WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

The effects of structural and institutional racism are pervasive in the lives of many low-income people of color and often manifest in the legal challenges they face.  Working to understand ​the ways in which systemic racism shapes our clients' lives is critical to providing responsive and comprehensive legal services. Our next installment of the Racial Justice Series is designed to give perspective on how a person’s race and lived experience affect their legal case. We will explore ways in which attorneys and advocates can better assist their clients of color by understanding the full context in which their legal matter arises, approaching cases with cultural humility, and recognizing and working to overcome the power differential inherent in legal representation. Our esteemed panel includes: June Crenshaw, Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation and member of the Diversity Committee for the DC Victim Assistance Network Aida Fitzgerald, Senior Staff Attorney in the Public Benefits Law Unit of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia Ted Howard, Pro Bono Partner at Wiley Rein The conversation will be moderated by Dawn Williams, Assistant Attorney General with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. Law Students: Contact your law school's Career Development Office to find out if your school subscribes to the PIJC and to get the registration code. Thank you to the Inter-American Bar Association, Greater Washington Area Chapter, Women Lawyers Division, National Bar Association ("GWAC"), and the Washington Bar Association for co-sponsoring this program.

Sponsored by American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) DC Chapter, Catholic Charities, and Equal Justice Works As we do every year, the AILA DC Chapter Pro Bono committee is partnering with Equal Justice Works to take part in DC’s Pro Bono week and provide a Virtual Citizenship Workshop.  This year we are working with Catholic Charities of DC (CCDC).  We are seeking volunteer attorneys to assist with this year’s workshop.  As with every year, you will be partnered with a law student and together you will complete the N-400 for the client which is passed to CCDC to complete the filing.  The workshop with be held via Zoom and training will be provided by CCDC.  The workshop will be held Saturday, October 23, 2021, from 9:00 am- 12:00 pm. If interested, please send an email to Lance Conklin at lance@conklinimmigration.com.

Join Superior Court Judge McLean and representatives from three different DC Pro Bono mentoring programs in a discussion covering the logistics of committing to doing pro bono in a virtual age.  The panel includes a conversation with a Superior Court Judge and experienced pro bono volunteers offering first-hand knowledge about doing pro bono virtually/socially distant in 2020/2021. We hope this will be an interactive dialogue, providing participants an opportunity to ask the questions that will help them better understand not only what pro bono looks likes now but also which pro bono program may be a good fit for their interests and capacity. Our conversation leaders include: Judge McLean, Associate Judge, Domestic Relations Calendar, District of Columbia Superior Court Rebecca Lindhurst – Managing Attorney, Bread for the City John W. Zipp – Associate, Covington & Burling Lauren Sullivan – Staff Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense, Inc. Joanne Hawana – Member, Mintz Sylvia Soltis - Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia Tiffany Cheung - Associate, Baker Botts, LLP  The discussion will be moderated by Sandra Zegarra, a Direct Representation Attorney with KIND.

Sponsored by the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program In celebration of Pro Bono Week, The Veterans Consortium (TVC) is partnering with local volunteers and DC area law students to hold three, one-day pop-up legal clinics to serve the needs of veterans. These clinics will be held simultaneously via a virtual platform. Locations: Legal Advice & Referral Clinic, By Appointment Only Advice & Referral Clinic for Women Veterans, By Appointment Only Discharge Upgrade Clinic, By Appointment Only Volunteers are needed for the Legal Advice & Referral Clinic and the Advice & Referral Clinic for Women Veterans. To volunteer, email clinics@vetsprobono.org. And join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using#DCProBono21!

Sponsored by the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center The Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic gives business and transactional attorneys the opportunity to donate their expertise to small businesses.  The Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinics allow current and aspiring small business owners to speak with an attorney about their legal problems or questions that affect their businesses.  Small businesses serve as the cornerstone for economic development in disadvantaged areas, but many cannot afford legal fees for advice that may determine whether they sink or swim. While only brief advice is given, entrepreneurs are able to engage in one-on-one consultations with an attorney.  Matters that arise include business formation, real estate, employment, intellectual property and joint ventures, and partnership agreements. One to two trainings are held each year for interested volunteers, but it is not required to volunteer. New volunteers often shadow veteran volunteers during their first few consultations. For the volunteer manual, click here. Sign up to volunteer at the virtual clinic at the link below. If you have questions about volunteering, please email Christine Kulumani, Staff Attorney, at CKulumani@dcbar.org. And join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook using#DCProBono21!

