D.C. Bar Headquarters
901 4th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
phone: 202.737.4700
Hours of Operation: 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Weekday Events (5 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Nearby Metro Stations
Judiciary Square (Red) - five blocks directly south at 450 F Street
Gallery Place-Chinatown (Green/Yellow/Red) - five blocks southwest at H and 7th Streets
Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street Convention Center (Green/Yellow) - six blocks at 7th and M Streets
Union Station (Red) - six blocks southeast down Massachusetts Avenue
EVENTS
More Effective Writing Makes More Effective Lawyers (May 2022)
Credit(s): 7 General (50-minute hour)
6 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E18220510L
Date: May 20, 2022
9:30 AM - 4:45 PM
Description: Knowing the law is essential – but so is being able to communicate about it. Join writing coach and former attorney Rick Horowitz for a lively and practical session that will reintroduce you to your legal-writing toolbox, including a few tools you didn't know were in there. This class explores the fundamentals (and the critical details) of creating clear, well-organized, persuasive legal documents. Briefs, memos, client letters, even daily correspondence benefit from your deeper understanding of what goes into successful writing, so we’ll examine good and not-so-good writing to see what worked, what didn't, and why:
Complete v. Concise: How do you balance those competing urges?
What’s the most effective structure for this document, and this audience?
Should you use an outline? Are there better options?
How do you overcome “blank-screen panic”?
Shouldn’t your brief be a little more . . . brief?
And do you really need all that legalese?
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In-house Counsel Privilege Pitfalls (NEW)
Credit(s): 2 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (60-minute hour)
2 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (50-minute hour)
Course Number: E11220513W
Original Program Date: May 24, 2022
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: May 24, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Description: This new and insightful class will explore the law governing attorney-client privilege, trends in privilege decisions relating to in-house counsel roles and the application of the rules to law firm general counsel. Our knowledgeable and engaging faculty will draw on court opinions to guide a discussion of the rules governing in-house privilege claims and will offer best practices to protect the attorney-client privilege.
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Potent Cross-examination 2022
Trial Primer Series - Session Three
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E18220515W
Original Program Date: May 25, 2022
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: May 25, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Series Description: Join us for this four-part series, during which our knowledgeable and experienced faculty will discuss the theory behind – and common essential trial techniques. Taken from the highly successful D.C. Bar Litigation Skills Series, these sessions will enable those who attend develop and refine their examination skills. Our presenters, both civil and criminal practitioners, will identify common trial issues, demonstrate various techniques, and discuss best practices to enhance your trial skills. While aimed at attorneys with limited or no trial experience, others may find the topics of interest in further developing their trial skills.
Session Description: A sound cross-examination is more than just asking leading questions. During this session, the faculty will discuss how to develop a sound and persuasive approach for cross-examining fact witnesses, including discussing various techniques for doing so. It involves both strategic and tactical considerations. Those who attend will leave with a better understanding of when to cross-examine, the scope of cross-examination, how to organize a cross-examination, how and when to impeach the witness, how to anticipate and mitigate redirect, and how to capture the jury’s attention.
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REMOTE PROGRAM: Part 4 of 5 Guardianship and Probate Series: Business Practices for Attorneys Who Serve as Fiduciaries
Course Number: C0822GP04W
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Date: May 26, 2022
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Credit: 0 Credit Hours
D.C. Superior Court Probate Fiduciary Panel members Judith Del Cuadro-Zimmerman, Esq. and Aretha Somerville, Esq. will address fee petition preparation, standards, and processes for attorneys serving as fiduciaries in Probate cases.
Pre-registration for this program is required. As always, please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues. D.C. Bar membership is not required to attend. Non-members will need to create a profile to register and access the content.
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Persuasive Closing Arguments 2022 (NEW)
Trial Primer Series - Session Three
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E18220601W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 1, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Series Description: Join us for this four-part series, during which our knowledgeable and experienced faculty will discuss trial theory and common trial techniques. Taken from the highly successful D.C. Bar Litigation Skills Series, these sessions will enable those who attend to develop and refine their trial skills. Our presenters, both civil and criminal practitioners, will identify common trial issues, demonstrate various techniques, and discuss best practices to enhance your trial skills.
