Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 59

Adapting
in a Crisis
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center responded
to unprecedented challenges to serve
people in need in 2019-2020.

W

hen the Pro Bono Center's fiscal year began in July
2019, no one could have predicted how our world
and our city would drastically change by mid-March.
Although the global pandemic deeply affected all our lives,
D.C. residents living on low-incomes were particularly
vulnerable to the public health and economic devastation
caused by COVID-19. Longstanding racial inequities
exacerbated the divide.
When D.C. entered quarantine and the Superior Court
closed its doors, the Pro Bono Center immediately adapted
to meet the needs of our clients. Activating dedicated
resource center and clinic phone lines and offering virtual
clinics, the Center quickly began serving clients remotely.
By June, our staff had fielded 981 calls from individuals
seeking legal help.
Even in the midst of the pandemic, the Center was able to
launch the new Family Law Assistance Network as planned in
March. Partnering with the DC Affordable Law Firm and the
Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, we represented
more than 200 family law litigants with urgent legal needs.
COVID-19 created unprecedented stress for small businesses
vital to the economic life of District neighborhoods and
for nonprofits that vulnerable residents rely on for critical

During the pandemic, Pro Bono Center volunteers
and staff served the community through virtual
clinics, webinars and dedicated phone lines.

services. Our Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance
Programs responded with timely webinars and legal clinics
focused on financial assistance programs, commercial leases,
employment law, and reopening safely, serving a recordbreaking 3,175 organizations during the year.
Support from D.C. Bar members makes our work possible.
Together, we ensure that access to justice is a reality for
our neighbors. With an uncertain future, our clients are
experiencing greater obstacles than ever before. With help
from our loyal donors, volunteers, and partners, we will
continue to serve families facing eviction, individuals with
disabilities unable to work, parents seeking to preserve their
families, nonprofits and small businesses struggling to keep
their doors open, and others who need a lawyer to stand
with them to protect their rights.
The Pro Bono Center is proud to highlight our recent
accomplishments and recognize our most generous
contributors in the following pages. Thank you for helping
us serve the community through this crisis.

The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is supported
entirely by voluntary contributions from generous
donors, not D.C. Bar license renewal fees.
www.dcbar.org/pro-bono

@DCBarProBono


http://www.dcbar.org/pro-bono

Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020

Digital Extras
Your Voice
From Our President
Practice Management
Calendar of Events
Family Law Assistance Network feature
An Avalanche of Evictions feature
Pro Bono Partnerships Forged in Crisis feature
Help for Pro Se Litigants Feature
Qualified Immunity feature
Taking Legal Support to the Streets feature
Taking the Stand Turning off the White Noise of Systemic Racism
Taking the Stand Situational Principles Aren't Really Principles
On Further Review
The Learning Curve
Member Spotlight - A. Benjamin Spencer
Member Spotlight - Amber Harding
Worth Reading
Attorney Briefs
Speaking of Ethics
Disciplinary Summaries
Pro Bono Effect
A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Cover1
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Cover2
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 1
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 2
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 3
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Digital Extras
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Your Voice
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - From Our President
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 7
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Practice Management
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Calendar of Events
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Family Law Assistance Network feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 11
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 12
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 13
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - An Avalanche of Evictions feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 15
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 16
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 17
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Pro Bono Partnerships Forged in Crisis feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 19
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 20
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 21
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 22
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 23
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 24
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 25
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Help for Pro Se Litigants Feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 27
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 28
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 29
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Qualified Immunity feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 31
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 32
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 33
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Taking Legal Support to the Streets feature
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 35
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 36
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 37
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Taking the Stand Turning off the White Noise of Systemic Racism
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 39
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Taking the Stand Situational Principles Aren't Really Principles
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 41
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - On Further Review
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - The Learning Curve
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Member Spotlight - A. Benjamin Spencer
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Member Spotlight - Amber Harding
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 46
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 47
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Worth Reading
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 49
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 50
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Attorney Briefs
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Speaking of Ethics
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 53
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 54
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Disciplinary Summaries
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Pro Bono Effect
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 57
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 58
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 59
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 60
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 61
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 62
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 63
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 64
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 65
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 66
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - 67
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Cover3
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2020 - Cover4
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