WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

Each year, we recognize outstanding lawyers who make exceptional contributions to the pro bono and public-interest community and celebrate the hundreds of public-interest and pro bono professionals who dedicate time, expertise, finances, and compassion to helping their neighbors. That is why we are pleased to announce our annual Awards Ceremony will now be known as the Justice Impact Awards – a time for us to come together, recharge our collective batteries, celebrate our accomplishments, commiserate on our challenges, and be inspired. It will continue to be our annual pro bono and public interest celebration. At this year’s ceremony, we will recognize the recipients of these awards: Presidents Award for Public Service Nancy Drane D.C. Access to Justice Commission Legal Services Wes Heppler Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Government Chris Jennison Federal Aviation Administration Law Firm Ted Howard Wiley Rein LLP Corporate Legal Department Pat McGlone Ullico, Inc. Join us for a celebratory evening of delicious food & drink, inspiring community connections, and the chance to celebrate our local pro bono and public-interest advocates who work tirelessly to increase access to justice! VIRTUAL AUCTION! You can also support our mission of ensuring our justice system treats everyone fairly, regardless of money, position, or power through our virtual auction. Bidding is open now and closes at 8:00 pm ET on Thursday, December 7th. Treat your loved ones (or yourself) with fabulous items sure to brighten their day while doing good! We hope you will Bid Early and Often! A big thank you to our 2023 Justice Impact Awards Sponsors! Champion Arnold & Porter Compass Lexecon Kirkland & Ellis Trailblazer Latham & Watkins Defender Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld Covington & Burling DLA Piper Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP Hogan Lovells Sidley Austin Steptoe Foundation TM Financial Forensics Pioneer AlixPartners ArentFox Schiff Cleary Gottlieb Crowell & Moring Dechert You can also honor this year's award recipients by sponsoring the Justice Impact Awards. For more information, please contact our Executive Director, Christina Jackson, at cjackson@wclawyers.org or 202-451-8129. Share the news on social media using #JusticeImpactAwards23!

Moving exhibits into evidence through objections and roadblocks is an art that is learned through practice. Weaving through evidentiary minefields and strategizing in real time to preserve the record and uphold your case can be a fraught feat. Building a working understanding of the process is vital to be able to plan ahead and confidently respond to hurdles both expected and unexpected. Learn how to enter evidence at trial and navigate potential objections you might get or want to make with Litigation Skills Series: Exhibits & Evidentiary Foundations. Through lecture and demonstration, litigation experts will teach the basics of admitting evidence—including business records, charts, photos, ledgers, drawings, letters, emails, social media posts, and other documents. The course will be a hands-on presentation where we will learn and practice the most common evidentiary issues through demonstration and audience participation. This training is appropriate for public-interest, law firm, in-house, and government lawyers, as well as law students who have taken evidence and have trial-practice or mock-trial experience. The Exhibits & Evidentiary Foundations faculty include: Kate Oler, Special Master on the United States Court of Federal Claims Greg Lipper, LeGrand Law PLLC CLE credit for this training is: 2.0 CA general, 2.1 NJ general, and 2.0 NY general. There may be reciprocal in other jurisdictions. Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. To apply for a scholarship, please complete this online scholarship form.

SOLD OUT! Waitlist Available. We are excited to again offer our Mediation Skills Training on Tuesday, October 10, from 12:00-3:00 pm. Mediation is an important skill to learn as it can effectively resolve disputes with minimal costs and significant advantages to both parties in a wide variety of types of cases. The training begins with a presentation focused on mediation and negotiation theory. Stephen Altman,  principal of Altman Dispute Resolution Services, is an accomplished negotiator, mediator, and litigator who has resolved multi-million-dollar government-commercial disputes and diverse civil conflicts.  He is a mediator for the DC Superior Court and the US Court of Appeals for DC and teaches courses in negotiation. Stephen has worked with government agencies, commercial enterprises, and non-profit organizations. He will explore tips for effective client preparation, using leverage in negotiations, and identifying the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). Then, each participant will have the opportunity to participate in two different mock mediation sessions of a typical landlord/tenant case. In one mediation, participants will play the role of the lawyer representing one of the parties, and in the other, they will play the role of the client. The meditations will be conducted by experienced mediators, including from the Multi-door Dispute Resolution Division of the D.C. Superior Court. This is not a CLE training. Seats at this training are limited, so save your spot today!