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Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in the Legal Profession: Ethics Issues 2022
Credit(s): 2 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (60-minute hour)
2 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (50-minute hour)
Course Number: E11220303W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 2, 2022
10:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Description: Join our multi-disciplinary panel as they discuss the connection between substance use disorder and mental health issues and ethics violations. The panel, which includes an attorney who has represented many respondents in cases involving these issues and a senior assistant disciplinary bar counsel, will discuss the rules related to addiction and mental health problems in bar disciplinary proceedings, as well as key cases about addiction and mental health issues. Also on the panel is a senior member of the D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program.
This class will help those who attend to understand the role of the profession in assisting attorneys who experience addiction, depression, or other mental health problems.
Faculty: Thomas Gilbertsen, Dueffert Gilbertsen PLLC; Denise J. Perme, D.C. Bar Lawyer Assistance Program; Julia L. Porter, District of Columbia Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Daniel Schumack, Schumack Law Firm
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Managing Money
Course Number: MM_060622
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
Date: June 6, 2022
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
A variety of fee agreements will be examined with the focus on the scope of representation, managing the fee, expenses and the earning mechanism established for the advance fee. In examples established by the fee agreement, an advance fee will be collected and deposited into the firm’s trust account. As time passes and work is performed, funds will be transferred from the trust account to the firm’s operating or business account as the fee is earned. Ledger entries will be demonstrated for all transactions. TrustBooks.com will be used to demonstrate fund management and the creation of client and account ledgers.
The following client transactions will be explored:
Agreement for Initial Consultation
Advance Flat Fee Representation for Client Charged with A Felony Criminal Offense
Advance Flat Fee Representation for an Immigration Client
Advance Hourly Fee Representation for a Civil Litigation Client
Advance Flat Fee Representation for an Estate Planning Client
A Contingency Fee Representation for an Injury Case
An Availability Representation (Classic Engagement Retainer)
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Understanding the D.C. Criminal Justice System’s Approach to Child Victims and Witnesses 2022 (NEW)
Children in the Law Series (Class postponed from February 24, 2022)
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E06220214W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 7, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Description: Join us for this compelling and informative class. Our panel of experts will discuss the D.C. criminal justice system’s multi-disciplinary approach to working with children who have been victims of or witnesses to crime. They will discuss each step of the process, and provide expert advice for those attendees working with children, including the applicable law, the challenges those in the system face, and the resources available to child victims and witnesses.
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REMOTE PROGRAM: Monthly Media Law Meeting of the D.C. Bar Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Community
Course Number: C2122ML12W
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Date: June 8, 2022
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM
Join the D.C. Bar Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Community the second Wednesday of every month for an informal and dynamic round table discussion on the most recent developments in Media Law. Guest speakers will present on one or two recent cases and answer questions from participants. The program agenda will be provided the day of the event.
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Lunch and Learn: Working with Clients in Trauma: Serving Them, Protecting Yourself
Course Number: LL_060922
Duration: 2 hours
Date: June 9, 2022
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Special care is needed when working with clients in trauma. This session explores a trauma-informed approach to interviewing and witness preparation, including the ways that trauma affects the brain, how to ask questions in a way that will obtain the information you need without needless re-traumatization, recognizing and managing the effects of trauma during the interview, and how to communicate information in a way that a person in trauma can understand it. Attendees will leave with a list of helpful resources to know when working with those in trauma, including where to find a domestic violence shelter, the suicide hotline number, and how to report suspected child abuse.
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Grand Jury and Pre-Indictment Issues in Criminal Defense Cases 2022
Credit(s): 3.5 General (50-minute hour)
3 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E06220604W
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 13, 2022
6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Description: Join us for this informative class during which our expert faculty will address three key topics to criminal defense representation prior to formal indictment of charges. These are:
- Witness representation before a grand jury
- Cooperation agreements
- Pre-indictment plea dispositions.
The faculty will also explore, in depth, the details regarding immunity deals with the government, procedural aspects of grand jury representation and a client’s right to invoke the right against self-incrimination and the marital privilege.
