Notice of WBA Annual Meeting and Conference

RSVP by May 27, 2022

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

American University Washington College of Law
Grossman Hall Conference Center
4300 Nebraska Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016

Annual Meeting: 5:30 p.m. (Members Only)
Annual Conference: 6:00 p.m. (Open to the Public)
Reception to Follow

Generously co-sponsored by:

  • Dr. J. Clay Smith, Jr. Memorial Equal Justice Lecture and Scholarship Presentation
  • WBA 2022 Hall of Fame Ceremony
  • Inaugural Joseph H. Hairston Vanguard Award Presentation
  • Presidential Awards
  • Induction of Officers
  • ***Additional Details to Follow***

COVID-19 protocols will be strictly enforcedClick below to view the requirements. 

Tax-deductible donations in support of the Dr. J. Clay Smith, Jr. Equal Justice Scholar’s Award
may be made through the WBA Educational Foundation at the link below.

WBA Upcoming Events

Let’s Kick-Off the Summer with a DMV Black Bar Association Top Golf Event!

The major Black Bar Associations in the DMV are coming together to kick-off the summer season with an epic social event that is guaranteed to be fun for all! The Washington Bar Association, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association (representing Black attorneys in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties), and the NoVA Black Bar Association (representing Black attorneys in Northern Virginia) will jointly host this event at the Top Golf sports and entertainment complex at National Harbor on May 21st from 1 pm to 3pm.

Ticket sales will continue through Wednesday, May 18 for $50 per person plus a $1.50 credit card processing fee.

Tickets include unlimited food, non-alcoholic drinks, and of course, high-tech golf in a private space reserved exclusively for our groups. This event promises to be an incredible opportunity for Black attorneys of all ages and backgrounds to meet their counterparts from all sides of the Potomac. This is an incredible opportunity to build friendships and establish relationships that will be beneficial both inside and outside the courtroom.

Tickets will NOT be available on the day of the event, or at the door. Space is limited, and once the WBA’s allocation of tickets are gone, they’re gone. THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT! So be sure to purchase your tickets ASAP once they go on sale. Non-member guests are welcome to attend

Join NBA Region XII for the oral advocacy presentation of this year’s winning candidate in the
MLK Drum Major for Justice Competition

The winning candidate will speak on this year’s 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?

Saturday, May 21, 2022, 10:00 a.m.

Via Zoom
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/84892251171?pwd=UkVmek9sU2Z5WVhVbGJLUTRFQk5nUT09

Meeting ID: 848 9225 1171
Passcode: 053643

Please Save The Date for These Additional Upcoming

WBA Events!

Date Event
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

2022 Annual Law Day Dinner

On behalf of the WBA and WBA Educational Foundation, Thank You for making the 2022 Law Day Dinner a tremendous success!

Stay Tuned for official photographs and event recaps!

WBA Endorsements

WBA Endorses

Charles R. Lowery, Jr.

for DC Bar President-Elect

The Washington Bar Association, Inc. (WBA) is pleased to announce the endorsement of WBA member Charles R. Lowery, Jr. for DC Bar President-Elect. Mr. Lowery has made significant contributions to the Washington Bar Association and we encourage all WBA members to support him.

Charles R. Lowery, Jr. is the director of legislative policy and external affairs at New American Funding, where he shapes the company’s legislative and regulatory research and analysis. Building on 20 years of experience in mortgage and housing advocacy, he works with national organizations to advance the company’s mission of increasing minority homeownership.

Previously, Lowery served as director of state regulatory relations for Ocwen Financial Corporation and as interim senior director and director of fair lending for the NAACP. In addition, he was acting director of Military Saves, a program coordinated by the Consumer Federation of America that encourages savings and helps reduce debt among military members. He holds an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School.

WBA Endorses

Karen A. Newton Cole

for DC Bar Board of Governors

The Washington Bar Association is pleased to announce the endorsement of WBA member Karen A. Newton Cole for DC Bar Board of Governors. Ms. Cole is an active member of the Washington Bar Association and we encourage all WBA members to support her.

Karen A. Newton Cole is the Executive Director of Neighborhood Legal Services Program (NLSP) of the District of Columbia. She has served as NLSP’s chief executive since July 2017. Under her leadership, NLSP has expanded its SE presence – opening a neighborhood law office with attorneys from 3 practice areas and launched a new practice, the Economic Security Unit. In 2018, Ms. Newton Cole initiated NLSP’s Community Share Sessions to obtain input from NLSP clients and DC communities. In 2018, Ms. Newton Cole received the Advocate for Justice Award from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. Currently, Ms. Newton Cole serves as the Co-Chair of the DC Consortium of Legal Services Providers.

Prior to joining NLSP, Ms. Newton Cole was a member of the Senior Executive Service with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for almost 20 years. While at HUD, she served in several key leadership roles including as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Troubled Agency Recovery in the Office of Public and Indian Housing, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations and Management in the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, the Director of the Office of Receivership Oversight, the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer and the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

Ms. Newton Cole graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received her Juris Doctor from Antioch School of Law.

NBA Upcoming Events

DC Bar Diversity in Appellate Practice Partnership

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN: tips on strong brief writing and oral advocacy, moot court opportunities, information on judicial clerkships, and/or connecting with fellow attorneys?

If so, join our bank of lawyers who practice, or are interested in, appellate law. You will be connected with experienced appellate lawyers who can assist you in developing your moot court panel, provide oral argument and briefing writing tips, and/or just join the growing conversation around concerns for diversity and inclusion in appellate practice. Members of affinity bars, including the National Bar Association’s Appellate Section, have been invited to join in order to provide a greater bank of appellate attorneys practicing at all levels. We hope the conversation will develop into discussions and presentations relevant to area practicing appellate attorneys.

Click below to be added to our appellate directory and to receive notices of upcoming events and discussion opportunities. We hope you’ll join us!

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.