 2021. This panel focused on the multitude of ways the legal community can support immigrants through pro bono representation. Each of the panelists works in immigration law and was able to provide insights into their work in addition to shedding light on the many pro bono opportunities available for lawyers and law students in immigration in the DC area and throughout the nation.

Our second June 10th panel of the Summer Forum highlighted the continuing legal needs of those living at or below the federal poverty level, especially after the pandemic’s disruption of the economy and effect on individual lives. The most prevalent issues are debt collection, family matters, and landlord-tenant disputes among a host of others. Our panel discussed pro bono opportunities in these areas and how lawyers in the DC area and across the nation can also get involved.

Welcome Amelia Patrick, our 2021 Summer Intern. Amelia is a rising senior at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia with a double major in Economics/International Affairs and a minor in Religion and Public Diplomacy. We are excited to have her contributing to our mission.

The first practice-area panel discussion of the 2021 Summer Forum was held on Thursday, June 3, and the conversation focused on opportunities for pro bono work outside the courtroom. Not all pro bono work involves litigation. There are many opportunities for public-interest careers and pro bono opportunities in areas such as advocacy, transactional work, legal guidance, and advising that can make a powerful impact.

Washington Council of Lawyer’s Annual Summer Forum 2021 began on June 3rd with an enlightening conversation on racial equity and public justice provided by keynote speaker Eric Holder. Eric Holder is a former U.S. Attorney General and self-described, life-long public interest lawyer. For this forum, Mr. Holder was in conversation with Nicole Austin-Hillery, U.S. Program Executive Director for Human Rights Watch and Washington Council of Lawyers Board Member. Throughout this first session of the Summer Forum, a multitude of topics were highlighted, all with the connecting message that lawyers need to utilize their “unique capabilities and responsibilities” for public justice.

Over-policing, inequitable applications of the law, excessively harsh punishments, mass incarceration, and racial injustice are just some of the issues facing criminal defense and death penalty lawyers. The criminal law system disproportionally impacts communities of color and badly needed reform is one step toward a just and equitable society. The scope of the problem requires creative and innovative approaches and increased pro bono representation must be part of the solution. Join us for our final virtual panel, Criminal Law & the Death Penalty, on Thursday, June 17 at 1:15 pm ET to learn how you can get involved.

At our 2021 Summer Forum, the Civil Rights & Civil Liberties panel will explore the critical role lawyers play in protecting individuals’ fundamental rights. Almost daily, there is news of another example of rights violations and ways protections are eroding. Demands to advance racial justice, protect voters’ rights for future elections, safeguard unemployment, and reverse the tide of racial disparity in education are rising. How lawyers can respond to these issues and more will be discussed at the Civil Rights & Civil Liberties panel on Tuesday, June 17, from 12:00-1:15 pm ET.

The 2021 annual Summer Forum Human Rights & Immigration panel features a discussion of the challenges facing human rights and immigration practitioners during the Covid-19 pandemic in DC and across the country. Under normal circumstances, there are often significant barriers for immigration and human rights practitioners to navigate when their clients are detained. As in many areas of legal practice, the pandemic has created new hurdles and exacerbated those that already exist for practitioners in these fields. These practical challenges, language barriers, and the vulnerability of immigrants and other marginalized populations make pro bono representation vital in these cases. This panel presents an opportunity for law students, recent graduates, and new lawyers to learn how to advocate for immigrants across diverse practice areas. It also provides a look at some of the avenues for pro bono and volunteer work as well as a view of the practical and legal issues that attorneys and clients in this area face.

Over the past year, the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated socio-economic, health, racial, and gender inequalities in America. It has threatened working and middle-class communities with financial instability and wreaked havoc on families and individuals living in poverty. In the current economic climate, the legal and policy issues discussed at Washington Council of Lawyer's annual Summer Forum's Poverty Law Panel take on increased significance. Join us on Thursday, June 10 at noon for the second in our series of five breakout panels exploring ways to incorporate pro bono practice into your professional life and avenues to support under-represented individuals. Our expert panel will discuss the strategies that poverty lawyers employ to serve their clients, explore the wide-ranging legal issues that individuals living in poverty face, and discuss available pro bono opportunities in D.C. and nationwide to help address these needs.

While litigation is likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of practicing law, some practice areas involve advising clients on actions to take to avoid disputes or matters that bring parties together rather than break them up. Often these proceedings can be less time-consuming than a litigation matter. Some transactional attorneys may never see the inside of the courtroom. This can be attractive for pro bono lawyers seeking a short time commitment with a big impact.

Jess Rosenbaum was board president during a pivotal point in our history. She shared the following remembrances from her tenure.

It goes without saying that the past year has brought unparalleled challenges and new stresses and anxieties. Since we can’t do our best, unless we feel our best, we are excited to once again take part in Lawyer Well-Being Week. We encourage you to make time during this week to try the activities included here and then engage with us on social media using #WellbeingWeekInLaw to let us know your thoughts. Enjoy!

