Nominations Open for the 2025 Justice Impact Awards!
03 September 2025 Blog, Featured
We are now accepting nominations for our Justice Impact Awards!
Annually, Washington Council of Lawyers is thrilled to celebrate us! – the hundreds of public-interest and pro bono professionals who dedicate time, expertise, finances, and compassion to helping their neighbors. Our Justice Impact Awards is a time for us to come together, recharge our collective batteries, celebrate our accomplishments, commiserate on our challenges, and be inspired. Read on to find out how to nominate a pro bono champion.
Welcome Our New Board Members for the 2025-2026 Board Year!
01 September 2025 Blog, Featured
We are thrilled to welcome these dedicated, knowledgeable, and compassionate advocates to our Board of Directors! Read on to learn more.
Know Your Rights Resources & Events
These resources are designed to assist various audiences including: general public, educators, employers, etc. The list of resources is provided in multiple languages.
2025 Summer Forum Preview: Criminal Law & Death Penalty
The criminal legal system remains at the forefront of national discourse, especially concerning the pervasive issues of abusive policing, mass incarceration, and the death penalty. These systemic problems not only undermine individual liberties but also perpetuate cycles of injustice and inequality within our communities. Addressing these challenges requires a deep examination of current practices and the implementation of transformative reforms to protect fundamental human rights and ensure equitable justice for all. Learn more about these important topics at our 2025 Summer Forum Panel on Criminal Law & Death Penalty Panel on Thursday, July 10. Register here to join us!
2025 Summer Forum Preview: Poverty Law Panel
The legal hurdles faced by individuals living in poverty are vast. They often face uphill battles with issues impacting the most fundamental human needs: family stability, safe housing, food security, fair employment, and freedom from fear and violence. Representation is vital in these areas, and the need is overwhelming. These areas of law often have the highest rate of pro se litigants; when pro bono or public-interest lawyers get involved, these cases also produce some of the most life-changing outcomes for the parties involved. Pro bono lawyers who take on these cases literally can be life-savers.
Summer Forum 2025: Keynote Preview
We are excited to welcome Jamie Raskin, Representative of Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, as the keynote speaker for the 2025 Summer Forum. Rep. Raskin has embarked on a life of national public service centering the progress of all people. His advocacy efforts have prioritized promoting constitutional understanding and strong democratic values in the American legal and political system.
Join Our Board!
Washington Council of Lawyers is powered by our (all-volunteer) Board of Directors. Our working board plans and executes a range of advocacy efforts, education and training programs, social and fundraising events, and communication initiatives. We’d love for you to join us! We’re now accepting applications to join our board. Please submit your application by 5:00 pm on Monday, June 2, 2025.
2025 D.C. Bar Candidate Endorsements
The leadership of the D.C. Bar sets the priorities for the largest unified bar association in the country. The D.C. Bar President, Treasurer, and Board of Governors review and approve D.C. Bar policies, approve the annual budget for the Bar and the Bar Pro Bono Center, decide which committee and task force recommendations to pursue, set governance for the Bar, and much more. Washington Council of Lawyers believes effective Bar leadership will have experience in service to the legal community, have leadership experience with the D.C. Bar, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, or voluntary bars and be able to provide strategic guidance to contribute to the Bar’s future.
Washington Council of Lawyers Stands Against Attacks on the Rule of Law
As the pro bono and public-interest bar association of Washington, DC, the Washington Council of Lawyers’ core tenet is that the legal system should treat everyone fairly regardless of money, position, or power. We continue to fight against the challenges to this core principle from the administration, elected officials, and other actors.