Vanita Gupta (Photo courtesy of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights)

The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia congratulates our 2017 Servant of Justice Honoree Vanita Gupta on her new post as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (effective June 1).

This exciting announcement is relatively hot off the presses, having been announced publicly just yesterday:  on June 1, Vanita, the former Head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, will succeed Wade Henderson, who served as President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights since June 1996. Read more →

A week ago today, Americans learned the outcome of an historic election that will undoubtedly have enormous reverberations across the nation and the world. At Legal Aid, we understand that our supporters may hold a wide range of political views. But we also believe that all of us can agree on one thing: as a country and as a people, we are better than the divisive, uncivil, and sometimes intolerant rhetoric that has defined this election. Read more →

Nine law firm teams heated up the kitchen at CulinAerie again last night during Legal Aid’s 4^th Annual Generous Associates Campaign Cooking Competition. Without two-time champion Miller & Chevalier in the mix this year, the title was anyone’s for the taking. Susan Holt, Co-Founder of CulinAerie, once again generously hosted the event and emceed the evening, unveiling this year’s secret ingredient: FIGS.

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This morning, many of our volunteers braved the rain to attend a special celebration to recognize the incredible success of the Generous Associates Campaign fundraising effort this past summer, in addition to our wonderful pro bono volunteers that continue to expand Legal Aid’s ability to make justice real for thousands of Washington, D.C.’s most vulnerable residents each and every year. Read more →

Legal Aid and the law firm of Wiley Rein LLP announced today in a joint press release that they have filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court on behalf of four named individuals against a D.C.-based law firm that represents large residential property owners in landlord-tenant matters.

The lawsuit alleges that The Raddatz Law Firm P.L.L.C. and its attorneys engage in the unlawful practice of filing complaints on behalf of landlords in D.C. Superior Court that contain false information with respect to the status of the tenants’ federally-subsidized rental properties, in violation of the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Read more →

As we look back on 2013, we are proud of the profound impact of Legal Aid’s work on the lives of our clients and their families. From all of us at Legal Aid, thank you for making it possible for us to serve others.

For our volunteers, donors, partners, and blog readers, you have heard us reiterate time and time again how your support helps us make justice real for clients. Indeed, this year, with your support, we have been able take on several new projects and expansions (which you can read about in our 2013 Annual Report), allowing us to provide legal representation to more D.C. residents than ever before. Read more →

Earlier this year, we blogged about a great decision issued by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in favor of a tenant who had been sued for eviction.  Legal Aid initially referred the tenant to the Washington, D.C. office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett for pro bono representation back in 2010 when the case was still pending in the trial court.

On August 22, 2013, the Court of Appeals affirmed a second jury verdict that Simpson had won for their client.  Simpson attorneys Conor Reidy and Jonathan Porter discuss the Court’s decision below . . . Read more →

In conjunction with establishing an office at the Domestic Violence Intake Center at Superior Court in Northwest D.C., Legal Aid also began an innovative collaboration with Skadden in which the firm represents survivors of domestic violence through the entire Civil Protection Order process from filing to the hearing.

A Washington Post article describing the Project one year in is here. At our Servant of Justice Awards Dinner, Legal Aid honored three Skadden attorneys — Warren T. Allen, II; Nicole L. Grimm; and Luke A. Meisner — with the Klepper Prize for Volunteer Excellence for their extraordinary contributions in implementing the project.

Legal Aid’s record-breaking Generous Associates Campaign was recently mentioned in the Blog of the Legal Times and Bisnow.

In a first-time twist for the Campaign, participating firms had a chance to qualify to compete in an “Iron Chef” competition, which will be generously hosted by CulinAerie, a recreational cooking school near Legal Aid’s office.  Of the 68 participating firms, 35 qualified for the drawing.  On Monday, August 5, Co-Chair Tim Walsh of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP participated in the official drawing for the Competition, selecting the 10 firms that will participate in the Competition.

The cooking showdown will take place on September 12 at 6:30 PM at 1131 14th Street NW.

Julie Becker, Supervising Attorney

Julie Becker, Housing Unit Supervising Attorney, will be speaking with Jenny Reed of the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute at the next Legal Aid/Washington Council of Lawyers’ Brown Bag Lunch.  The focus of the talk will be on affordable housing in Washington, DC.  Julie and Jenny will discuss their own experiences, as well as how litigation and advocacy can produce systemic change.

The Brown Bag Lunch will take place on Wednesday, July 17 from 12:00 to 1:30.