There are many ways to praise pro bono – from newsletters to annual galas.  Pro bono volunteers may receive praise from their peers and various external partners.  How does this recognition impact the volunteer, their organization, and broader access to justice initiatives?  How can praising pro bono help retain current volunteers and recruit new volunteers?  Join this panel to discuss the relationship between praise and pro bono culture as well as tackle the underlying tensions inherent in centering the volunteer versus those served. We'll hear from: Susie Hoffman, Public Service Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP Victoria N. Lynch-Draper, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager, Wiley Rein LLP Darryl Maxwell, Director, Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Cheryl Zalenski, Counsel, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and Director, Center for Pro Bono, American Bar Association Our discussion will be moderated by Jen Masi, Pro Bono Director, Children’s Law Center. All who coordinate a pro bono program at a law firm, government agency, in-house legal department, or legal services provider are welcome! Best Practices is free to attend, but registration is required, and donations are encouraged to support our programs! RSVP today and invite a friend or colleague to join you!

Our annual Fall Kickoff is the first event of our new board year. Join us for food, drink, and the chance to build a stronger public-interest community. At this casual happy hour, you can learn about how to get involved in our work, meet our new board members,  and mingle with other members of the pro bono and public-interest community. Don't miss this chance to see old friends and make new public-interest connections, including our new board members!  You also can join one of our standing committees, learn about our trainings and programs, and sign up for upcoming events. Our Fall Kickoff is free, thanks to our hosts Goodwin Procter. We hope you will attend, and invite friends to join you!  Spread the word!  #FallKickoff23

This event is co-sponsored by Amara Legal Center and NVRDC. Join us for a two-part series on navigating the invisible barriers to justice that clients experience when seeking to exercise their legal rights. These introductory discussions will give insight into the client experience when they try to navigate the legal system after experiencing a lifetime of trauma or one extremely traumatic event. Being mindful of centering your client takes practice and can be tricky to navigate. Join us for this candid discussion to see examples and ask questions about assisting clients with trauma and experiencing trafficking in a safe environment with experts from the legal field. Part Two will focus on identifying human trafficking and sex trafficking as underlying issues in any practice area. The goal of this training is to familiarize all legal and paraprofessionals with the signs of trafficking and how to respond when navigating the client relationship and supporting their client holistically. This panel will take place Wednesday, August 16 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm. Both sessions are appropriate for new and experienced attorneys, pro bono professionals, law students, and other legal professionals such as paralegals and legal assistants that participate in the intake and fact-collection process of a case. Join our conversation on social media using #LunchLearn.

This event is co-sponsored by Amara Legal Center and NVRDC. Join us for a two-part series on navigating the invisible barriers to justice that clients experience when seeking to exercise their legal rights. These introductory discussions will give insight into the client experience when they try to navigate the legal system after experiencing a lifetime of trauma or one extremely traumatic event. Being mindful of centering your client takes practice and can be tricky to navigate. Join us for this candid discussion to see examples and ask questions about assisting clients with trauma and experiencing trafficking in a safe environment with experts from the legal field. Part One will cover initial contact with a client, whether that be with a paraprofessional, first-time lawyer, or pro bono volunteer. This panel will kick off with a roleplay exercise that illustrates common examples. Our panel will roleplay the scenario and then move into a discussion on identifying and responding to trauma at the point of first contact. This panel will take place Wednesday, July 19 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Part Two will focus on identifying human trafficking and sex trafficking as an underlying issue in any practice area. The goal of this training is to familiarize all legal and paraprofessionals with the signs of trafficking and how to respond when navigating the client relationship and supporting their client holistically. This panel will take place Wednesday, August 16 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Both sessions are appropriate for new and experienced attorneys, pro bono professionals, law students and other legal professionals such as paralegals and legal assistants that participate in the intake and fact collection process of a case. Join our conversation on social media using #LunchLearn.

DC Pro Bono Week always inspires creative ways to get involved! We hope it's inspired you to discover pro bono opportunities like the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center's Advice & Referral Clinic! Volunteer on Saturday, November 18th to gain experience in serving the D.C. community in a variety of matters! At the clinic, you'll provide brief advice (and referrals) to people who otherwise wouldn't have access to legal help. We meet at Bread for the City's Michelle Obama Southeast Center, at 1700 Good Hope Road SE. Parking is available. New for this clinic, we are also meeting at the D.C. Bar Building, at 901 Fourth St NW. Please arrive at 9:00 am, a brief orientation takes place at 9:15 am, and volunteers are asked to stay until the last client is seen, usually at least 3:00 pm. There's no time commitment beyond the clinic itself. As a volunteer attorney, you'll answer questions about consumer law, family law, housing law, public benefits, bankruptcy, and other topics. You don't need to be an expert in these areas of law: D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center staff and expert mentors will be on hand to help. You do need to be a member of the D.C. Bar, or a federal government attorney barred in another state to participate. The deadline to volunteer is Thursday, November 9th by 5:00 pm ET. Once you register to attend, our Program Director and volunteer coordinator, Chris Marin, will be in touch with additional details.

