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DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Sam Sergent

Since 2015, Legal Aid’s Reentry Justice Project has been helping clients who face barriers in accessing housing, employment, and other opportunities due to a criminal record. Individuals who have interacted with police and the criminal legal system — disproportionately people of color and people who live in areas of concentrated poverty — find themselves facing a multitude of collateral civil consequences that act in real and concrete ways to perpetuate generational cycles of poverty. The Project seeks to eliminate those barriers through direct representation and systemic advocacy.

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Ken Knight and David Horniak

DC Affordable Law Firm – DCALF, as we are more commonly known – delivers accessible justice to modest-income DC residents who do not qualify for traditional sources of free civil legal services and cannot afford standard representation, empowering community members with unmet legal needs while also launching the careers of public interest lawyers committed to accessible justice.
Graphic: DC Pro Bono Week 2023 With Dates

We the Action Summit 2023

We The Action is excited to host their first Summit for lawyers who want to make a difference! Plan to join them at the Eaton Hotel in Washington, DC, for a day of interactive sessions with your fellow pro bono lawyers from across the country, inspiring fireside chats from legal leaders, live pro bono opportunities, and panels about the most pressing issues facing the nation. They are so excited to bring this community together in person for the first time in October. Check out more about their event below! Three Impactful, In-Person Pro Bono Opportunities! We’re excited to announce that the We The Action Summit will feature three opportunities to collaborate with your peers and make a difference: Volunteer with the Nobel Prize-nominated Florida Rights Restoration Coalition to help people with previous felony convictions restore their right to vote Help the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights assess barriers to voting and the effects of voting rights laws to ensure everyone can cast their ballot in November and beyond Support VECINA as they provide hands on assistance to immigrants seeking protection in the United States Join Us for a Democracy & Voting Rights Panel! The We The Action Summit 2023 will feature a timely panel with leading voting rights organizations! Learn more about the ongoing fight for voting rights, the state of current voting rights litigation, and how lawyers can help defend the right to vote. The panel will feature representatives from: Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Black Voters Matter Hear from Leading Voices in Reproductive Justice! We’ve heard from lawyers like you that you’re concerned about the ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom nationwide. That’s why we’re excited to announce that the We The Action Summit will feature a panel from organizations on the front lines of the fight for reproductive justice about how lawyers can make a difference! The panel will feature representatives from: If/When/How Baltimore Abortion Fund Partners in Abortion Care

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Shirin Zamani

Shirin Zamani has been a staff attorney with Hogan Lovells for more than 8 years and was promoted to Staff Attorney Manager in 2022. She has been a longtime advocate of non-partner track attorneys receiving billable credit for pro bono work. As one of the firm’s Pro Bono Champions, she shares weekly opportunities with her colleagues to get them plugged into pro bono matters that interest them, from disability rights to domestic violence and everything in between.

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Latham & Watkins Pro Bono Team

The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is thrilled to celebrate the achievement of the DC-based, Latham & Watkins pro bono team comprised of associate Michael Clemente and partners Adam Greenfield and Eugene Elrod. The Latham team secured a systemic victory for veterans in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on behalf of Vietnam War combat veteran Robert Doyon. The Federal Circuit adopted a broad rule that will significantly help veterans seeking medical retirements related to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Federal Circuit held that every Board for Correction of Military Records decision must apply liberal consideration to applications, like Mr. Doyon’s, that seek a medical retirement for PTSD.

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Megan Daily

An associate at ArentFox Schiff LLP, Megan Daily’s practice concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, entity formation and structuring, commercial contract drafting, and general corporate law. Her everyday clients tend to be large, sophisticated entities with the ability to afford expert legal counsel. The transactional experience advising these sizeable clients allows her to provide valuable pro bono support to DC’s newest, smallest nonprofits and small businesses who otherwise could not afford to pay hundreds of dollars an hour for legal help.

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Alfredo Vasquez

“My law school clinical and internship experiences taught me that simply having a lawyer advocating for their interests can make a life-changing difference in outcomes for clients,” Alfredo Vasquez says. Find out more about how his work with DC Refers is his way of working to improve the legal system and the lives of our moderate-income neighbors.

