Photo: David Young

Pro Bono Week Profile: David Young (Ropes & Gray)

By Jodi Feldman and Neesa Sethi Earlier this year, David Young, an antitrust associate at Ropes & Gray, received the Klepper Prize for Volunteer Excellence from the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia. Over the past six years, David has been one of Legal Aid’s most active pro bono volunteers: He's regularly taken on Social Security Disability Insurance/Supplement Security Income (SSDI/SSI) cases and other public benefits matters referred from Legal Aid and other legal-services organizations. (more…)
Photo: Ahuva Battams

Pro Bono Week Profile: Katie Towt & Ahuva Battams (Federal Govt)

By Vanessa Batters-Thompson Katie Towt and Ahuva Battams do not hide from challenges. In April, they made an extraordinary commitment to representing a pro bono client, Ms. E, in her custody case—with only one month to prepare for a trial scheduled to take place over three days.  Ms. E had tried for several months to find counsel, and she struggled to understand court procedures and rules while her children’s father—who sought sole custody of the parties' young children—was represented by an experienced (and well-paid) lawyer. The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Advocacy & Justice Clinic recognized that Ms. E was at a tremendous disadvantage and tried to find a lawyer for Ms. E, despite the tight timeline. Fortunately, Katie and Ahuva understood Ms. E’s predicament and got to work right away. “For me, it is the duty of every attorney to help represent people in need," said Ahuva. "I am never too busy to help. I go home to a safe environment with a family who loves me, and I want to give others that safe environment, too.” (more…)
Graphic: DC Pro Bono Week 2017

DC Pro Bono Week 2017: Entertaining an Idea

By Megan Jeffery We all, at times, get disenchanted by the daily grind. Sometimes it's nice to break up the monotony by exploring something new—perhaps sparing an hour or two to investigate something new could inspire you or someone else. With DC Pro Bono Week 2017, Washington Council of Lawyers is offering an opportunity to explore other aspects of the law, in a way that is concise and manageable. Events include: trainings, a happy hour, tours of pro bono sites, a cocktail hour, legal clinics, a luncheon, and a panel. Subject areas include: landlord-tenant, domestic violence, probate, small business, family law, veterans law, children’s law, expungements, and immigration. There is something for everyone. (more…)
Graphic: DC Pro Bono Week 2017

DC Pro Bono Week: Coming October 2017

We're just over two months away from D.C. Pro Bono Week 2017, which runs from October 22–28. Although we're still finalizing the schedule of events, here's a taste of some of the events we're planning (more…)
Panel Photo

Pro Bono Week Recap: Serving on Nonprofit Boards

By Erin Mee Serving on nonprofit boards can help expand access to justice and give back to the community, while at the same time providing board members an opportunity to expand their networks and build meaningful skills. So explained the speakers at Washington Council of Lawyers's DC Pro Bono Week panel discussing service on nonprofit boards. (more…)
Photo: Landlord-Tenant Court Visit

Pro Bono Week Recap: Landlord-Tenant Branch Site Visit

A dozen lawyers and law students gathered at Judiciary Square on Tuesday morning, October 25 for The Housing Crisis from the Inside: A Guided Tour of D.C. Superior Court’s Landlord and Tenant Branch. This Pro Bono Week event was co-sponsored by Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia and Neighborhood Legal Services Program; the tour, led by Legal Aid's Beth Mellen Harrison, sought to educate participants about the lack of safe, affordable housing in the District and the experience of low-income tenants forced to defend themselves in eviction cases in a fast-paced, high-volume court. (more…)
Photo: Jerry Richman

Pro Bono Week Profile: Gerald Richman

By Children's Law Center When you ask Gerald Richman why he volunteers as a pro bono lawyer for Children’s Law Center, he is quick to talk about vulnerable children who need someone in their corner. “A lot of these families are walking on a tightrope,” he says. “But when you take a case, you can see immediate benefits for someone who needs help, who doesn’t have a lot of advantages in life.” (more…)
Photo: Katrina Rouse

Pro Bono Week Profile: Katrina Rouse

By Lise Adams For Katrina Rouse, public service transcends her day job. Despite her challenging career as a trial lawyer with DOJ's Antitrust Division, Katrina regularly makes time to volunteer with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, working with the Center's Advocacy & Justice Clinic to provide extended representation for low-income clients. This volunteer service is central to Katrina’s professional life: “I have a goal of taking on at least one case per year. If that case gets dismissed quickly, I take another. It is my personal commitment to being a good resident of the city.” Katrina first became aware of the Pro Bono Center when she started working at the Antitrust Division. Her orientation packet included a flier about pro bono opportunities for federal government lawyers. Katrina immediately contacted Laura Klein, manager of the Federal Government Pro Bono Program, and Laura encouraged Katrina to take a Pro Bono Center case. (continued…)
Photo: Ashworth & Kramer

