Washington Lawyer - November/December 2022 - 7

FROM OUR PRESIDENT
VOLUNTARY BARS & D.C. BAR COMMUNITIES
Fellowship & Service
By Ellen M. Jakovic
A
s we continue to emerge
from the pandemic,
attaining purpose, fulfillment,
and support in our
professional lives is critical to our
emotional, social, and mental
well-being.
Many of us have found that voluntary bar associations
and the D.C. Bar Communities enrich
our professional and personal lives and provide
powerful antidotes to the isolation and mental
health challenges that threaten our profession.
Here in the District, we are fortunate to have
more than 30 voluntary bar associations, which
means there is one to match almost every
interest.1
Many voluntary bars concentrate on
specific areas of legal practice or on advancing
the interests of women, people of color, or
other underrepresented groups within the
legal profession. They engage in activities as
varied as endorsing political and judicial candidates,
filing amicus briefs, supporting pro bono
work, and presenting professional development
programs.2
The D.C. Bar supports voluntary bar associations
by, among other means, convening the
Voluntary Bar Leadership Group monthly to
discuss topics of interest and encourage collaboration.
The Bar and its Communities also
partner with the voluntary bars on programs
and initiatives.
Earlier this fall the D.C. Bar and the Bar Association
of the District of Columbia (BADC)
hosted a joint event celebrating our 50th and
150th anniversaries, respectively. In addition,
the D.C. Bar Arts, Entertainment, Media and
Sports Law Community plans to cosponsor
a program with the Women's Bar Association
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the
passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments
of 1972.
The D.C. Bar Communities, which also are open
to non-Bar members, are essentially voluntary
bar associations within the broad umbrella of
our organization.3
To join, members pay a fee
separate from their annual D.C. Bar dues. The
21 practice-specific and special interest Communities
produce more than 600 programs
and publications annually. This year, I am especially
excited that the D.C. Bar will partner with
BADC and its Young Lawyers Section to pilot
the D.C. Bar Young Lawyers Community. This
new Community will help young lawyers
advance their careers and build personal and
professional networks.
So, what can you expect from membership in
a voluntary bar association or D.C. Bar Community?
These organizations offer opportunities
for substantive legal training, leadership
development, and professional advancement.
They support access to justice initiatives and
pro bono work. They encourage conversations
around timely, critical topics such as hate
crimes and violence against diverse communities
around the country. They enrich our legal
community by giving voice to the amazing
diversity within our D.C. Bar membership. And,
importantly, they bring together different generations
- to mentor and to be mentored, to
teach and to learn from, to explore and to challenge.
Essentially, they allow us to serve, volunteer,
and make a difference in our community.
My late father, who was a physician, was one
of my most important role models. He believed
in the importance of service and community
and was active in a diverse array of professional
and civic organizations. He had a plaque on
his desk that read: " Are You an Active Member
or Do You Just Belong? " Notwithstanding his
demanding position as the laboratory director
and chief pathologist at a major hospital, he
carved out time for the organizations and
causes that he felt were important and generously
contributed his talents and energy. My
father derived great satisfaction from his community
activities, from which he developed
close friendships.
I have tried to follow my father's example by
being an active, involved member. Along the
way I have learned valuable leadership skills,
worked on important initiatives, enjoyed enriching
mentoring relationships, and developed
a supportive network of colleagues. And, as my
father did, I have found these activities to be
incredibly fun and rewarding.
If you are looking for a way to advance your
career, enhance your personal and professional
networks, meet some terrific people, boost
your mental and emotional well-being, and
serve our community, look no further than any
of the voluntary bar associations in the District
or our own D.C. Bar Communities. And if you
already are a member, perhaps getting more
involved will be a transformative New Year's
resolution.
Wishing you and yours all the best during the
holiday season.
Connect with Ellen at ejakovic@dcbar.org.
NOTES
1 dcbar.org/for-lawyers/external-resources/
voluntary-bars.
2 dcbar.org/voluntarybarevents.
3 dcbar.org/for-lawyers/communities/join-acommunity.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2022
* WASHINGTON LAWYER 7
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
http://www.dcbar.org/for-lawyers/external-resources/vluntary-bars http://www.dcbar.org/for-lawyers/external-resources/vluntary-bars http://www.dcbar.org/voluntarybarevents http://www.dcbar.org/for-lawyers/communities/join-a-community http://www.dcbar.org/for-lawyers/communities/join-a-community
Washington Lawyer - November/December 2022

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