Volunteers will conduct intake interviews with low-income DC residents seeking to seal or expunge their criminal records. Interviewees have been pre-screened by Rising for Justice (RFJ) and Christian Legal Aid of DC (CLA). We strongly encourage all volunteer attorneys to continue their relationships with interviewees by volunteering with RFJ and CLA and agreeing to represent interviewees in their expungement case. Volunteers will need to be available for a quick 20-minute training the week prior on Thursday, October 21st, at 2:00 pm. Information will be provided once you register. No prior expungement experience is necessary! Students and non-attorneys are welcome to volunteer and will be paired with attorneys!

Are you returning to work after a year and a half of teleworking? Are you planning on working a hybrid telework and in-office schedule? Are you teleworking while others are in the office full-time?  We know change like this can make all of us somewhat uneasy.  Join us for a Members-Only Discussion on Post-Pandemic Workplaces. Our esteemed panelists are: Rhonda Cunningham Holmes, Executive Director, Legal Counsel for the Elderly Hanan Idilbi, Federal Government Attorney Greg Lipper, Partner, Clinton & Peed Our moderator is Deborah Birnbaum, Assistant General Counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Our panel will give you tips and advice so that, regardless of your work situation, you can feel equipped to navigate the changing working environment with ease. This free members-only program will take place on Thursday, July 22, from 3-4 pm ET via Zoom. If you are not already a member, join Washington Council of Lawyers here. Come prepared to ask questions, and meet and connect with other Washington Council of Lawyers members at this interactive coffee break. We can’t wait to hang out with you virtually!

Traditional trial advocacy requires preparation, a mastery of the law and facts of a case, and the ability to persuasively communicate. Effective virtual trial advocacy requires these skills AND a mastery of technology and procedures that may be unfamiliar to even the most seasoned litigator. It's no wonder the continued use of remote hearings may be intimidating to many lawyers. How can you effectively build your case when you are not in the same room with your fact-finder and witnesses? With a mixture of lecture and demonstration, expert litigator Phil Andonian will reveal best practices and etiquette for remote hearings and discuss tips for effectively operating remotely. Phil Andonian is an experienced trial lawyer and Co-Founder of Caleb Andonian PLLC. He has nearly 20 years of litigation experience in criminal defense, labor and employment law, and personal injury law. Phil has tried more than two dozen cases to verdict and has helped many clients through the complexities of civil discovery and motions practice. He also regularly represents clients in administrative hearings and arbitrations. This training is appropriate for public-interest, law firm, in-house, and government lawyers of all experience levels who have or will have to appear virtually. Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. Email Nancy Lopez to apply. Thank you to Planet Depos for sponsoring this training! Planet Depos is a worldwide court reporting and litigation technology firm with over a decade of experience handling remote proceedings. While remote depositions may be new to many attorneys, they aren’t to Planet Depos. They made remote the new in-person for the last 10 years. Whether your proceeding has participants down the street, or across the country. Planet Depos can make it happen. Their expertise in mobile video conferencing means you can expect a more efficient and streamlined litigation process. To learn more about remote depositions and scheduling contact Alison Barberi at 301-613-4665 or email alison.barberi@planetdepos.com. Be a winner! As a way to bring an additional moment of joy to this training, Planet Depos invites all attendees to enter into a raffle for a drawing of a Yeti cooler. Register for the raffle here.

The past four years saw a sharp increase in pro bono energy. Volunteers responded passionately to Trump Administration policies that were seen as negatively impacting marginalized communities. As we approach the first days of the Biden Administration, pro bono coordinators are asking, what now? How will pro bono programs rebound from this ongoing period of issue whiplash and volunteer exhaustion?  How can pro bono counsel redirect attention to the many local legal dilemmas affecting our neighbors?  How will the legal community step up to meet the local legal needs that have been exacerbated during the pandemic?  Will pro bono attorneys still feel motivated to rise to the occasion during this new, seemingly friendlier administration? Panelists: Daniel Cantor, Arnold & Porter, Partner & Pro Bono Committee Chair Laurie Ball Cooper, Ayuda, Legal Director Rebecca Troth, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, Executive Director Nancy Drane, D.C. Access to Justice Commission, Executive Director Moderator: Paul Lee, Pro Bono Counsel, Steptoe & Johnson LLP Panelists will weigh in on what pro bono will look like in 2021 – a year of great uncertainty for low-income residents of DC.  Dan Cantor will present on Arnold & Porter's impressive pandemic unemployment assistance project, launched in partnership with The Legal Aid Society for the District of Columbia.  Laurie Ball Cooper of Ayuda will give insight into immigration concerns that will continue under the new administration.  Becky Troth will discuss how local civil legal needs will skyrocket, while pro bono recruitment lags behind.  And Nancy Drane will unveil the new DC Represents campaign, a citywide effort to recruit pro bono attorneys for pandemic-related relief projects. Best Practices in Pro Bono brings together pro bono directors at law firms, legal services organizations, corporations, and government agencies to share tips for improving their pro bono programs. There is no cost to attend. Sign up today!