Building Up In-House Pro Bono Partnerships and Opportunities

Hosted by the Pro Bono Institute In-house pro bono continues to thrive and mature. Come learn how legal departments engage in pro bono, often in partnership with legal services organizations and law firms. You’ll hear perspectives from pro bono leaders at corporate legal departments, as well as pro bono leaders at law firms and legal services organizations that partner with legal departments. The panel will be moderated by: Nihad Mansour, Assistant Director, Law Firm Project, Pro Bono Institute Alyssa Saunders, Director, Corporate Pro Bono, Pro Bono Institute The panelists will include: Irfana Anwer, Managing Pro Bono Attorney, Ayuda Kelsey Bynum, Executive Administrative Coordinator, Pepco Holdings Lisa Dewey, Pro Bono Partner, DLA Piper LLP Autumn M. Hunter, Associate General Counsel & Managing Director, Bank of America Lisa B. Luftig, Assistant General Counsel, Exelon Business Service Company Jason Z. Qu, Sr. Managing Attorney for Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Join the conversation at #DCPBW23!

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Patrick Fuller

Nonprofits serve a critical role in our communities. They provide programming that lifts up underserved and vulnerable populations and empower individuals to take action to help their communities. In doing so, nonprofits regularly navigate tricky legal issues, and pro bono assistance can be essential. Patrick Fuller, Counsel at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, understands the challenges that nonprofits face. Over the course of his career, Patrick has dedicated his pro bono practice to strengthening the capacity and compliance of nonprofits primarily working in DC, advising on a range of structuring transactions and corporate governance matters.

DC Pro Bono Week Profiles: Helping Unrepresented Litigants Navigate Family Court

Over 85% of parties in child custody, divorce, and child support cases in D.C. Superior Court lack representation. The Family Court Self-Help Center, on site at the Moultrie Courthouse, is a free resource for unrepresented litigants who must navigate a complex legal system designed for lawyers. The Self-Help Center provides customers with information about family law, helps prepare pleadings, instructs litigants how to file and serve documents, clarifies court processes, and offers referrals to community resources.

Algorithmic Justice Part 2: Legal Tools and Strategies to Navigating Automated Decision Making

Join us for our hot topics panel, Algorithmic Justice Part 2: Legal Tools and Strategies to Navigating Automated Decision Making . This panel is a continuation of a conversation that began as a part of our Racial Justice Series. The first part discussed how algorithms appear in the law and ways they have and may continue having a negative impact on the lives of those they affect. Part two will dive further into the tools and strategies that exist in the law and ways we may improve what's available to lawyers through legislation and advocacy. This panel consists of litigators, legislators, and analysts who have their finger on the pulse of this issue. Our panel is moderated by Bardia Bastin and Sébastien Monzón Rueda and includes: Grant Fergusson (EPIC), Kevin de Liban (Arkansas Legal Aid), Samantha Gerleman (AARP Foundation), and a representative from D.C.'s OAG's Office. Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Graphic: DC Superior Court Open House

D.C. Superior Court Open House

Have you ever been to D.C. Superior Court?  Have you met a Superior Court Judge? Do you want to help DC residents of limited means in cases involving eviction, domestic violence or domestic relations? Join us for a D.C. Superior Court Open House where representatives from legal services organizations and experienced pro bono counsel will introduce you to one of the Court’s high-volume branches. You’ll observe court proceedings, speak with Superior Court Judges, and learn how you can help expand access to justice and improve the everyday lives of individuals and families in our community. You can choose to visit the Domestic Relations Branch, the Domestic Violence Division, or the Landlord and Tenant Branch. Please note this event involves a moderate amount of standing and walking inside and outside.  If attendees have any accommodation needs or questions, please contact Jodi Feldman at Jodi.Feldman@DCCSystem.gov. Spread the word and invite a friend. We look forward to welcoming you!

