Presidents Reception Celebrates $1 Million Raised for Pro Bono Center
June 18, 2026
More than 300 people showed up to the Presidents Reception on Tuesday, June 16, to welcome incoming Bar president Diane Seltzer and to raise funds to support the life-changing work of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center.
The reception, held for the first time at the D.C. Bar headquarters, highlighted the Pro Bono Center's extraordinary year, raising $1,029,000 to continue to serve thousands of individuals with housing, family law, consumer bankruptcy, immigration, public benefits and probate matters. The center, whose work is entirely funded by voluntary contributions, is the largest provider of legal assistance in the District.
Executive Director Kelli Neptune estimated that the Pro Bono Center provided nearly 18,000 hours of free representation in the past fiscal year, saving clients approximately $9 million in legal fees.
"Our housing staff handled [thousands of] intakes through the Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network, continuing our deep commitment to keeping D.C. residents housed," Neptune said. "Our family law team of three [attorneys] helped more than 550 parents and caregivers navigate critical family law matters. We are also proud of our transactional pro bono legal assistance [program], where we served nearly 660 small businesses and community-based nonprofits."
"Every day, our staff and volunteers witness what access to justice means. It means a tenant has [been] helped [to] stay safely housed; it means a parent can navigate a custody matter with guidance and support; it means small businesses and nonprofits can keep serving our neighborhoods," she added.
Neptune also talked about the Pro Bono Center overcoming some of the potential funding challenges it faced this year, particularly the D.C. government's proposed 86 percent budgetary cut of the Access to Justice Initiative — from $31.79 million in 2026 to $4.9 million in 2027.
"We are deeply grateful to the D.C. Council for supporting full restoration of that funding," Neptune said, receiving rousing applause. "I want to particularly thank Chairman [Phil] Mendelson for his leadership and unwavering advocacy for the [Access to Justice] Initiative."
Neptune touched upon two additional achievements — its collaboration with the tech company YOUTOPIAN and the D.C. Court of Appeals to create a virtual and immersive 360-degree tour of the courthouse and the forthcoming launch of the center's AI-powered natural language telephone assistance system.
"[That will] transform our legal information helpline into a dynamic, interactive, and expanded multilingual resource," Neptune said. "Our legal information helpline gets [more than] 14,000 calls a year. The AI platform is designed to better assist callers in identifying legal issues, providing them with legal information, and connecting them to staff if they have needs."
Making Justice Real
Among the most moving moments of the evening were the testimonies from a volunteer attorney and from a former Pro Bono Center client.
Negassi Tesfamichael, an associate at King & Spalding LLP, shared the story of a mother of two living in Southeast Washington, D.C., who had spent years dealing with unsafe housing conditions, including mold, cockroaches, and deteriorating fixtures. Although his client had successfully represented herself and secured a settlement requiring her landlord to inspect and repair the property, the landlord failed to comply with the agreement.
Tesfamichael praised the client's determination, noting that pro bono attorneys should recognize the courage and perseverance many clients demonstrate while advocating for themselves. "I think it is important to remember that while we are advocates for our clients, they also work very hard to represent themselves," Tesfamichael said.
With support from the Pro Bono Center, Tesfamichael helped the client enforce the settlement agreement by drafting legal filings and pressuring the landlord to complete the required repairs. As winter approached and the apartment's heating system failed, securing those repairs became even more urgent.
Ultimately, the landlord fulfilled the terms of the agreement, resulting in a favorable outcome for the family. "This case really exemplified the very best of pro bono representation," Tesfamichael said.
Nailah Williams shared how the Pro Bono Center helped her rebuild her life after fleeing an abusive relationship in New York and relocating to Washington, D.C., with her young son. Living in a shelter and facing a complicated custody case without the financial means to hire an attorney, she turned to the Pro Bono Center for help. Within 24 hours of receiving a referral, Williams met with an attorney who explained her legal rights and represented her in court. As a result, Williams was awarded sole custody of her son and secured child support, providing stability during a difficult period in their lives.
"I often think, what would have happened if I walked into that courtroom alone?" Williams said.
Williams added that the Pro Bono Center's support extended beyond her custody case, assisting her with housing issues and later helping enforce custody and child support orders. She credited the organization with giving her and her son a safer future, especially after her son was diagnosed with autism.
Reflecting on her experience, Williams emphasized that access to free legal representation can be life-changing for families in crisis. She concluded by thanking the center's supporters, adding that "justice is not for only people who can afford it."
A Privilege and a Responsibility
Current D.C. Bar President Sadina Montani said that it's "a real privilege" to support the Pro Bono Center. "As lawyers, we do have a responsibility to ensure that our neighbors with limited means have meaningful access to justice," Montani said. "[That] means every hour that we serve and every dollar that we donate advances justice, equity, and fairness for our communities."
After thanking many of the donors and sponsors who attended the event, Montani introduced Seltzer, who will be sworn in on June 18 at the D.C. Bar's annual Celebration of Leadership. "[Seltzer] brings to this role a remarkable record of service, leadership, and dedication to our profession," Montani said. "As principal of the Seltzer Law Firm, she's a respected employment lawyer, a generous mentor and teacher, and a longtime contributor to the D.C. Bar."
"Within the Bar, [Seltzer] has served with distinction on the Board of Governors, Strategic Planning Committee, Continuing Legal Education Committee, which she chaired for three years, and most recently as one of my personal emotional support presidents," Montani continued.
After thanking Montani for her leadership, Seltzer joked, "My goal is to not mess things up." Seltzer applauded the Pro Bono Center's achievement of raising more than a million dollars. "The goal was to raise $1,010,000. So, we blew past that goal," Seltzer said, "and it was led by [Development Committee] co-chair Sally Gere."
"The Pro Bono Center stands for this very simple but urgent principle: Justice can't be reserved only for people who can afford it," Seltzer said. "This work of the Pro Bono Center matters so deeply; it connects people in moments of need … with attorneys who can help them understand their rights and advocate for them. That's really why so many of us are deemed lawyers in the first place. Sometimes, it is more than just getting money for somebody; it is about getting justice. And to get to do that kind of work is a privilege, and I'm really glad that this Bar is so good at it."
