D.C. Pro Bono Week 2022 Spotlights Opportunities to Give Back
October 26, 2022
The D.C. legal community kicked off Pro Bono Week on October 24, lining up events centered on the theme of law in everyday life.
Organized by the Washington Council of Lawyers, this year’s event explores local pro bono needs and volunteer opportunities and includes training and informational sessions, clinics, vital fundraising, and recognition of those whose work has benefitted our neighbors in need of legal assistance.
Featuring welcome remarks from D.C. Court of Appeals Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby and D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Anita Josey-Herring, the celebration opened with a virtual panel discussion on programs that assist District residents with criminal record expungements, landlord–tenant matters, immigration proceedings, and other pressing issues.
“Ensuring access to justice is the number one goal in our D.C. Courts’ strategic plan. It has been for our last five-year plan and will be for our next five-year plan, which commences in 2023,” Blackburne-Rigsby said.
This intention faces challenges, however, as the Court of Appeals has recently experienced a surge in pro se litigants. Blackburne-Rigsby said more than half of the administrative agency appeals relating to public benefits like unemployment and workers’ compensation were filed by unrepresented individuals.
“An attorney would make a huge difference in assisting litigants in more timely receipt of the benefits they are entitled to,” Blackburne-Rigsby said, noting that mediation is another area where attorneys can make significant contribution to the efficient administration of justice.
Chief Judge Josey-Herring also expressed her appreciation of those who provide pro bono services. “The work you do makes it possible for us at the court to realize our mission of being open to all, trusted by all, and delivering justice for all. We are grateful for all that you do assisting those who appear before the court and applaud your dedication to justice,” she said.
A session held later in the afternoon, “Access to Justice in Family Law: Everyone Deserves a Lawyer,” examined the critical need for pro bono representation in a variety of cases impacting families. Panelists shared their experiences and discussed volunteer opportunities to assist parents or caregivers and protect the interests of children.
Jennifer Masi, pro bono director of the Children’s Law Center, described the scope of issues facing families in the District. “Some of the recent statistics on representation in Family Court in D.C. Superior Court [show] that 83 to 93 percent of litigants go unrepresented,” Masi said. “This results in big challenges for judges to get the relevant information they need to make critical decisions concerning a child’s life and care. This year’s Pro Bono Week theme, broadly, is law in everyday life, and it doesn’t get much more everyday life than family.”
The panelists also underscored the need for pro bono counsel to shelve judgment and approach clients with cultural sensitivity. “The reality is that [for] the litigants we’re serving in D.C., where more than 107,000 people live below the poverty line, 25 percent of children live in poverty,” said Jenadee Nanini, family law staff attorney with the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. “It is a vast range of people who are the victims of failing systems all around them: the criminal justice system, the education system, the health care system.”
Nanini and her colleagues called upon the potential volunteers in attendance to challenge themselves by representing an individual who might upset their own preconceptions. “It’s so easy to take the case that is the feel-good story, right?” Nanini said. “Those are very important, but also stop and challenge yourself. Maybe the parent just got released from prison and needs help with reentry and getting their child back. Maybe the parent does have a [criminal protective order], but it was years ago and now wants to reestablish contact with their child. I want to challenge you to look at that case list differently and be willing to go outside of your comfort zone.”
D.C. Pro Bono Week activities continue through October 28, with scheduling information found here.
On October 27, the D.C. Superior Court will hold an open house where representatives from legal services organizations in the District will lead tours in some of the court’s high-volume branches. During the tour, individuals will have an opportunity to observe court proceedings, speak with Superior Court judges, and learn how they can help expand access to justice and improve the everyday lives of individuals and families in our community.
The tour starts at 11:50 a.m. Masks are required at all times inside the courthouse.
