Practice makes progress. Being a good advocate requires a wide variety of skills. That’s why our Lawyering Skills Series has expanded to focus on all the practical and soft skills you need for policy, transactional, and litigation work.
Most trainings in our Lawyering Skills Series sessions are interactive, featuring both demonstrations and a chance to get on your feet to practice your skills. Our faculty are experienced, talented, and devoted to pro bono and public-interest lawyers. Past faculty has included judges from DC Superior Court and DC Court of Appeals, experienced litigators at DC law firms, corporate counsel, and seasoned advocates from legal services organizations, the DC and federal government, and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.
Our trainings are comprehensive, focused, and affordable – they cost far less than comparable trainings offered elsewhere.
The trainings for our 2025-2026 year include:
- Managing the Mission: Administrative Strategies for High-Volume Public Interest Practice – Thursday, September 30; 12:00 – 1:30 pm; Virtual – Register today!
- Advanced Objections – Friday, November 13; 12:00 – 2:30 pm; Arnold & Porter (601 Massachusetts Ave NW)
- Responding to the Unexpected: Improv for Lawyers – January 2027
- Impeachment – February 2027
- Trauma Informed Client Support – March 2027
- Trial Advocacy Sessions – May 2027
On your feet practice is a hallmark of many of the Lawyering Skills sessions. Attendees breakout into small groups and practice what they’ve learned. Being a facilitator of a breakout room is a great way to meet new advocates and give back to our community. If you have 4 or more years of experience, we welcome you to volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering, please let us know by filling out this Facilitator Interest Form and we will contact you when we are looking for facilitators to join us at trainings.
Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of the D.C. Bar Foundation. The list of DC Bar Foundation Partner Organizations is here. If you are working for any of these organizations when registering for Washington Council of Lawyers’ Lawyering Skills Series trainings, please submit your registration through the scholarship request form on the registration page.
If you have any questions, please contact Program Director Chris Marin at cmarin@wclawyers.org.