WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby joined the DC Court of Appeals in 2006 and has served as chief judge since 2017. Prior to her tenure at the DC Court of Appeals, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby served on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for more than ten years as an associate judge and magistrate judge. During her distinguished career, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby has been honored for her legal, judicial, and community service. Moreover, she has led the Courts’ access to justice and racial equity work, steadfastly supported pro bono volunteers, and spearheaded innovative improvements to court operations. Further, Chief Judge Blackburne-Rigsby has been instrumental in the creation of the Court’s Access to Justice Unit. As the public-interest bar association of the District of Columbia, we are delighted to highlight this aspect of her work with the 2024 Justice Impact Awards Presidents Award.

Brilliant, dedicated, collaborator, mentor, leader. These are the words most used to describe Nancy Lopez, retired Executive Director of Washington Council of Lawyers. In her tenure, Nancy formed and shaped Washington Council of Lawyers into what we are today. Her insight, wisdom, experience, flexibility, and skill are just some of the reasons we are thrilled to recognize her with our Justice Impact Awards Legacy Award. Rarely given (it's only been awarded twice before), it is reserved for those individuals who don't just go above and beyond, but make a substantial and exemplar impact on access to justice in DC and pro bono and public interest in our community. Nancy was a stalwart leader of Washington Council of Lawyers with a passion for our mission and an unwavering commitment to access to justice work. We were fortunate to have her hand at the helm through unprecedented growth and once-in-a-lifetime challenges. She continues to support our work as a volunteer, and her vision lives on in the work we do every day. Join us in celebrating Nancy Lopez as our Legacy Award recipient.

Christine Ennis is a trial attorney in the Environmental and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) who has demonstrated a laudable commitment to performing and empowering others to engage in pro bono service. From the major efforts and achievements to the smaller tasks that ensure she and her colleagues can continue to provide innovative pro bono service to her neighbors, Christine has made a tremendous positive impact on her community. For these and many more reasons, we're excited to celebrate Christine Ennis as the 2024 Justice Impact Award Government recipient.

Amy Nelson, Director of Legal Services for Whitman-Walker Health, has spent her career working for justice and improving the lives of low-income people and those impacted by structural barriers. Amy deeply cares about people – her clients, her team, all relationships. She leads with humanity and enthusiasm.  She centers everyone’s unique needs and feelings as she works to lead, support her team, reduce structural barriers, and improve access by truly seeing the person. Colleagues use words like kind, brilliant, and persistent. Amy is a deeply respected leader in our community who always seeks ways to increase access to justice for marginalized individuals. She is a mentor, supporter, collaborator and innovator. Most importantly she is tireless in pursuing justice for her clients and building networks to multiply her impact. For these reasons and more, we are pleased to honor Amy Nelson with the 2024 Justice Impact Awards Legal Services award.

Kathi has worked tirelessly to expand opportunities in the legal profession to all, through her active leadership of the Chapter’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and many other initiatives. Kathi is a visionary leader who has shown a remarkable commitment to justice in our legal community. She is a force multiplier, not only providing legal services directly to clients, but encouraging and inspiring others to do so as well. We are thrilled to recognize Kathi Wescott with our 2024 Justice Impact Awards Corporate Legal Department award.

Jessica Hough, Skadden partner and global head of the firm's regulatory practices, is a champion of pro bono work at Skadden, in the DC community, and beyond — leading by example and continually ensuring that pro bono is an integral part of the DC office’s culture. We are thrilled to recognize Jessica Hough as the 2024 Justice Impact Award Law Firm recipient for her unwavering dedication and as a shining example of the vital role volunteers need to play in non-litigation pro bono.

On Wednesday, October 30 we convened for Best Practices in Pro Bono: Pro Bono Partnerships: Strengthening and Innovating Collaboration. Get the recap inside!

Join us in welcoming Laurie Ball Cooper, Bryan Concepcion, Danielle Rowan, Stephanie Troyer! We are thrilled to have these incredible leaders join our Board. You can meet our new board members at the 2024 Fall Kickoff on September 25 at 6:00 pm at Goodwin Procter.

