Washington Lawyer - May 2019 - 46

SPECIAL COVERAGE

THE

YOUTH LAW FAIR

@ 20

By Jeffery Leon

n March 16 the D.C. Bar Communities and D.C.
Superior Court hosted the 20th annual Youth Law
Fair, featuring D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine as
keynote speaker. The event drew more than 100 middle
school and high school students, 60 chaperones, and
50 attorney volunteers.

"Our planning committees became more expansive, and we invited whoever
wanted to be a part of the Youth Law Fair to have a seat at the table. The
collaborative effort and diversity of voices help bring excitement and focus
to the event," Smith-Tucker added.

Established in 2000, the Youth Law Fair provides District youth a positive,
hands-on experience with the law and encourages greater appreciation for
the judicial system, the local community, and the pursuit of higher education.
The day's highlights include mock trials as well as tours of the H. Carl Moultrie
Courthouse, from courtrooms to judges' chambers and holding cells.

Smith-Tucker said the fair must continue to address issues relevant to youth and
be more socially aware in its messaging efforts. "We need to continue to have
the dialogue and provide positive influences and access to the youth so that
they understand what their role is in our society and how the law fosters their
perceptions," she said.

"The whole purpose of this event is to bring people together with the court
system," said retired D.C. Superior Court Judge Melvin Wright, one of the
founders of the annual fair. "There are people here who have dedicated their
lives to making this community better."
In honor of Judge Wright's work, the event will be renamed The Melvin Wright
Youth Law Fair in 2020. "The whole idea behind the Youth Law Fair was me
dreaming of uniting my court family with my community family. And that
dream came true," Wright said.
D.C. Bar Communities Director Candace Smith-Tucker has witnessed how the
Youth Law Fair has grown over the years and fostered a diverse group of organizers and volunteers. "Judge Wright, along with the Youth Law Fair Committee,
realized early on that it would take a village of volunteers from the legal community to pull off such an event. It was important to get as many practitioners and
volunteers as possible and leverage the participation of the D.C. Bar," she said.

46 WASHINGTON LAWYER

This year's fair featured remarks by D.C. Bar President Esther H. Lim and
D.C. Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Morin. Participants explored the
theme "When Robbery and Conspiracy Collide to Steal Your Future,"
focusing on smartphone theft on a Metro train, mistaken identity, and
fare evasion. Past topics have included hate speech, racial profiling, and
drugs and alcohol.

Judge Melvin Wright (center) reacts to the announcement by D.C. Superior
Court Chief Judge Robert Morin and D.C. Bar President Esther H. Lim that
the annual event will be renamed in his honor in 2020. Judge Wright is
pictured with the family of the late Curtis L. Etherly Jr., a frequent volunteer
at the fair.

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine challenges the young attendees to
believe in their own self-worth.

Lim and Judge Morin were among the featured speakers at the fair.

The Youth Law Fair provides D.C. students a positive, hands-on experience
with the law through mock trials and interactions with judges and
attorneys. This year, Superior Court Magistrate Judge Noel T. Johnson led
a Q&A session with participants.

MAY 2019

https://www.dcbar.org/

Washington Lawyer - May 2019

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