Pro Bono Goes Green: Finding Pro Bono Work that Helps the Environment

This year has seen everything from haze to hurricanes. Like us, you may want to know how to use your legal expertise to make a positive impact on climate change and environmental justice efforts. Our panel of experts will discuss how you can make a difference for the environment through litigation, advocacy, hands-on non-legal volunteer opportunities, and more! You will leave with tangible ideas and practical ways you can get involved! Our panel will be moderated by Fiona Herzig, Juris Doctor Candidate, Pace University and our speakers includes: Lawrence Pittman - Assistant Regional Counsel - EPA Region 6 Kristine Perry, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Institute Samuel Krauss, Litigation Fellow, Animal Legal Defense Fund Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) DC Office Introduction and Open House

Please visit KIND’s DC Field Office at 1411 K Street NW, Suite 200, Washington DC 20005 for an open house and introduction to KIND’s work and pro bono opportunities representing unaccompanied immigrant children! Learn more about the U.S. immigration system, getting advocacy experience, and providing valuable pro bono legal representation for a vulnerable child facing deportation. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so please register if you plan to attend!

Paths to Special Immigration Juvenile Status (SIJS) Relief in DC

Join KIND's DC Field Office for a webinar for a discussion regarding two primary paths to SIJS through the DC Superior Court. We will provide a brief overview of SIJS, review parental and third-party custody proceedings, and discuss the new DC Vulnerable Youth Guardianship (VYG) Protection Act. We will provide practice guidance on preparing pleadings,  filing in the Family Court of the DC Superior Court, and considerations for working with unaccompanied youth and their families. Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Going Public, Staying Public

Pursuing a career in public interest allows advocates to support their community through direct, meaningful work. Now that student loan payments are starting again, how can those public interest attorneys continue doing incredible work while enjoying their life and paying back their loans? This is what we will discuss at Going Public, Staying Public, a candid conversation on navigating law school loans on a public interest salary. Our discussion will be moderated by Jennifer Tshirch (Georgetown Law) and our panel of experts includes: Stephanie Johnson, Director of Externships and Public Interest Programming, Howard University Aoife Delargy Lowe, Vice President of Law School Engagement and Advocacy, Equal Justice Works Deborah Cuevas Hill,  Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid DC Marissa LaVette, Assistant Staff Counsel, Center for Pro Bono, American Bar Association Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

It Takes A Village: Highlighting the Value of Pro Bono Representation in Family Law

Hosted by Children’s Law Center, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, Mother’s Outreach Network, and Rising for Justice. Please join us for a lively panel discussion on the need for pro bono representation in cases impacting families. This panel will discuss challenges individuals face in securing representation and dispel myths about who our clients are. Panelists will share their experiences representing parents, third-party caregivers, and the best interests of children. We’ll also be joined by D.C. Superior Court Judge Wellner who will share his view from the bench. Come learn why access to justice in family law means everyone has a lawyer. Attendees will receive information about how they can get involved, ranging from limited scope to extended representation. Registrants will receive a Zoom link in advance of the event. Our discussion will be moderated by Jen Masi (Children’s Law Center) and participants will hear from the below panelists: Amanda Henderson (Rising for Justice) Jenadee Nanini (D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center) Melody Webb (Mother’s Outreach Network) The Honorable Steven Wellner (D.C. Superior Court) Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

D.C. Superior Court Open House

Have you ever been to D.C. Superior Court?  Have you met a Superior Court Judge?  Do you want to help DC residents of limited means in cases involving eviction, domestic violence, domestic relations, debt collection, or housing conditions. Join us for a D.C. Superior Court Open House where representatives from legal services organizations and experienced pro bono counsel will introduce you to one of the Court’s high-volume branches. You’ll observe court proceedings, speak with Superior Court Judges, and learn how you can help expand access to justice and improve the everyday lives of individuals and families in our community. On October 24, you can choose  to visit the Domestic Relations Branch, the Domestic Violence Division, the Landlord and Tenant Branch, the Housing Conditions Calendar, or the Debt Collection Calendar. On November 2, you can choose to visit the Domestic Relations Branch, the Domestic Violence Division, or the Landlord and Tenant Branch. Want to visit two different courts? Join us for both days! Please note this event involves a moderate amount of standing and walking inside and outside.  If attendees have any accommodation needs or questions, please contact Jodi Feldman at Jodi.Feldman@DCCSystem.gov. We look forward to welcoming you! Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

DC Pro Bono Week Expungement Clinic

Please join us for an in-person limited scope expungement clinic to help low-income DC residents seal their criminal records on October 25th from 9am -12pm at Fried Frank. Having a criminal record can negatively impact a person's ability to gain employment, pursue education opportunities, and their overall mental health. Sealing eligible records can help people pursue a much needed fresh start. Volunteers will work with clients from Christian Legal Aid of DC (CLADC) to gather relevant background information to be included in their motions to seal. We will provide training the morning of the clinic and will have CLADC staff available to answer any questions throughout the day. We welcome lawyers, paralegals, and law students to join us. All business professionals will be paired with a licensed lawyer. There is limited space available. We look forward to seeing you there! Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.  