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Designing Child-Focused Parenting Plans 2022
Children in the Law Series
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E12220606W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 14, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Description: This informative and thought-provoking class will address how to create child-focused parenting plans and custody orders, with an emphasis on what we can learn from research and best practices. Our multi-disciplinary panel will discuss how to create developmentally-appropriate parenting plans; how parenting plans can be designed to reduce conflict between parents; the role of mental health professionals in different processes to help elicit the interests of the child(ren); and how to integrate social science research into parenting plans that truly serve the child(ren)'s best interest. The panel will use research to dispel some common myths about children and different custody arrangements.
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Handling Whistleblower Claims 2022 - Rights of Private Sector Employees
Whistleblower Claims Series (Session One)
Credit(s): 3.5 General (50-minute hour)
3 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E09220608LW
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 15, 2022
6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Description: Don’t miss this chance to catch up on recent developments under whistleblower reward and whistleblower protection laws, including developments under the whistleblower provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and False Claims Act. Our experienced faculty panel will provide you with practical insights on the following issues:
- Impact of Supreme Court’s decision in Somers v. Digital Realty Trust on corporate whistleblowers and corporate compliance programs
- Recent SEC whistleblower awards
- Trend in DOL Administrative Review Board and federal court decisions on the scope of Sarbanes-Oxley protected conduct
- The impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Universal Health Services v. United States ex rel. Escobar on implied certification claims
- The scope of the False Claims Act’s anti-retaliation provision and the interplay of whistleblower reward and whistleblower protection claims
- Best practices for investigating and responding to whistleblower disclosures and
- Tips for representing whistleblowers at the DOJ, SEC, CFTC, and IRS.
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Title IX Enforcement: A View from the Trenches 2022
Credit(s): 3.5 General (50-minute hour)
3 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E09220609W
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 16, 2022
6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Description: Title IX enforcement on college and university campuses has exploded in the last several years, with many colleges and universities taking on investigative roles that few of them ever anticipated. Attorneys for students often find themselves at a loss to understand this new regime, where you can’t issue subpoenas, can’t cross-examine witnesses, and usually have to sit silently during a hearing. How do schools investigate these cases? How should attorneys for complainants and respondents navigate this complex regime? This class, which will focus more on practical advice than legal theory, will bring together experienced attorneys who have experience with all sides of these cases and help answer these questions.
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Securities Laws for Beginners 2022
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E03220611W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 21, 2022
10:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Description: Join us for the return of this introductory class as our faculty expert takes a practical approach to the basic concepts of securities law. Those who attend will learn about these issues and more:
- Basic Regulatory Scheme
- State ("Blue Sky") Laws
- Securities Act Basics
- What is a Security?
- Section 5
- Exemptions from Registration
- Regulation
- Registration Process
- Preparation of a Registration Statement
- SEC Staff Review Processes and Timing.
While this class is intended for those with little or no experience with securities laws, more experienced practitioners may find it to be a helpful refresher.
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IN PERSON EVENT: 2022 Champion of Intellectual Property Award Honoree Reception
Course Number: C1422NC06I
Date: June 22, 2022
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Join the D.C. Bar's Intellectual Property Law Community on June 22, 2022 on the D.C. Bar's Rooftop for our celebration of the D.C. Bar 2022 Champion of Intellectual Property Award Honoree.
The Champion of Intellectual Property Award is being given to Associate Dean for Intellectual Property Law, The George Washington University Law School, John M. Whealan. Dean Whealan will be introduced in a presentation by retired Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Honorable Randall R. Rader, who is currently a Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School. Dean Whealan plans to speak on his thoughts on a current intellectual property topic, with a brief Q&A session.
The program will also feature an opportunity to meet Dean Whealan and his guests in an informal networking reception immediately following the presentations.
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The Ins and Outs of Anti-SLAPP Laws - Advanced (NEW)
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E05220614W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 27, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Description: SLAPP suits are Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. They seek to censor, silence, and/or intimidate the lawful exercise of First Amendment rights. But D.C. and over 30 states have enacted anti-SLAPP laws. These laws can offer the opportunity to file early motions to dismiss. If successful, expensive and time-consuming SLAPP suits are cut short and attorney fees and costs awarded.
Anti-SLAPP issues are becoming especially important and hotly contested as the Internet and social media have allowed more people to reach wider audiences – and, in turn, have their speech noticed and felt by the people they criticize. Journalists, activists, organizations, and even amateur restaurant critics have invoked anti-SLAPP laws to defend against claims of defamation, business disparagement, deceptive trade practices, and the like.