By Shea Hazel On Wednesday, April 20, 2021, Washington Council of Lawyers hosted an inspiring session to encourage and empower client-centered representation. Redefining Success: Empowering Client-Centered Representation was moderated by Jen Masi, Pro Bono Director, Children’s Law Center, and included panelists Katherine Conway, Staff Attorney, CAIR Coalition; Tracy Davis, Managing Attorney, Bread for the City; and, Faiza Majeed, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. Panelists offered suggestions on client-centered approaches to counseling and legal strategies; prioritizing client agency and empowering clients through the resolution of their cases. Meet Clients Where They Are "Meeting clients where they are" requires holistic, client counseling and representative approaches, obliging lawyers to disregard any biases and actively listen. Be present and actively listen to clients’ stories to understand the injustices they experience and their unique goals and priorities. Balance legal expertise with client expertise of their lived experiences. Thank clients for calling when their cases are sources of trauma and stress, understanding they may be traumatized or retraumatized throughout the legal process. Understand some clients may be detained and have been stripped of their liberties. Respect clients’ dignity in making their own decisions and allow them the time they need to reflect and commit to legal strategies. Client-Centered Lawyering and Representation Applying principles of cultural humility can keep lawyers centered on clients' needs and increase client advocacy and zealous representation. Support client’s agency over their cases. Honestly and realistically educate clients about possible options and outcomes (including potential consequences), to empower informed decision making. Enlist subject matter reinforcements, when needed. Prioritize client goals, first; legal strategies, second. Encourage clients to take on tasks, which may help them proceed on their own at a later date if necessary. Educate against biases and assumptions. Speak up about systemic disparities and racism. Build power within communities by conducting know-your-rights trainings and by representating organizations such as tenant associations. Connect clients to mental health or case management services where appropriate - coordinating with their providers and advocating for the clients to the provider, while acknowledging your role in representing a client's stated interest. Revisit and redefine success throughout the attorney-client relationship. Continually reflect upon your own lawyering skills so you can continue to better deliver client-centered approaches. Successful Case Closure Clients need to be empowered, to keep moving their lives forward, after their cases have closed, regardless of the outcome. Celebrate micro-moments of success throughout the case. Reassure clients for showing up and making their -often silenced- voices heard. Help clients understand their problems so they are equipped to respond in the future. Ensure clients understand any court orders and help them prepare for and mitigate against potential challenges. Put ego aside and not expect to have the closure you might want. Preserve client relationships and understand they may call upon your services in the future. As a reminder, hearing and validating the injustice a client may have experienced while being zealous and honest about achieving real justice for them under the law, is challenging and rewarding work. If you are not taking care of yourself, you cannot take care of your clients. It is important to understand your work-life balance and prioritize your mental, spiritual, and physical health.  Your ability and availability to advocate for your clients is a personal decision and there is a community of pro bono and civic-minded attorneys to collaborate with through Washington Council of Lawyers and across the District. Check out more ways to connect at Washington Council of Lawyers’ upcoming events. And continue the conversation on social media using #50YearsStrong. Shea Hazel is a law student at UMass Law and a member of Washington Council of Lawyers Advocacy Committee

On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, the Washington Council of Lawyers hosted a Racial Justice Series panel: "Rising to the Top: Diverse Executive Leadership for Non-Profits."  Moderated by Henry E. Floyd, Jr., Senior Associate Attorney, Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP and Washington Council of Lawyers Board Member. Panelists included Avis Buchanan, Director, The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia; Rochanda Hiligh-Thomas, Executive Director, Advocates for Justice and Education; and Glen O’Gilvie, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Non-Profit Advancement.

