Washington Lawyer - July/August 2020 - 37

Resiliency in a Time of Crisis
The D.C. Bar wrapped up its ambitious five-year strategic
plan in fiscal year 2019-2020, which also saw the
organization weather an unprecedented global health
crisis and prove its resiliency and ability to support its
members through challenging times. With its strong
leadership and dedicated staff, the Bar delivered on its
five key priorities: leading within the legal profession,
empowering individuals, enhancing member value,
providing public service and professional excellence, and
fostering community and connections.
The Bar swiftly responded to the coronavirus pandemic by
transitioning fully to remote work, maintaining continuity of
operations while ensuring the safety of its staff, members,
and volunteers. The Lawyer Assistance Program, Legal
Ethics Program, and Practice Management Advisory
Service sprang into action to ensure members have the
support they need to cope with the pandemic by curating a
list of resources on financial aid options, addressing issues
surrounding mental health and wellness, providing best
practices for working remotely, and advising members on
their ethical obligations. The Attorney/Client Arbitration
Board worked quickly to transition to virtual hearings
within weeks of the Bar's office closure.
In March 2020, the Board of Governors approved and
subsequently submitted the Rules of Professional
Conduct Review Committee's proposed amendments
to selected rules to the D.C. Court of Appeals for
its consideration. The report proposes amendments
to Rules 1.1 (Competence), 1.6 (Confidentiality), 3.8
(Special Duties of a Prosecutor), 4.4 (Rights of Third
Parties), and 5.3 (Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer
Assistants).
During this fiscal year, the Bar leveraged the latest
technologies to increase efficiency of service. Member
Services launched an online portal for firm billing
administrators, created an online Certificate of Good
Standing order and fulfillment process, and moved to
online invoicing for license renewal. It also added 10
member benefits partners to its affinity program.
Similarly, the D.C. Bar Communities, which support
more than 31,500 memberships across 21 practice areas,
increased member value by presenting more than 350
programs, made possible through the efforts of 1,000-plus
volunteer planners and speakers. The new Law Student
Community premiered its "Let's Brief It" podcast, the
inaugural series of the D.C. Bar Communities Podcast
Network. This year Communities achieved other firsts,

such as making the D.C. Practice Manual available to
members in electronic format and hosting its 21st Annual
Youth Law Fair virtually.
Demonstrating the Bar's commitment to quality
programming that empowers attorneys, the Continuing
Legal Education Program conducted more than 200
courses, 70 of which were new offerings. More than
150 of these classes were offered simultaneously as
webinars. Several courses addressed topics related to
the coronavirus pandemic such as the CARES Act and
teleworking. The CLE Program also successfully converted
the Mandatory Course on the District of Columbia Rules of
Professional Conduct and D.C. Practice into an on-demand
program.
Recognizing the evolving challenges in the business
of law, the Global Legal Practice Committee continued
its study of alternative business structures and
multidisciplinary practice, requesting public comment
and conducting a member survey on these topics. It also
continued to examine alternative methods of delivering
legal services to individuals.
None of the Bar's successes would have been possible
without support from its IT Department. By implementing
its Risk Registry and Business Continuity Plan, Bar staff
were prepared for remote work. Even before making
virtual operations possible, the department had already
established Board of Governors and committee portals,
streamlining access to meeting and background materials;
improved the D.C. Bar election user platform; and created
a portal for law firm administrators.
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, which is supported entirely
by voluntary contributions, continues to transform lives
and serve more than 20,000 individuals, nonprofits,
and small businesses annually. The Center also helped
a record-breaking 1,559 people at its monthly Advice
& Referral Clinics and another 194 individuals at its
quarterly Immigration Legal Advice & Referral Clinic. As
the pandemic hit, the Center adapted quickly to serving
clients remotely, setting up dedicated phone lines for its
resource centers and clinics, developing COVID-19-specific
content for LawHelp.org/DC, and helping nonprofits and
small businesses to apply for federal funds.
Looking forward, the Bar continued its 2020-2025
strategic planning process, forming a Strategic Planning
Committee, disseminating a membership survey, and
facilitating more than 30 focus groups.
http://www.LawHelp.org/DC
Washington Lawyer - July/August 2020

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