WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

In recent years, the complexities of immigration advocacy have dominated headlines and galvanized the legal field.  Representing unaccompanied children is a uniquely difficult task due to fear within the immigrant community, mistrust of legal and immigration systems, and challenges like family separation and increased barriers to relief.  Children come to the United States fleeing horrific violence, severe abuse, deep poverty, gangs and other unimaginable harm. As the number of unaccompanied minors entering the United States rises, so does the need for quality representation of these children in their immigration cases. Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) recruits child-friendly pro bono attorneys to take on this important casework and KIND’s Washington, D.C. office was fortunate to find Bezalel Stern, Special Counsel at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP.

Maryam Casbarro immigrated to the United States from Ghana with her parents when she was a young girl.  She recalls how after her family settled in the Bronx, NY, her parents "regularly engaged in community service and were active in their local African immigrant community."  In particular, Maryam recounts how her parents invited several newly immigrated women who were facing domestic violence in their own homes to stay with her family. "Overhearing the discussions between my mother and these women, I was moved by their experiences," Maryam said.  "Immigrant survivors can feel even more vulnerable being in a new country and often are unaware of the resources available to them.  It didn’t matter how well educated or highly regarded these women may have been in their home countries.  When experiencing domestic violence, they needed help." Maryam's early exposure to the impact of domestic violence has had a profound impact on her and has guided her pro bono practice as she has forged her professional career.

Washington Council of Lawyers and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Task Force are collaborating to bring a new initiative to family law practitioners in D.C. this September. The Family Law Career Development Program is a 12-month intensive mentoring program for newer family law practitioners. It's also a way for family law attorneys to give back to their community by providing critical pro bono representation to D.C. families unable to afford a lawyer.

We are thrilled to welcome eight new board members to our Board of Directors. Read more about these exceptional individuals here.

We had a busy summer here at the Washington Council of Lawyers. In addition to some amazing events, we launched our very first virtual #BookClubFriday series. Members sent in suggestions for books they were reading or wanted to read this summer, and in some cases, fun facts about themselves. If you missed these posts, do not fret, we have recapped all of them here, and suggested some other great book lists from which to select your next literary adventure. Thank you to all who participated, and we’ll pick this list back up next summer.

While the summer isn't technically over, we do say good-bye to our summer intern Lydia Kotowski this week. She has been a wonderful addition to our team and has brought a new perspective to our work. We are exceedingly grateful for all the ways Lydia has helped move our mission forward this summer. Thank you, Lydia!

Washington Council of Lawyers was honored to host A Conversation with Justice Elena Kagan and Dean William Treanor of Georgetown University Law Center on Thursday, July 18, 2019.  The conversation began with a discussion about the career of the late Justice John Paul Stevens, whose seat Justice Kagan filled after Justice Stevens retired. Justice Kagan praised Justice Stevens both in his role as a Supreme Court Justice and as an extraordinarily kind man and mentor.  Speaking to an audience largely comprised of law school students, public-interest lawyers, and pro bono advocates, Justice Kagan commented on Justice Steven’s commitment to continued learning on the job and his fierce independence.

Check out photos from the 2019 Summer Forum.

Pro bono work does not always involve litigation; in fact, among the most important contributions pro bono attorneys can make is to help individuals and organizations avoid the need to resort to judicial processes. Find out how at this panel. #SumFo19

Introduced by Council member Elissa Silverman, the Wage Garnishment Fairness Amendment Act of 2018 protects from garnishment weekly wages up to 40 times the District’s minimum wage (currently $13.25 per hour, and rising in July to $14 per hour). The law’s effective date is April 11, 2019, and its protections will likely begin to apply on October 1, when the District’s new fiscal year begins.

Over the past few years, immigration has become one of the hottest pro bono and public-interest fields. At our 2019 Summer Forum, the Immigration and Human Rights panel will discuss the ways that immigrant-rights organizations are working to protect the rights of immigrants and promote access to justice both in the District and around the country. #SumFo19

Being an attorney in the District gives you a myriad of opportunities to work on civil rights and civil liberties issues. DC or federal work, litigation or policy, career or pro bono. Come to the Summer Pro Bono & Public-Interest Forum’s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties panel to learn how to defend these liberties. #SumFo19

During this summer’s annual Summer Pro Bono and Public Interest Forum, the Criminal Law and Death Penalty panel will introduce public-interest careers and pro bono opportunities in this often gut-wrenching field of law, as well as in criminal defense more broadly. #SumFo19

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.

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.

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.