On Thursday, April 9, 2021, Noah A. Messing, Yale Law School's Lecturer in the Practice of Law and Legal Writing, led a legal writing workshop, the latest installation in the Washington Council of Lawyers’ Litigation Skills Series. With great skill and wit, Noah took the audience through the three main areas where lawyers can improve their writing skills: organization, prose, and drafting.   Four Key Organizational Strategies Noah urged attendees to orient readers fast. Even if the memo or brief is inherently lengthy, try to frontload the important information; this allows the reader to quickly become familiar with the purpose of the document and determine its urgency. While telling a narrative, it can be tempting to simply state the facts in straightforward chronological order but introducing facts using flashbacks can help better organize your writing. Doing so can allow the reader to understand why the facts the writer has presented in the past are important and relevant to their message. Another pitfall that lawyers can easily fall into is focusing too much on rebutting their opponents’ arguments. Noah urges lawyers to focus on winning, THEN rebutting. This means not only showing the flaws in your opponents’ arguments; it means clearly demonstrating why your arguments are more persuasive and the correct way for the Court to decide. But how does one go about creating a structure to organize all of this information? Noah introduced attendees to the idea of CRAC, which stands for Conclusion, Rule, Application, and Conclusion. This method is a simple way to ensure that your arguments and messages stay neatly organized. Five Strategies for Better Prose When dealing with complex issues, it can be easy for lawyers to fall into the trap of writing long and complicated sentences and paragraphs as they try to address every part of their argument. However, this can cause the reader to feel as if they were in a confusing labyrinth, quickly losing track of where the writer was trying to lead them. To combat that, Noah encourages writers to write short sentences and paragraphs. This does not mean writing curt or robotic-sounding prose; it rather means to vary the length of your sentences to ensure that your message is clear and easy to follow. He also encourages writers to use active and short verbs. Try keeping your writing in the active voice and watch out for passive verbs. On that note, pay attention to the length of the words you choose - notice the number of syllables in the words you choose. This does not mean you have to count out the syllables in each word but rather encourages the writer to keep their language clear and concise. Noah also encourages writers to place familiar information before new information. Start by setting a foundation for the reader, including providing who the parties are and defining unknown terms, such as names of projects. To keep the reader on track for where you want to go, use “signposts” to let the reader know where you are trying to lead them. And be sure to get to the subject of the sentence and the principal verb quickly; nothing loses a reader more than having to wade through lengthy clauses to find the point of the sentence. Five Tips for Drafting Anticipate issues. As the old saying goes, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Being a good lawyer requires one to be prepared for any and all possible outcomes, so be sure to consider additional options when listing who your messages apply to. Be sure to have all of your bases covered. Watch for Ambiguity. Ambiguous language can be the downfall of even the best attorney. Be sure to make sure that your language is specific. Watch for Vagueness. Notice wiggle room in the terms you write? Your opponents can use that to their advantage. Ensure that your language is not vague to allow your message to be as impactful as you mean it to be. Watch for Inconsistencies. Even the tiniest details matter! Ensure that you are consistent throughout your writing, whether it be through how you refer to the parties or whether you capitalize certain words. Find Good Precedent. Good writing is nothing without the precedent and the research to back it up!   Noah captivated attendees not only through these useful lessons but also with his sense of humor and his ability to present these lessons in a fun and interesting way. Using great metaphors and visual examples, attendees were able to easily grasp the skills that will help them become better writers and better lawyers. Want to learn how to become a better litigator? Sign up for our next events in our Litigation Skills Series here.   Caitlyn Burnitis is a Staff Attorney at the Amara Legal Center and a member of the Washington Council of Lawyers Communications Committee.

Leadership starts from within. Paul Lee, board president from 2014-2016, knew that as he began his presidency during a time of growth. During his tenure, Washington Council of Lawyers expanded its staff and offerings of programming, trainings, events, and ways to come together to accomplish our mission in new and exciting ways.

Washington Council of Lawyers was founded in 1971, which makes this our 50th Anniversary year! To celebrate the occasion, we are holding a 50 Days for 50 Years Membership Drive, now through May 20.  It's the perfect time to join DC’s only public-interest bar association! Our membership is comprised of hundreds of attorneys and supporters from law firms, federal and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and law schools; we have one main thing in common — we care deeply about access to justice for our DC neighbors. If you do, too, we would appreciate your membership and welcome you officially into this wonderful community. As a member, you will enjoy: Member-only events Free or reduced rates at programs Networking opportunities Our Public Interest Jobs Clearinghouse emailed to you on the 1st and 15th of each month As an added bonus, when you join now, you will receive a two-year membership for the cost of one, effectively a 50% reduced rate! Act quickly! The 2-year offer for new members ends on May 19. Join today, and then plan to meet other members at Lawyers with a Fine Palate, a virtual wine-tasting event to welcome all of our members. It's the perfect way to celebrate your official membership! Join us today!

On Thursday, February 4, 2021, Washington Council of Lawyers hosted its annual Government Pro Bono Roundtable.  To meet the great need for pro bono lawyers in the District, our expert panel discussed ways to find pro bono projects, presented legal considerations to avoid conflicts of interest, and connected government lawyers with the vast network of support and mentorship available.

As we celebrate 50 years of working to ensure that our legal system treats everyone fairly, regardless of money, position, or power, we recognize and appreciate the leaders that moved us forward in the fight for access to justice for all. Without the stalwart leadership, unwavering commitment, and insightful guidance of our past board presidents, we would not be the organization we are today. Over the next months, we will highlight some of our past presidents and take a look at the state of the world during their tenure and the initiatives and priorities they oversaw that helped us grow. Our first highlighted past president is our most recent past president. David Steib was board president from 2018-2020, a tumultuous time for our country.

The Language Access Program of the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR) recently released its 2019 Compliance Review.  The report, found on the Office’s website, serves as a valuable resource to anyone interested in learning more about DC’s limited English proficient population, about the city government’s obligations under the DC Language Access Act of 2004 (the Act), and about the performance of city government agencies to meet those obligations. For public interest and pro bono lawyers, it is important to understand where agencies stand with regard to language access. If your housing client is limited English proficient, you may want to review the language access score for the DC Housing Authority (if your client is in public housing) or for the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (if your client needs a housing code inspection). This is just one example of the myriad ways that legal services clients interact with DC government agencies.