Avenues to Justice 2025: Harnessing Technology to Improve Legal Services in the District.

Presented by the Young Lawyers Network Leadership Council, benefiting the DC Bar Foundation.

Thank you to our corporate and individual sponsors for helping us raise over $77,000 for DC's civil legal aid network!

DCBF Avenues - 26.Jun.2024 - 29

DCBF Avenues - 26.Jun.2024 - 11

DCBF Avenues - 26.Jun.2024 - 29

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Since 2020, the DC Bar Foundation's Young Lawyers Network Leadership Council has presented its annual Avenues to Justice event, which raises funds for the Foundation while facilitating insightful conversations between expert panelists and speakers about civil legal aid in the District. With a catered happy hour preceding the main event, Avenues to Justice is a great opportunity for networking and building connections among fellow justice-minded professionals in the District.

Past event topics have included:

Harnessing the Power of Technology to Improve Legal Services in the District
Securing Legacies in the District
Exploring the Intersection of Wellbeing and Civil Legal Aid
The Importance of Diversity at All Levels of the Legal Profession
Race, Equity, and Civil Legal Aid

Avenues to Justice 2024 highlighted the urgent access to justice crisis facing our community and how legal services organizations are working to ensure that every resident has the means to safeguard their legacy, maintain stable housing, and provide for their loved ones. DCBF’s grantee partners are making significant strides to demystify the estate planning and probate process through comprehensive community education, advocacy for streamlined legal procedures, and direct help and advice.

Last year’s expert panelists included:

The Honorable Laura Cordero, Presiding Judge of the Probate and Tax Division for the DC Superior Court
Rhonda Cunningham Holmes, Executive Director of DC Bar Foundation grantee partner Legal Counsel for the Elderly
Murray Scheel, Managing Attorney, Future Planning and Probate Division, of DC Bar Foundation grantee partner the DC Bar Pro Bono Center

Former United States Attorney General Eric Holder offered video remarks at the top of the event's program. Mr. Holder served as the 82nd US Attorney General from 2009 to 2015 under President Barack Obama and was the first African American to hold the position.

View photos from Avenues to Justice 2024 here!

Avenues to Justice 2025 raised over $77,000 for civil legal aid in DC and explored the transformative power of technology to enhance the efficiency, reach, and impact of civil legal aid organizations and highlighted the importance of thoughtful and responsible implementation to ensure the best outcomes for clients.

The night featured thoughtful remarks and conversation from the following speakers and panelists:

Keynote Speaker

Rachel Rossi

President of Alliance for Justice

Former Director of the DOJ’s Office of Access to Justice

Ashley Graham-Watanabe Director of Compliance and Legal Innovation, NLSP.png

Thank you to our 2025 Avenues to Justice sponsors!

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CORPORATE SPONSORS

Champion - $7,000

Advocate - $5,000

Defender - $3,500

Guardian - $2,500

Blank Rome LLP

Crowell & Moring LLP

Everlaw for Good

Fried Frank

Jones Day

Skadden

Steptoe

Ally - $1,500

Ballard Spahr LLP

DLA Piper

Regan Zambri Long PLLC

Venable LLP

INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS

Champion - $1,000

Josette Barsano

Maureen Del Duca

Meryl Grenadier

Miranda Hallett

Adam Pollet

Destiny Fullwood Singh

Lauren Stocks-Smith

Melissa Weberman

Zenia Wilson Laws

Defender - $500

Miranda Dore

Ellen Jakovic

Laurel LaMontagne

Courtney Lindsay

Randall McNeil

Liz Oyer

Danielle Rowan

Jessie Sarkis

Ally - $250

Lauren Agresti

Jorge Aviles

Tiara Brown

Alyssa Card

Lauren Birzon Harriman

Emily Lagan

Allison Rochford

Danielle Scheer

Lori Waichman

Tai Williams