It's time to start preparing for DC Pro Bono Week 2024 by planning our programs and profiles! Each year, we publish pro bono profiles in the weeks leading up to Pro Bono Week. We are also preparing events for the annual National Celebration of Pro Bono takes place from October 20th to 26th, 2024!

On July 17th, we hosted a follow-up panel to our previous session on Best Practices in Pro Bono. The last event sparked many questions about leveraging AI to enhance access to justice and the considerations for its responsible use. How can we ensure equity and quality service delivery to clients? This follow-up expert panel delved into these questions and more, providing valuable insights into the ever-changing field of AI.

On Tuesday, July 16, we gathered virtually for Managing Student Debt. Aoife Delargy Lowe, the Vice President of Law School Engagement & Advocacy at Equal Justice Works. We discussed the many resources and opportunities for repayment support and loan forgiveness available to current borrowers. Our conversation highlighted the below resources, review these resources for how you can become more confident about repaying your student loans.

On July 8th, we welcomed a panel of distinguished journalists who have covered the Supreme Court for decades: John Fritze (CNN), Amy Howe (Howe on the Court and contributor to SCOTUSblog), David Savage (Los Angeles Times), Mark Sherman (Associated Press), and Abbie VanSickle (New York Times). Art Spitzer, Senior Counsel for the ACLU-DC, moderated the event. The conversation unveiled the Court both as an institution and a collection of individuals and how journalists cover the Court, particularly highlighting the 2023-24 term. 

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Council for Court Excellence (CCE) organized a candidate forum for the judges, Hon. Marisa Demeo and Hon. Milton Lee, Jr., who are running for the position of chief judge. The Independent D.C. The Judicial Nomination Commission will ultimately designate the chief judge from among the two applicants. The forum provided an excellent opportunity for members of the bar and the broader community to understand the visions and priorities the Chief Judge candidates have for the Superior Court. This understanding helped inform public comment submissions to the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission. The candidate forum was moderated by Karen Evans of The Cochran Firm and a member of the Council for Court Excellence Executive Committee. 

The 2024 summer forum began on June 20th with keynote speaker Fatima Goss Graves. Fatima is president and CEO of the National Women's Law Center (NWLC), president of the NWLC action fund, and co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund. She has dedicated her life’s work to issues regarding income security and COVID relief, equal pay, ending sexual harassment and violence, health and reproductive rights, education rights, and workplace justice with a particular focus on outcomes for women and girls of color. Fatima is a nationally recognized leader in the fight for gender justice and is truly an expert in law, policy, and culture change.  

Our country has long been a place where different cultures, beliefs, and nationalities come together thanks in large part to centuries of immigrants coming to the United States hoping to make a better life for themselves and their families. That dream of a better life still rings true in the hearts of those seeking to immigrate here today. However, for those new to the United States, navigating a foreign legal system can be a treacherous undertaking. That’s where immigration lawyers become essential. This panel will give you insight into what the field of immigration law looks like today and opportunities in which you can provide assistance. Learn more about the wide-ranging legal issues immigrants face and what pro bono opportunities are available in D.C. and across the country to help address these needs at our 2024 Summer Forum Panel on Immigration and Human Rights Panel on Thursday, June 27 from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm ET. 

Join us for an insightful panel event focusing on civil rights and civil liberties through the lens of public interest law and pro bono service. This event brings together distinguished legal experts and dedicated advocates who will share their experiences and perspectives on safeguarding fundamental freedoms and promoting social justice. Discover how pro bono efforts are making a significant impact in the fight for equality and learn about the ongoing challenges and opportunities in the realm of civil rights advocacy.  Don't miss this opportunity to engage with leaders in the field and deepen your understanding of these critical issues. The Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Panel is on Thursday, June 27 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm ET. Register here to join the virtual conversation. 

We are currently seeking mentors for the 2023-2024 Mentoring Program! If you have 5 or more years of legal experience and would like to share your experience with a newer lawyer, read on!