Take a break! Join other public-interest-minded lawyers, summer associates, summer interns, and law students for a well-deserved opportunity to connect. We will discuss expectations for a successful summer and whatever else is on your mind. The Summer Happy Hour will be held at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern. PQST is located at 639 Indiana Ave NW. Across from the Archives-Navy Memorial Metro Stop (Green & Yellow Lines), or just three blocks from the Gallery Place-Chinatown Station (Green, Yellow, & Red line), or just three blocks from the Federal Triangle Station (Blue, Orange, & Silver lines). Metered parking is available on the surrounding streets.

Our Summer Pro Bono & Public Interest Forum is an annual tradition that brings together lawyers, summer associates, summer interns, and others interested in making pro bono or public-interest work a part of their legal careers and provides an introduction to several different types of public-interest practice. We complete the forum with the final two virtual practice-area panel discussions on Thursday, June 22 from 12:00 – 2:30 pm ET. There will be networking time after the panels. The panel topics include: June 22 – Civil Rights & Civil Liberties – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 22 – Immigration & Human Rights – 1:15-2:30 pm ET The Summer Forum is open to Washington Council of Lawyers members (join), participants in summer associate and summer intern programs, lawyers in law firms, government and public-interest organizations, law students, and others interested in learning more about incorporating public-interest law into their practice. You can attend from anywhere! A single registration provides access to all four days of Summer Forum sessions. And if you missed any of the previous sessions, you can catch up with the recordings which will be sent to all registered attendees. The cost is just $45 for WCL Members; $55 for Government & Public-Interest Lawyers, Interns, and Individual Law Students; and $75 for Law Firm Lawyers, Summer Associates, Corporate Law Department Lawyers, Law Department Interns, and General Public. Look for updates and join the conversation about the Summer Forum using #SumFo23 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn!

Our Summer Pro Bono & Public Interest Forum is an annual tradition that brings together lawyers, summer associates, summer interns, and others interested in making pro bono or public-interest work a part of their legal careers and provides an introduction to several different types of public-interest practice. We continue the forum with the next two virtual practice-area panel discussions on Thursday, June 15 from 12:00 – 2:30 pm ET. There will be networking time after the panels. Then, you will have the opportunity to attend the remainder of the virtual panel presentations where you can learn more about pro bono and public-interest work in DC and across the country. Each panel will focus on a different practice area, featuring presentations by national and local experts in that legal specialty. The panel topics include: June 15 – Poverty Law – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 15 – Criminal Law & Death Penalty – 1:15-2:30 pm ET June 22 – Civil Rights & Civil Liberties – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 22 – Immigration & Human Rights – 1:15-2:30 pm ET The Summer Forum is open to Washington Council of Lawyers members (join), participants in summer associate and summer intern programs, lawyers in law firms, government and public-interest organizations, law students, and others interested in learning more about incorporating public-interest law into their practice. You can attend from anywhere! A single registration provides access to all four days of Summer Forum sessions. And if you missed any of the previous sessions, you can catch up with the recordings which will be sent to all registered attendees. The cost is just $45 for WCL Members; $55 for Government & Public-Interest Lawyers, Interns, and Individual Law Students; and $75 for Law Firm Lawyers, Summer Associates, Corporate Law Department Lawyers, Law Department Interns, and General Public. Look for updates and join the conversation about the Summer Forum using #SumFo23 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn!

