“I have dedicated my career to ensuring that the words engraved on the front of the Supreme Court building,
‘Equal Justice Under Law,’ are a reality and not just an ideal” – Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Congratulations Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson!

The Washington Bar Association, Inc. (WBA) congratulates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on her confirmation to the United States Supreme Court.

In a historic move, the Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the United States Supreme Court! We celebrate this moment as the first Black woman will sit on the highest court in the land. We celebrate her work as a public defender, a lawyer, a member of the Sentencing Commission, and her tenure as a District and Circuit Court Judge.

The WBA is filled with pride and joy about Judge Jackson’s confirmation, not only because she is such an exceptionally qualified Black woman jurist, but also because of her strong record on civil rights and her clear dedication to equal justice under law.

WBA Upcoming Events

The WBA is pleased to join the Washington Council of Lawyers as a Co-Sponsor for

A Candidate Forum – Attorney General Democratic Primary

This event is free to all, but registration, masks, and proof of vaccination are required to attend. Livestream information will be provided prior to the forum. Registration information can be found below.

Join us to hear how candidates for D.C. Attorney General will address access to justice and other major issues if elected to serve the District. All candidates on the June 21 primary ballot have confirmed attendance.

Our conversation with the candidates will be moderated by Colby King, Columnist for the Washington Post and the Deputy Editor of the Post’s editorial page, and Shelley Broderick, Dean Emerita and Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. Chair of Social Justice at UDC David A. Clarke School of Law.

All attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions when they register. You can also tweet questions and comments before or during the forum using the hashtag #DCAGForum22.

Other co-sponsoring organizations include GWAC; the ACLU of DC; Council for Court Excellence; DC Access to Justice Commission; and the DC Bar DC Affairs Community, just to name a few.

WE ARE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE 2022 LAW DAY DINNER IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT!

The WBA and WBAEF Annual Law Day Dinner

The WBA is truly thankful for the support of our generous members, friends and sponsors who have made the sell-out of the 2022 Law Day Dinner possible.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Conrad on May 7, 2022. It’s not too late to advertise to the approximately 300 individuals who will attend the 2022 Law Day Dinner!

Click the button for details on how to purchase an ad for placement in the 2022 Law Day program booklet.

You can still show your support by making a Friend of the WBA” donation that will help the WBA and WBA Educational Foundation.

raise additional funds for law student scholarships and mission-oriented programming.

All “Friend of the WBA” donors will be recognized in the 2022 Law Day program booklet.

Please Save The Date for These Additional Upcoming

WBA Events!

Date Event
April 28, 2022 Black Legal Excellence in Technology Virtual Panel Discussion
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
May 14, 2022 Returning Citizens Expungement Fair
Mt. Moriah Baptist Church
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
May 21, 2022 Virtual Career Success Bootcamp for Law Students and Young Lawyers
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
May 21, 2022 DMV Black Bar Association Summer Kick-Off Mixer at Top Golf National Harbor
Co-Sponsored with The J. Franklin Bourne Bar Association of Maryland and the Northern Virginia Black Bar Association
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

June 1, 2022 WBA Annual Meeting, Conference, Awards Ceremony and Induction of Officers
American University Washington College of Law
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

NBA Upcoming Events

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Justice Advocacy Competition provides high school juniors & seniors an opportunity to win a $5,000 college scholarship by expressing their views, both orally and in writing, on a pre-selected topic. Students submitting an essay responding to the question below may be invited to compete in the National Bar Association Region XII oral advocacy competition, held virtually on May 21, 2022.

For more details, email nbaregion12dc@gmail.com.

2022 MLK Oral Advocacy Competition Question:

If Dr. King were alive today, would he support canceling student loan debt in hopes of giving Blacks financial freedom and a better quality of life? Would Dr. King support student loans or tuition-free colleges? If so, explain why? If not, explain why not?

DC Refers

DC Refers was created to increase access to justice for people of modest means in the District of Columbia. Many people in the District of Columbia earn too much to qualify for free legal services from pro bono lawyers or nonprofit legal aid providers, but do not earn enough to afford the rates that most lawyers charge for their services. People whose income falls between 200-400% of the federal poverty guidelines often have limited or no option to obtain legal assistance. We seek to fill that justice gap.

DC Refers invites lawyers with at least two years of experience in their practice area to apply to join our online directory of reduced fee lawyers. Attorneys who join our directory are not required to accept any particular client referral. But if they do accept a client who qualifies for a reduced rate, the lawyer may not charge the client more than $150 per hour. Of course, clients who do not qualify for a reduced rate may be charged the attorney’s normal rate.

If you know someone who would benefit from our services, please share our fliers in English or Spanish.

To learn more about DC Refers or join our directory visit our website https://dcrefers.org/ or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin,

Job and Mentorship Opportunities

The Washington Bar Association, Inc. (WBA) is pleased to share the following opportunities, and we encourage you to share this information with others who may be interested.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE. DONATE NOW!

Every donation – no matter the amount – is extremely valuable to the Washington Bar Association. Your contribution will help the WBA support professional development and address the related needs of Black lawyers in the District of Columbia, while furthering our commitment to social justice and advocacy efforts on behalf of the Black community.