Washington Council of Lawyers is fielding a team for the Walk & 5K to End HIV! This virtual event is an "on your own" walk or run to support the work of Whitman-Walker Health. Held for the past 34 years, the Walk & 5K to End HIV is Whitman-Walker Health’s signature fundraiser that calls on thousands to strap up their shoes and walk or run to support WWH’s mission of providing dependable, high-quality, comprehensive and accessible health care to those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. In a city where three percent of adults are known to have HIV and an additional three percent are infected but don’t know their status, the Walk & 5K to End HIV plays a vital role in honoring our lost ones and raising funds and awareness to fight the epidemic. Register to join our team here.  Then complete the walk or run at a time of your choosing. We will have a virtual team meetup on Friday, November 20 from 3:00-3:30 pm. Register below to receive the Zoom link to share your stories and gather together!

Wind down with a cup of tea (or your drink of choice), good conversation, and merriment. Join other public-interest-minded lawyers and law students for a well-deserved opportunity to connect. We'll share tips for staying motivated and productive and maybe a few new ways to stay entertained.

Public-interest and pro bono lawyers often interact with clients and witnesses who have experienced trauma. Better understanding the science of trauma can help you be a more effective advocate. Understanding what your client may be feeling makes you a more compassionate lawyer. Learning skills for interviewing people who have experienced trauma in an appropriate way can help you get the information you need to build a strong case while also minimizing the risk of re-traumatizing your client. Join us on Thursday, March 5, from 12:00-2:00 pm at Mayer Brown (1999 K Street) to learn more about trauma-informed interviewing. Our panelists will be: Tara Graham (Senior Program Manager, Just Detention International) Priya Konings (Deputy Director of Legal Services, Kids in Need of Defense) Bridgette Stumpf (Executive Director, Network for Victim Recovery of DC) The panel will be moderated by Jennifer Grishkin (Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, CAIR Coalition). This training is free for Washington Council of Lawyers members (join) and $15 for others. Bring your lunch. We will provide drinks and desserts! Thank you to Mayer Brown for hosting this important topic!

We often roll up our sleeves to help our neighbors in need around the holidays. This year, we will volunteer to sort and bag clothing donations with Gifts for the Homeless on Saturday, December 7, from 11 am until 4 pm. The clothing sorting takes place at 2300 N Street, NW, conveniently located north of Washington Circle and within walking distance of the Foggy Bottom/GW and Dupont Circle Metro stops. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes and bring a water bottle. We will be volunteering with many other groups and individuals to help bring warm clothes to people in need. Learn more here. Last year, Gifts for the Homeless was able to receive, sort, bag and deliver nearly 3,200 bags of clothing and other items to more than 55 homeless service organizations. Join us for a hands-on, worthwhile, and fun volunteer activity that is appropriate for individuals and families. All are welcome!

DC Pro Bono Week may have ended, but the need for volunteers to provide legal help to those in our community is non-stop!  Volunteer with us on Saturday, November 9, at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center's Advice & Referral Clinic. 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 (1640 Good Hope Road SE). Parking is available. A brief orientation (with bagels and coffee) takes place at 9:30 am, and volunteers are asked to stay until the last client is seen, usually at around 2:30 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. Once you register to attend, our volunteer coordinator, Sébastien Monzón Rueda, will be in touch with additional details.

Our November Best Practices in Pro Bono features a conversation with Nancy Drane, Executive Director of the DC Access to Justice Commission, previewing some highlights of the Commission’s forthcoming report, Delivering Justice: Addressing Civil Legal Needs in the District of Columbia. Nancy will focus on some of what the Commission learned about civil legal needs in our community, the progress we've made, and what the future may hold. How has the civil legal services community innovated, adapted, and changed since the last Legal Needs Report was issued in 2008?  What new areas of need have emerged? What are some of the barriers that low- and moderate-income District residents still face? What is the role of pro bono in moving the needle on our local legal needs? What might be some of the next frontiers in access to justice in the District? Breakfast and networking take place from 8:45-9:00 am. The conversation, facilitated by Lise Adams of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, takes place from 9:00-10:15 am. Thank you to Fried Frank for hosting! Best Practices in Pro Bono is open to pro bono coordinators at law firms, legal services organizations, government agencies, and in-house legal departments. We hope you will join us on Thursday, November 7 – first, to get your morning caffeine buzz, and then, to hear all the buzz about the Commission’s report.