Our Summer Pro Bono & Public Interest Forum is an annual tradition that brings together lawyers, summer associates, summer interns, and others interested in making pro bono or public-interest work a part of their legal careers and provides an introduction to several different types of public-interest practice. We continue the forum with the first two virtual practice-area panel discussions on Thursday, June 8 from 12:00 – 2:30 pm ET. There will be networking time after the panels. Then, over the following two weeks, you will have the opportunity to attend the remainder of the virtual panel presentations where you can learn more about pro bono and public-interest work in DC and across the country. Each panel will focus on a different practice area, featuring presentations by national and local experts in that legal specialty. The panel topics include: June 8 – Non-Litigation Pro Bono – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 8 – Environmental Justice – 1:15-2:30 pm ET June 15 – Poverty Law – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 15 – Criminal Law & Death Penalty – 1:15-2:30 pm ET June 22 – Civil Rights & Civil Liberties – 12:00-1:15 pm ET June 22 – Immigration & Human Rights – 1:15-2:30 pm ET The Summer Forum is open to Washington Council of Lawyers members (join), participants in summer associate and summer intern programs, lawyers in law firms, government and public-interest organizations, law students, and others interested in learning more about incorporating public-interest law into their practice. You can attend from anywhere! A single registration provides access to all four days of Summer Forum sessions. And if you miss any of the sessions, you can catch up with the recordings which will be sent to all registered attendees. The cost is just $45 for WCL Members; $55 for Government & Public-Interest Lawyers, Interns, and Individual Law Students; and $75 for Law Firm Lawyers, Summer Associates, Corporate Law Department Lawyers, Law Department Interns, and General Public. Look for updates and join the conversation about the Summer Forum using #SumFo23 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn!

SOLD OUT! Waitlist Open As the Supreme Court’s term ends, many organizations present panel discussions with lawyers and academics analyzing the major decisions from a jurisprudential perspective. This one is different. Our panel of distinguished journalists who have covered the Supreme Court for decades will take a behind-the-headlines look at the Court’s work, at the Justices themselves, at how the institution has changed over time, and at how journalists cover the Court. Our panel includes: Robert Barnes (Washington Post) Joan Biskupic (CNN) Greg Stohr (Bloomberg News) Adam Liptak (New York Times) David Savage (Los Angeles Times) Ariane de Vogue (CNN) The panel will be moderated by Art Spitzer, Senior Counsel, ACLU-DC. The cost of this program is $26 for Washington Council of Lawyers Members, $35 for public-interest and government lawyers, and $40 for the general public & law firm attendees. (Join here to receive the discounted price.) Lunch is provided and the program offers open seating, so please arrive early! We look forward to having you join us for lunch and a fascinating discussion of the recently-concluded Supreme Court term! Finally, if you'd like your summer associates or interns to attend and need assistance registering them as a group, email Christina Jackson at cjackson@wclawyers.org. Join and follow the conversation at #SCOTUSpress! If space does not open off the waitlist or you'd like to attend from outside DC, a Zoom link will be provided when you register.

Co-hosted by the D.C. Superior Court Pro Bono and Affordable Counsel Committee Have you been to the D.C. Superior Court?  Have you met a D.C. Superior Court Judge?  Do you want to help persons 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 some of the Court’s high-volume branches where more pro bono representation is needed.  You’ll have an opportunity to observe court proceedings, speak with Superior Court Judges, and learn how you can expand access to justice for D.C. residents. You can choose to visit the Domestic Violence Division, Domestic Relations Branch, or Landlord and Tenant Branch at registration. Due to scheduling conflicts, the Debt Collection Calendar option is no longer available. However, there will be an option to view Debt Collection Calendar hearing in October. Please note this event involves a moderate amount of walking inside and outside the Superior Court buildings.  If you have any accommodation needs or questions, please contact Jodi Feldman at Jodi.Feldman@DCCSystem.gov. Also, attendees will need to go through a metal detector and have their bags cleared through Court security before entering the Courthouse.  This is required for all members of the public visiting the Courthouse.  Please do not bring any personal items with you that may be considered dangerous or used as a weapon. We look forward to welcoming you!

Our popular Racial Justice Series returns with "Algorithmic Justice" a panel discussion on the use of AI and the potential negative legal impacts of indiscriminate use. As our world becomes increasingly reliant on technology and artificial intelligence ("AI"), new legal issues arise.  We invite you to join us for this insightful panel on algorithmic justice,the application of principles of social justice, and applied ethics to the design, deployment, regulation, and ongoing use of algorithmic systems so that the potential for harm is reduced. With our panel of experts, we will discuss the potential negative legal impacts of the use of AI and how to identify discriminatory applications in the areas of consumer finance, employment, education, housing, and more. Further discussion will include how local governments are responding to this newly engaged tech and relevant pending legislation before the DC Council. Our panelists include: Enid Zhou, Senior Counsel at Electronic Privacy Information Center ("EPIC") Alex Ault, Policy Counsel, Digital Justice Initiative, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Kevin De Liban (he/him), Director of Advocacy, Legal Aid of Arkansas Sebastien Monzon Rueda, Esq. & Bardia Bastin, Esq (co-moderators) This engaging evening of learning is free for Washington Council of Lawyers members and $10 for the general public. Get ready to better understand the potential consequences of the use of AI and how we can hold such systems accountable.

