Table of Contents
WBA Upcoming Events
DMV BLACK BAR ASSOCIATION SUMMER KICKOFF
May 25, 2024, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, 6400 Clipper Way, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
2024 Annual Conference
DMV Bar Presidents’ Panel
Spotlights Black Leadership in Law
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
6:00pm. – 8:00pm
901 4th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
On May 21, the District of Columbia Bar is bringing together these three bar presidents — Charles R. Lowery Jr. of the D.C. Bar, Chidi James of the Virginia State Bar, and Jason DeLoach of the Maryland State Bar Association — for a groundbreaking conversation about leadership in law, their lived experiences navigating a profession that remains one of the least diverse in the nation, and issues and trends impacting the legal landscape.
Lowery, senior policy director for the National Housing Conference, has accumulated more than five decades of experience in public interest law and government service. He previously served as director of legislative policy and external affairs for New American Funding, where he directed the New American Dream Initiative to increase Black homeownership.
Tuesday’s conversation will also touch on diversity, authenticity, and mentorship as a Black lawyer. James, a partner at Blankingship & Keith, PC in Fairfax, Virginia, is the first African American president of the Virginia State Bar. Outside of law, James served in the Air National Guard for 25 years before retiring in 2022.
DeLoach is senior litigation attorney and vice president at Alexander & Cleaver, P.A. in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Since joining the firm in 1997, he has acquired extensive litigation experience in state and federal courts handling civil, commercial, and auto accident cases, as well as expertise in administrative proceedings and municipal law practice.
The DMV Presidents’ Panel will be hosted by Lisa Helem, executive editor at Bloomberg Industry Group where she leads editorial initiatives to engage a wider audience, including diverse and younger lawyers. Previously editor-in-chief of the National Law Journal, Helem was the first person of color to serve in that position.
The DMV Presidents’ Panel takes place on Tuesday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the D.C. Bar headquarters, 901 4th Street NW, Washington, DC. Admission is free and a networking reception will follow the panel.
For media inquiries, contact Meredith Jannsen, D.C. Bar director of marketing and communications, at 202-780-2870 or mjannsen@dcbar.org.
Honor and Remember the Life of Stephen J. Pollak
Friday, May 24, 2024
11:00am
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. – Great Hall
in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to honor and remember the life of former Civil Rights Division Assistant Attorney General, Stephen J. Pollak.
Mr. Pollak led the Civil Rights Division in 1967 and was instrumental in enactment of such landmark legislation as the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He passed away earlier this year.
Additional Opportunities
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,
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.
