The WBA Congratulates Hon. Ketanji Brown Jackson on her historic nomination to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

WBA Supreme Court Group Admissions

The WBA is pleased to announce an opportunity for WBA Members to participate in a U.S. SUPREME COURT GROUP ADMISSION

The deadline for WBA Members to submit applications is Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

The WBA’s group admissions ceremony will be held on Monday, May 2, 2022.

To be admitted to the Supreme Court Bar, you must:

  1. Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from the presiding judge, clerk, or other authorized official of the highest court of a State, Commonwealth, Territory or Possession, or of the District of Columbia, evidencing the fact that you have been a member of the Bar of such court for at least three years and are in good standing (Note: Electronic Certificates are available from the DC Bar: https://join.dcbar.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=DCBarCGSProdSelection);
  2. Not have received any adverse disciplinary action or pronouncement in effect during that three-year period;
  3. Be of good moral and professional character;
  4. Have two sponsors that are members of the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court who know you personally and are not related to you by blood or marriage (Note: the WBA may be able assist with this requirement—email info@washingtonbar.org if you are in need of sponsors).
  5. Pay an admission fee of $200.00 (cashier’s check or money order only, made payable to “Supreme Court of the United States”)

WBA Members who are interested in participating in this extraordinary opportunity should complete the Supreme Court application for admission, located here:

IMPORTANT: Be sure to follow the instructions for completing the form, located here:

There are 2 ways to submit your materials: (1-Completed application, 2-Certificate of Good Standing, and 3-a $200 cashier’s check or money order—Note, applications must be in hard copy with wet signatures—no e-signatures allowed)

  1. Deliver them in-person at the WBA’s General Body Meeting on Thursday, February 17 (General Body meeting details and RSVP link are available in newsletter, below); OR
  2. Submit them by UPS or FedEx for delivery by Wednesday, March 2 to:

Kendra P. Norwood
Wiley Rein LLP
2050 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

QUESTIONS? Contact us at info@washingtonbar.org

WBA Events Recap

Thank you for your support at the WBA’s Black History Month program, Excellence Exemplified: Reflections on Charles Hamilton Houston featuring guest speaker Dr. Genna Rae McNeil, Professor Emerita of History at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a scholar of African American and U.S. Constitutional History.

WBA Upcoming Events

WBA Health & Wellness Committee presents

Pop-up Event: Bonfire & Hot Chocolate

In-Person (Outdoor event) on Thursday, March 3 from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm at Ivy City Smokehouse, 1356 Okie St NE, Washington, DC

This is the first of a few pop-up events this year to help us re-center ourselves among the demands of our professional and personal lives. At the event, we’ll connect and reevaluate our intentions for the year by asking the question, “What am I letting go of to create space for my intentions?” We’ll answer this question through an artful process of letting go. This also will be a time to have fun!

If you plan to attend, RSVP to Edward Fultz at efultz@reedsmith.com by Wednesday, March 2.

The Health & Wellness Committee plans to schedule more pop-up events from bike rides to pilates classes this year. Stay tuned!

Save the Date!

The WBA and WBAEF Annual Law Day Dinner

The WBA and WBAEF Annual Law Day Dinner is quickly approaching on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Save the date and make plans to join us in celebrating WBA and WBAEF accomplishments and recognizing our prestigious honorees and law student scholarship winners.

Black History Month Life Membership Discount

In Recognition of Black History Month WBA Life Membership Will Be Offered at the Discounted Rate of $1500 (regularly $2000)

Take Advantage of This Special Rate and Become a WBA Life Member Today!

All New Life Member Applications Should Be Submitted Electronically through the WBA’s New and Improved Website:

Click the “APPLY” button under the “Life Membership” category. Discount will be automatically applied at checkout. Credit card payments will incur a 3% processing fee. Payments by check should be mailed to the address provided on the invoice generated upon submitting an application, and postmarked by the offer expiration date.

Offer Expires February 28, 2022

Life Membership is the most prestigious level of membership in the WBA. Any lawyer who meets the requirements of Regular Membership and makes the designated lump sum payment of one-time dues shall be eligible for designation as a Life Member of the Association. Life Members shall have all the rights and privileges of Regular Membership in the Association, but are not required to pay annual dues and shall receive other special member benefits and recognition for life.

WBAEF Charles Hamilton Houston Scholarship Essay Competition

The Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation, Inc. (WBAEF) is pleased to announce the 2022 Charles Hamilton Houston (CHH) Scholarship Essay Competition. Members of the 2022 WBAEF CHH Scholarship Committee are WBAEF President Charlyn M. Stanberry, WBAEF Vice President Gavin H. Logan, WBAEF Secretary Brittani Gordon, WBAEF Scholarship Chair Henry E. Floyd, Jr., WBAEF Immediate Past President Jason A. Grant, and WBAEF Fundraising Chair Chibundu Nnake.

Law students currently enrolled in D.C.-area law schools are invited to participate in the CHH Essay Competition. Entrants will submit an essay on the topic: “Can the federal government require all students attending schools and universities that receive federal funding to be vaccinated against COVID-19 if age-appropriate vaccines are available?” Essays must be in typewritten form, using a 12-point font, double spaced on 8 ½ x 11” white paper with 1-inch margins; not to exceed ten (10) pages. Essays will be judged on the following criteria: (1) appropriateness; (2) clarity; (3) organization; (4) creativity; and (5) documentation of works cited. Monetary scholarships are awarded to the first ($5,000.00), second ($3,500.00) and third ($2,000.00) place winners. Checks will be made payable to the respective law student winners.

Disclaimer: The WBAEF Scholarship Committee has the authority to decrease essay scholarship award amounts based on the quality of essay submissions.

Essays must be submitted on or before the deadline of Friday, March 4, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EST via email only. Entries will be judged and scored based on the criteria above. Essay submissions must be emailed in PDF format to WBAEF Scholarship Chair, Henry E. Floyd, Jr., at hfloydesq@gmail.com.

Winners of the CHH Essay Competition will be presented during the Washington Bar Association, Inc.’s and Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation, Inc.’s 2022 Law Day Dinner scheduled for Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Attendance is required to receive scholarship awards. More details forthcoming.

Please direct all questions to CHH Scholarship Chair Henry E. Floyd, Jr. at his respective email address above.

Critical Race Theory: Understanding a Legal Practice Gone Viral

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.