Post-graduate fellowships are a unique way to realize your ideal public interest job. Fellowships allow new lawyers to gain hands-on experience, develop project management skills, and pursue their passions for promoting justice. But the application process is complicated and the programs are competitive. We're here to help you make sense of the process. Our expert panel will walk you through all the steps of the application procedures for the various programs and give you concrete tips for maximizing your chances of landing the fellowship of your dreams. Then, Sam Halpert, Director of Public Interest Initiatives at NALP will discuss PSJD and other online resources for finding fellowships. Finally, there will be plenty of time for individualized questions. Fellowships 101 is free for Washington Council of Lawyers members (join) and law students of Public Interest Jobs Clearinghouse (PIJC) subscriber law schools; the cost is just $5 for non-members. Not sure if you attend a law school that subscribes to the PIJC? Contact your law school career development office to find out. Our panel includes: Moderator: Kerry Stotler, American University Washington College of Law Jessica Ryckman, Equal Justice Works Shariful Khan, Skadden Fellow, Public Justice Cammie Dodson, If/When/How Lisa Ledvora, Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, Safe Horizon Gabby Mulnick Majewski, Executive Director, DC Affordable Law Firm Join the conversation on social media #Fellowships101.

This Pro Bono best practices conversation will be all about the money and how our community can inculcate a culture of giving to support legal services. We will discuss the impact of law firm and other institutional giving, including donations and other forms of financial support.  We will also probe how individual lawyers formulate their philosophy and approach to giving and the ways they seek to influence giving by organizations. We will discuss the duty to and impact of financially supporting legal services organizations using D.C. Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1 as a foundation. Our panel includes: Ellen Jakovic, Of Counsel, Kirkland & Ellis and current D.C. Bar President Judith Sandalow, Executive Director, Children's Law Center Angela Boone, Director of Development & Communications, D.C. Bar Rob Pergament, Director of Development, Legal Aid DC Michael Bigley, Director, Venable Foundation at Venable LLP Best Practices in Pro Bono is open to pro bono coordinators at law firms, legal services organizations, government agencies, and in-house legal departments. Bring your ideas and your lunch. Cookies and drinks will be provided thanks to the generosity of our host Fried Frank.

First impressions count. Most first impressions are created virtually when a colleague, client, or prospective employer looks up your profile online. With so many ways to communicate and market yourself, a professional headshot is vital to your success. Make sure you're looking your best by getting a professionally taken and edited headshot. We are excited to host our next Members Only event (join) Pictures + Prosecco. If you've been meaning to update your professional headshot or don't have one at all, this is your chance. Join us and Joy Asico of Asico Photo for a photo session and stay for networking with other pro bono and public interest lawyers. You will have the opportunity to choose from an outdoor or indoor background. No dress code is required, but business/professional attire is recommended. This event is limited to 25 participants. Please come camera ready. Thank you to Cleary Gottlieb for generously hosting this event.

Whether in person or virtually, trial advocacy skills are critical to a successful case. The good news is they can be learned. Join us for five jam-packed mornings of Trial Advocacy during the week of Monday, May 1 - Friday, May 5. The training will take place from 9:00 - 11:00 am ET on Monday, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and 9:00 - 10:30 am on Friday. View the 2023 Litigation Skills Series Trial Advocacy Full Schedule here. We will focus on the four fundamental trial skills: Opening Statements, Direct Examinations, Cross-Examinations, and Closing Arguments.  Each topic will begin with a lecture by an expert trainer and a demonstration by skilled litigators showing how to put the lesson into practice. Then, we will move to small group breakout rooms where each attendee will get up and practice the skill of the day. Breakout room facilitators will offer individualized, constructive feedback to each participant. Attendees should plan to spend some time between each session to prepare for the on-your-feet breakout sessions. Although this year's Trial Advocacy training will take place virtually, it offers the same individualized practice and feedback as our in-person training. It is not a passive Zoom webinar; it will be a cameras-on, interactive training experience. Our fact pattern features a Landlord Tenant case, but you need not know anything about substantive housing law to benefit from the training. For Washington Council of Lawyers members, this comprehensive Trial Advocacy training costs just $115. For non-members, the cost is $215. (Join Washington Council of Lawyers to take advantage of the discounted member rates.) Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. To apply for a scholarship, please complete this online scholarship form. CLE credits are available for 12.25 in CA (general), 13.5 in NJ (general), and 12.5 in NY skills (newly admitted and experienced), VA is pending. This session always sells out. Save your seat today! Registration closes Friday, April 28 at 5:00 pm ET.