NVLSP Veterans Discharge Upgrade File Review Project Presentation

The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) will present a one hour training on discharge upgrades and NVLSP’s limited scope discharge upgrade file review project. This limited scope pro bono opportunity enables volunteers to review and screen the files of veterans who have applied to NVLSP for pro bono assistance with a discharge upgrade. NVLSP’s Lawyers Serving Warriors® discharge upgrade program assists veterans in applying to upgrade their characterization of service, for example from “Other Than Honorable” (OTH) to a more favorable characterization such as “Honorable” or “General (Under Honorable Conditions)”. A discharge upgrade may help veterans receive VA benefits and health care, improve employment opportunities, and restore reputation and self-esteem. Many veterans served through this project have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), or other mental health conditions that are related to military service. Many veterans served through this program are survivors of Military Sexual Trauma. NVLSP screens every applicant to its discharge upgrade program before referring the matter to a pro bono partner for full representation. The file review project tasks volunteers with conducting a preliminary screen by reviewing and analyzing the files of clients who have applied for a discharge upgrade so that NVLSP screening attorneys are able to review the files more quickly. This project is primarily administrative in nature and can be completed by attorneys or non-attorneys alike. Pro bono volunteers create a Word table or Excel spreadsheet cataloging the client files and return the file review work product to NVLSP within about one month of acceptance of the matter. The project is remote and can be completed anywhere. Pro bono volunteers will agree to abide by the NVLSP confidentiality agreement. The estimated time commitment is 10-15 hours per project, and volunteers may work in teams. NVLSP’s DC pro bono week presentation is open to all. However, government attorneys may not accept NVLSP discharge upgrade file review matters and NVLSP discharge upgrade file review pro bono opportunities are limited. Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Meeting Our Clients Where They Are: Serving Families East of the Anacostia River

Hosted by Children's Law Center at the Children's Health Center - Anacostia This event will provide participants with an opportunity to meet and engage in our client community.  CLC staff will discuss their legal services work east of the Anacostia River and the importance of pro bono in serving D.C. neighbors.  Participants will hear about CLC’s medical-legal partnership, how lawyers can address non-medical barriers to health, the benefits of co-locating legal services with non-lawyer professionals, and how you can get involved.  Space is limited. Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Justice for All: Bridging the Gap Between Pro Bono & Low Bono Services

Join us on Friday, October 27, from 12:00-1:30 pm via Zoom to learn more about the broad landscape of legal services in the District of Columbia. Pro bono and public interest lawyers need to know where they can refer clients who earn too much to qualify to receive free legal services, and low bono lawyers need to know about resources that can help clients of all income levels. This fast-paced introduction to the work of several District legal services providers will put the facts you need to know at your fingertips! Don't miss this jam-packed hour of useful information! Spread the word and join the conversation on social media using #DCPBW23.

Graphic: Liam Montgomery Headshot

DC Pro Bono Week 2022 Profile: Passionate Advocacy for Survivors

Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) is proud to celebrate the dedication and commitment of our Board Chair, Liam Montgomery. Liam, an eleven-year veteran of United States Naval Aviation and a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP, has been a passionate advocate for survivors of crime, veterans, and numerous other pro bono causes. His leadership in pro bono work is an inspiration to others at his firm and throughout our DC community.
Photo: Group Of Georgetown University Law Center Students

DC Pro Bono Week 2022 Profile: Law Students Can Do Pro Bono Too!

Following the end of D.C.’s eviction moratorium, many residents were worried about falling behind on their rent and the looming threat of losing their homes. When the DC Office of the Attorney General planned pop-up clinics to help residents access emergency federal funding for housing and utility expenses, dozens of Georgetown students – including a Black Law Students Association contingent that made this a group pro bono project – joined the efforts.
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