By Christina Jackson Jaya Saxena joined our Board in 2014 and has been going gangbusters ever since. By day, she serves in dual capacities: Assistant Director of GW Law School's Career Center and Director of the Dean's Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. And as a member of our board, her ideas and energy have propelled us forward in several ways. So many ways, in fact, that we're delighted to honor her with our 2017 Above & Beyond Award. (more…)
By Anne King Deborah Birnbaum, winner of our 2017 Government Pro Bono Award, does it all. She practices at the Office of the Solicitor at the Department of Labor and serves as her office's Pro Bono Program Coordinator. In the latter role, Deborah has developed a robust pro bono culture; her colleagues at the Solicitor's Office are doing more pro bono than ever. Deborah is also a dedicated pro bono advocate in her own right, taking on a variety of cases for many different legal-services organizations. (more…)
Tracy Goodman, Director of Children’s Law Center’s Healthy Together program, has pioneered the medical-legal partnership movement. She unites experts in law, health, and government to identify the key factors determining children's health and well-being, and then structures legal services to address those needs and change children's lives. Colleagues call her passionate, fiery, and dogged about improving long-term health outcomes for children and their families and in marshaling community resources to enact large-scale, systemic change. Tracy is a talented and creative lawyer and leader, and the winner of our 2017 Legal Services Award. (more…)
Our 2017 Awards Ceremony takes place on December 5, and this year we'll honor the following extraordinary lawyers and firms: (more…)
Photos from the recently completed DC Pro Bono Week 2017. (more…)
DC Pro Bono Week 2017 is in the books, but we hope that our complete set of Pro Bono Week profiles will inspire you to spent more time on pro bono cases and helping those in need. (more…)
By Aoife Delargy This spring, law students from American University, Catholic University, Georgetown, and George Washington University sponsored the DC Alternative Spring Break Pro Bono Service Project. Held for two weeks last March, students from these local law schools spent their spring breaks engaged in hands-on, legal volunteer work. (more…)
By Maureen Thomas Major General Mike Nardotti (US Army, Retired and former The Judge Advocate General, US Army) is a Senior Partner at Squire Patton Boggs. The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program recently recognized Mike for over 20 years of service to veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors, as a member of TVC’s National Volunteer Corps. Over the past 25 years, lawyers like Mike from Squire Patton Boggs have supported The Veterans Consortium with over 92 engagements in federal courts, participated in specialized Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims trainings, and assisted TVC in dramatically improving our ability to provide free legal services to veterans and their loved ones. (more…)
Kaley, age 13, was living with her grandmother in El Salvador when local gangs began to target her and her family. Her grandmother owns a local diner where neighborhood police officers and prosecutors often ate; as a result, gang members decided that she was pro-government and anti-gang. Gang members assaulted Kaley’s grandmother and targeted Kaley, threatening to kidnap and assault her. Kaley fled the country. (more…)
By Children's Law Center Sleigh bells ring, judge is listening—is not your typical holiday medley. But it provided the soundtrack last December for five-year-old Charlie Young while Alexis DeBernardis, his pro bono counsel, fought for him in his custody case. (Names have been changed to protect client anonymity.) Alexis is an associate at Crowell & Moring, but she also volunteers as a pro bono lawyer with Children’s Law Center (CLC). (more…)
By Priya Konings Representing unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children is challenging, and Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) is always looking for pro bono lawyers with the time, patience, and enthusiasm to handle a pro bono immigration case for our clients. When Lara Burke of Bruch Hanna came to us, we knew that we'd found someone who could rise to the occasion. (more…)
By Melanie Orhant Ryan Guilds is a lawyer at Arnold & Porter Kay Scholer and board chair of Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC). Over the past eighteen years, he's found that pro bono work offers the chance to do "that not only feels good but also gives you skills as a lawyer." And Ryan has done pro bono work in spades. Ryan's pro bono work started before he was actually a lawyer. While a 1L at the University of North Carolina School of Law, he worked on capital cases and developed an interest in prisoner's rights. (more…)
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…)
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…)
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…)
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a $10 million grant for the D.C. College Access Program, a nonprofit that helps Ward 7 and Ward 8 students afford college. For more than two decades, DC-CAP has helped District students attend college, providing financial assistance as well as counseling and advice to students and their families. The new grant will allow DC-CAP to partner with the College Success Foundation to expand their outreach to middle schools in Southeast and will help to provide up to $25,000 in scholarships for each eligible student. (more…)
This year six fine lawyers are joining our Board of Directors: Emily Batt is an associate in the Employment Law Department at Paul Hastings and also serves as the Pro Bono Coordinator for the firm's DC office. Before moving to the District, Emily attended University of Virginia School of Law, worked with the Legal Aid Justice Center and Migrant Farmworker Project, and coordinated UVA’s Immigration Law Program. Emily and her fiancé Noah enjoy hiking and camping with their dog, Liam (recently featured on The Dogs of Public Interest Law). (more…)
Our new board member, Emily Batt (Paul Hastings) has a great Australian Sheppard named Liam. Check out Liam and all the other public-interest dogs at The Dogs of Public Interest Law.
