Dinner & Discussion with Councilmember Charles Allen
Our most recent Dinner & Discussion featured Councilmember Charles Allen. Mr. Allen and attendees discussed a range of legal topics directly affecting the District. Thank you to Cooley for hosting this event.
More Help for the Homeless in Anacostia
05 April 2019 Blog, East River of the River Profiles, Featured
On December 4, 2018, the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless (WLCH), a local organization looking to provide vital legal services for those who struggle with homelessness and poverty, opened its 7th intake site at the United Planning Organization (UPO) Anacostia Community Service Center.
Announcing a new member benefit!
We are pleased to announce a new member benefit! Washington Council of Lawyers has joined the American Bar Association’s Books for Bars Program. And don’t forget about all the other great member benefits.
Joining the District of Columbia Bench
26 March 2019 Blog, Featured | Tags: Judge
Earlier this month, we partnered with the Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association (GWAC) to discuss what it takes to join the District of Columbia Courts. We learned about the role of the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission (JNC) and got first hand experiences and advice on applying to become a judge in DC from those serving on the bench.
Government Pro Bono Roundtable 2019
Last week, we held our annual Government Pro Bono Roundtable. A panel of seasoned government lawyers discussed how and why they have made pro bono work a part of their legal careers. We’ve summarized the questions posed to and answers provided by our panelists: Jonathan Jacobson, Nicholas Kazmerski, Laura Klein, and Catalina Martinez, and Liz Symonds. The main point is that pro bono work is fun and rewarding for government lawyers, too.
“Mapping Eviction”: The Eviction Lab Highlights the Eviction Epidemic with Exhibit and Discussion at the National Building Museum
07 February 2019 Blog, East River of the River Profiles, Featured
On January 24, James Hendrickson and Lavar Edmonds, of the Eviction Lab, delivered a presentation on the organization’s work, which has established the first dataset and research tool focused on eviction rates in the United States. The talk was held at the National Building Museum, which currently features the “Evicted” exhibit, exploring the causes and impact of evictions through photographs and stories reflecting the affordable housing crisis, on display through May 19, 2019.
The Eviction Lab plans to create a national, centralized database with information they are still gathering, but encourages interested parties to utilize their available studies and research to increase awareness of the housing crisis. All of their data and related work is available for download, free of charge, on their website.
The Public-Interest Legacy of Judge Patricia Wald
30 January 2019 Blog, Featured
By Gregory M. Lipper
Public-interest lawyers can and did learn a lot from Judge Patricia Wald, who died at age 90 on January 12. Many knew her as a giant of the District’s bar and bench—an influential writer turned successful public-interest litigator turned pathbreaking federal judge turned international war-crimes jurist. Fewer, perhaps, know that she was one of the lawyers who founded our own organization, Washington Council of Lawyers, in the early 1970s. Through it all, she marched to the beat of her own drummer, retaining a zeal for helping vulnerable people, a refreshing sense of humility and candor, and a willingness to push hard—and tell people what they didn’t want to hear—on behalf of society’s most vulnerable.
Puns Contest!
23 January 2019 Blog, Featured
AND WE HAVE A WINNER!! Thank you to everyone who contributed such witty quips. The most clever are first place winner Steve Schulman, second place Nathaniel Maranwe, and third place Elaine Stamp.
Resources for Furloughed Government Employees
23 January 2019 Blog, Featured
With so many federal government employees struggling during the shutdown, we’ve collected links to and summaries of resources available to federal employees who are furloughed. From free food to free CLE programs, many groups are trying to support those affected by the shutdown.