2022 Trailblazer Awards

Overview

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the District of Columbia Bar, the Communities Office seeks to recognize and honor Community members who stand out in their respective practice areas by exhibiting excellence in their professional and personal lives, as well as dedication to the mission of the D.C. Bar and D.C. Bar Communities. The 2022 Trailblazer Awards will be presented to a member of each of the 20 Communities.

The winners of this award will be honored at the Bar’s annual conference in June 2022. They will receive a plaque, special recognition for their selection in this inaugural class, and free registration for the Celebration of Leadership dinner and awards ceremony.

Nominations are open March 1 and close March 30. Feel free to self-nominate or submit a nomination on behalf of a member you feel embodies the qualities the D.C. Bar promotes. See application and eligibility requirements below. For more information, email [email protected].

Eligibility Criteria

1. Must be a current member of the D.C. Bar and D.C. Bar Communities
2. Submit a Resume (resume optional if nominating someone else) and Statement of Accomplishments
3. Elected members of a Community Steering Committee or appointed members of the Communities Committee are eligible but must recuse themselves from participating in any aspect of the selection process.

Selection criteria to be considered in favor of a nominee (non-exhaustive):

1. Specific career accomplishments demonstrated by: peer review/recognition, judicial achievements, publications, academic record, or other ground-breaking advancements in their specific practice area (i.e., Tax, Criminal Law, Torts, etc.)
2. Leadership and/or participation within the D.C. Bar and/or a specific Community (i.e. D.C. Bar voluntary bar representative, D.C. Bar Committee or D.C. Bar Communities Subcommittee)
3. Leadership and participation within the legal community as a whole
4. Pro Bono service (does not have to be with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center)
5. General community service
6. Work to promote or enhance DEI within legal profession
7. Mentorship/work with students

Criteria NOT considered against a nominee:

1. Physical location. The D.C. Bar Communities boasts 18,000+ members from across the country. A nominee does not have to be a resident of D.C., MD, or Virginia to be eligible.
2. Age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religious affiliation, or lack thereof, physical disability/ability, socioeconomic status, law school ranking or GPA.

Trailblazer Nomination Forms

Administrative Law and Agency Practice Community
Antitrust and Consumer Law Community
Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Community
Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Community
Criminal Law and Individual Rights Community
District of Columbia Affairs Community
Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Community
Estates, Trusts and Probate Law Community
Family Law Community
Government Contracts Community
Health Law Community
Intellectual Property Law Community
International Law Community
Labor and Employment Law Community
Law Practice Management Community
Litigation Community
Public Interest and Courts Community
Real Estate, Housing and Land Use Community
Taxation Community
Tort Law Community