In addition to the main DC Pro Bono Week events, a series of affiliated trainings will take place before, during, and after Pro Bono Week. The full list is below: (more…)
Each fall, as part of the annual National Pro Bono celebration, we organize DC Pro Bono Week. DC Pro Bono Week 2017 takes place from October 22–28, and will offer lots of opportunities to do pro bono work, learn new pro bono skills, meet other pro bono lawyers, and expand your pro bono horizons. The full schedule of events is below. There are also a number of Affiliated Trainings taking place before, during, and after Pro Bono Week. (more…)
Celebrate National Dog Day with our first Honorary dog of public-interest law: Frankie, a diva adopted by NPR's Justice Department reporter, Carrie Johnson. (more…)
In June, we hosted The Supreme Court: View from the Press Gallery, in which a panel of top SCOTUS reporters and commentators discussed the 2016-2017 SCOUTS term. If you missed it, check out the full video (more…)
Dine Around for Justice is a fun and easy way to promote greater access to justice in the District of Columbia. On each Thursday in August, we will partner with a restaurant who will donate a portion of the day's proceeds to Washington Council of Lawyers. Dine Around for Justice will raise awareness and support for our mission of increasing access to free legal help for those in need. There are three opportunities this August to Dine Around for Justice. August 3: We invite you to make a reservation to dine at Farmers & Distillers (600 Massachusetts Avenue NW) on Thursday, August 3. Farmers & Distillers was named Best New Restaurant in 2017 by the Washington City Paper. Gather your friends and make plans to enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at Farmers & Distillers on August 3. You will enjoy an outstanding meal and support a worthy cause. August 17: Enjoy a meal anytime between 11 am and 1 pm at The Greene Turtle (601 F Street NW) on August 17. You must print and bring this Greene Turtle Flyer with you in order to participate. Enjoy burgers, crab cakes, salads, beer, and justice! August 31: Bid on a seat at the lunch table with Legal Services Corporation President Jim Sandman at RPM Italian (650 K Street NW). Five lucky winners will enjoy an antipasto, entree, and dessert as well as fantastic company and conversation. Jim Sandman is one of the best access-to-justice leaders issues in the country. Get the bidding started here! The online auction ends on August 24. Join us for one, two, or all three opportunities to Dine Around for Justice!
New at The Dogs of Public Interest Law: Ovi! Courtesy of Federal Public Defender Caroline Platt. Check out Ovi and all our other favorite public-interest pups at The Dogs of Public Interest Law on Pinterest.
We are now accepting nominations for our 2017 Legal Services Award and 2017 Government Pro Bono Award. Each year at our Awards Ceremony, we recognize the extraordinary work of some of the District's most dedicated public-interest and pro bono lawyers. Our 2017 Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, December 5. Our Legal Services Award recognizes a dynamic legal-services lawyer who represents low-income clients, works to improve access to justice, or thinks creatively to solve difficult legal problems. Our Government Pro Bono Award commends a dedicated government lawyer who also volunteers time to organize pro bono efforts or represent low-income clients. (more…)
For those who couldn't attend, we have the full video of Justice Ginsburg's discussion with the Brennan Center's Nicole Austin-Hillery at our 2017 Summer Forum. (more…)
Our 2017 Summer Forum is in the books. Thanks to Justice Ginsburg, everyone who helped plan the event, and all the students who attended! More photos to come soon… (more…)
The keynote speaker at our 2017 Summer Forum, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has had a landmark career both on and off the bench. Here are a few tidbits that you may not have known about her: (more…)
We are delighted to introduce our 2017 summer intern, Jackie Rogers. Jackie is a rising senior in the Honors College at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. She is majoring in Political Science and Economics; serves as VP of the Young Democrats Club; and represented the state of Oregon in College Debate 2016. Last summer, Jackie interned at the U.S. Senate for Senator Ron Wyden. She's also interested in the legal system and how it can improve. At a recent conference, Jackie presented on inclusivity in Supreme Court decisions, focusing on cases that changed social, legal, and political status quo. And this fall she'll take the LSAT and apply to law school. Interning with us is another outgrowth of her interests in activism and the law. "Washington Council of Lawyers provides everything I wanted in a summer internship," said Jackie. "The organization works to ensure everyone, regardless of income, has access to our justice system. I look forward to learning about the legal profession and public-interest law." We're thrilled to welcome Jackie back to Washington, DC and to work with her this summer. And we can't wait to see what she does with her legal career!
Today we welcome Christina Jackson as our new Deputy Director. Christina has spent her career helping lawyers and law students do public-interest work, and we're proud to welcome her to our staff. Before joining us, Christina served as the Director of Public Service Initiatives & Fellowships at NALP; before that, she was the Public Interest Specialist in the Office of Career & Professional Development at American University Washington College of Law. Christina has also practiced civil-rights employment-law for eight years in Georgia and Alabama, is a member of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, and is a former member of the Equal Justice Works National Advisory Committee. (more…)