After briefly summarizing the anti-SLAPP basics, our faculty experts will take a closer look at several SLAPP-law questions that have divided courts, flummoxed litigants, and otherwise complicated the adjudication of anti-SLAPP defenses. Topics will include differences in the anti-SLAPP laws among the states, whether anti-SLAPP laws apply when federal courts exercise diversity jurisdiction, the use of anti-SLAPP laws in employment and environmental disputes, and broader legal challenges to anti-SLAPP laws. They will address these issues from the perspective of both plaintiffs and defendants.
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Children in Domestic Violence Settings (NEW)
Children in the Law Series - Part 3
Credit(s): 2 General (50-minute hour)
2 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E12220615W
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 28, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Description: Domestic violence can have a significant impact on children, whether they witness domestic violence among adults in their household or experience domestic violence in their own relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated domestic violence issues and made access to relief even more difficult. How can the law help these children?
This new and informative class will outline the legal frameworks in the District that can provide relief to children affected by domestic violence and provide practical advice and tips for attorneys who represent these at-risk children. Those interested in this class may also be interested in Understanding the D.C. Criminal Justice System’s Approach to Child Victims and Witnesses 2022 and Designing Child-Focused Parenting Plans 2022.
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Handling Whistleblower Claims 2022 - Rights of Federal Employees
Whistleblower Claims Series (Session Two)
Credit(s): 3.5 General (50-minute hour)
3 General (60-minute hour)
Course Number: E09220612LW
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 29, 2022
6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Special Notice
If you are planning to attend an in-person CLE class at the D.C. Bar building, you must upload proof of vaccination through the ReturnSafe app. at least 72 hours in advance of the class date. We otherwise will be unable to admit you to the building. If you have any questions concerning ReturnSafe processing and approvals, please contact Susan Perry at covidguidelines@dcbar.org.
Also, if you are registering for a CLE class, we encourage you to bring a device or to download the materials prior to class as we will not be providing hard copies.
Description: Some might say whistleblowers are the lifeblood of government transparency. But, how, as attorneys, do you best represent those who wish to expose alleged wrongdoing of their employer? Where do you take them? What if the information is classified and against the law to reveal, even to you as the attorney? What is the difference between leaking and whistleblowing? Can government agencies bar whistleblowing through non-disclosures agreement or policies? What significant legal differences exist between protecting a whistleblower's security clearance and other forms of reprisal?
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Ethics and the Government Lawyer 2022
Credit(s): 3 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (60-minute hour)
3.5 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (50-minute hour)
Course Number: E11220613W
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Date: June 30, 2022
6:00 PM - 9:15 PM
Special Notice
If you are planning to attend an in-person CLE class at the D.C. Bar building, you must upload proof of vaccination through the ReturnSafe app. at least 72 hours in advance of the class date. We otherwise will be unable to admit you to the building. If you have any questions concerning ReturnSafe processing and approvals, please contact Susan Perry at covidguidelines@dcbar.org.
Also, if you are registering for a CLE class, we encourage you to bring a device or to download the materials prior to class as we will not be providing hard copies.
Description: Politics, peer pressure and societal static have proven especially perilous for legal practitioners in general and government lawyers in particular during the past year. At such times, the guidance provided by the Rules of Professional Conduct as well as legal ethics commentary become especially valuable when ethical dilemmas and conflicts arise, or better yet, before. This thought-provoking legal ethics class examines important potential scenarios within the full context of government practice, which must meet the standards of the Rules of Professional Conduct while respecting other unique considerations as well. Participants will discuss and debate challenging hypothetical scenarios based on current cases and controversies, in an interactive and fast-moving three-hour course.
Among the many issues our expert presenter will explore are:
- What is the permissible balance of ethics and politics?
- When does the public become the client?
- What actions permitted in private practice become unethical when performed by a government lawyer?
- What conflicts are avoidable, and which ones are not?
- Is avoidance of “the appearance of impropriety” a governmental ethics standard or a legal one, and does it matter?
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D.C. Bar Schedule of Events
800 4th Street SW, No. N517 Washington, DC 20024
Phone: 240-421-6395 E-mail: tramstack@gmail.com