Pro Bono Week Profile: Will Ashworth & Shauna Kramer

By Michael Lukens It takes a special and dedicated pro bono team to fight for a noncitizen facing deportation and exile from his family. Cases like these often combine immigration law and criminal issues and require lawyers willing and able to articulate why their client, despite past mistakes, deserves to stay in the United States. This year, Williams & Connolly's Will Ashworth and Shauna Kramer successfully made that case—and did so with poise, strength, and compassion. (more…)
Photo: Joe Patry

Pro Bono Week Profile: Joseph Patry

By Jodi Feldman Just a few weeks ago, the Legal Aid Society recognized Joseph J. Patry, an associate at Blank Rome, with the first Making Justice Real Pro Bono Award. The award came at a special celebration recognizing Legal Aid’s Generous Associates Campaign and pro bono volunteers. (more…)
Photo: Angela Buckner

Pro Bono Week Profile: Angela Buckner

By Amy Nelson “Public service is a privilege,” says Angela Buckner, a volunteer lawyer at Whitman-Walker’s Name and Gender Change Clinic. Angela has sought out public service throughout her career, and is one of the clinic's many proud volunteers. (more…)
Medical-Legal Clinic Mural

2015 Pro Bono Week Recap: Medical-Legal Clinic

Advocates got an inside look into Children's Law Center's medical-legal partnership with Unity Health Care on Oct. 29, as part of a DC Pro Bono Week site visit. The partnership with Unity's Minnesota Avenue Center is the sixth medical-legal partnership for Children's Law Center and the first for Unity.

2015 Pro Bono Week Recap: “Know Your Rights” Immigration Training

By Michael Lukens As part of this year’s DC Pro Bono Week, the Capital Area Immigrant’s Rights (CAIR) Coalition teamed up with area law firms to provide immigration-focused “Know Your Rights” presentations to students and families at three DC high schools. Lawyers from Baker Botts visited Theodore Roosevelt High School, lawyers from Covington & Burling visited Cardozo Education Campus, and lawyers from Sutherland Asbill & Brennen visited Bell Multicultural High School. At each school, students and their families received information about the rights, legal options, and potential pitfalls for noncitizens living in the United States. Topics included how immigration courts work, how to respond to police requests for identification, and how to avoid legal scams. Presentations were made in both English and Spanish. The attendees were delighted and full of questions—peppering some of the presenters long after the allotted time with questions about living as a noncitizen in Washington, DC. One young woman, intent on going to college, asked wonderful questions about how an immigrant could gain lawful status while also protecting her family. At another school, we learned that the process for going from a green card holder to citizen is not very well understood in the community—we were able to clarify the process and provide relief to some concerned attendees. The Know Your Rights presentations are a unique way for attorneys to get into the local community and provide a much-needed legal service without taking on a full pro bono case. Without these types of sessions, local communities often don't know where to find accurate immigration information. CAIR Coalition and Washington Council of Lawyers are grateful for the time and dedication of the attorneys and school officials involved.

OAH Group Photo

2015 Pro Bono Week Recap: Office of Administrative Hearings Tour

DC Pro Bono Week concluded on October 30 with a tour of the Office of Administrative Hearings. Although it operates under the radar, OAH makes decisions about cases that are important for scores of people in Washington, DC, many of them low-income. Cases affect schools, unemployment insurance, housing rentals, public safety, health, and benefits. As a result, adequate representation in OAH is essential to improving access to justice in DC.
Photo: Outside Courthouse

Pro Bono Week Recap: Tour of DC Superior Court’s Landlord and Tenant Branch

As part of DC Pro Bono Week, on October 27th a group of 10 attorneys, clerks, law students, and other members of the legal community met for a morning tour of the Landlord and Tenant Branchof DC Superior Court. The Housing Crisis from the Inside: A Guided Tour of DC Superior Court’s Landlord and Tenant Branch was led by Beth Mellen Harrison, Supervising Attorney of Legal Aid’s Housing Law Unit and Director of Legal Aid’s Landlord-Tenant Court-Based Legal Services Project.

Pro Bono Week Recap: Domestic Violence & Victims of Crime

The DC Pro Bono Week tour of DC Superior Court focused on domestic violence and resources for crime victims. The tour was led by Rachel Kohler of the Network of Victim Recovery of DC and Paige Allmendinger of DC SAFE. NVRDC and DC SAFE offer counseling, child protective service advocacy, litigation, and many other timely resources to ensure that victims have the resources they need to move forward.
Photo: Cheers For Justice

Pro Bono Week Recap: Cheers for Justice! A Pro Bono Week Happy Hour

As DC Pro Bono Week 2015 got underway, we convened on Monday, October 26 for Cheers for Justice! Representatives from various local bar associations were on hand to discuss their organizations and answer attendees’ questions about getting more involved in pro bono work. (Plus there was food, drinks, music, and great conversation!)
Photo: Advocacy Panel

Pro Bono Week Recap: Advancing Social Justice Through Pro Bono and Advocacy Work

DC Pro Bono Week 2015 got started on Monday, October 26, wtih Advancing Social Justice Through Pro Bono and Advocacy Work. Roughly 30 law school students from schools around the DC area gathered at Steptoe & Johnson for a panel organized by law schools at Catholic University of America, Georgetown University, American University, George Washington University, and Howard University.
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