Operating Status
ShareLawyers: You Can Help
Our city is fortunate to have a strong network of civil legal services providers that represent low-income litigants for free. Yet, there is still a large gap between the number of people those organizations can serve and the number of people who can’t afford a lawyer. This leaves far too many unrepresented individuals in cases where the stakes are high to navigate the court system without the benefit of counsel.
The District of Columbia Courts are committed to ensuring access to justice for all who use our court system. We can use your help! If you're a lawyer eligible to practice in the DC Courts, you can help advance access to justice in our Courts and the District.
If you’d like more information about how to get involved or are unsure where to start, please contact jodi.feldman [at] dccsystem.gov (Jodi Feldman).
Upcoming Events
The DC Courts regularly host events for lawyers interested in learning more about the pro bono needs and opportunities in our local courts and community. Contact jodi.feldman [at] dccsystem.gov (Jodi Feldman) if you’d like to be notified about future events.
If you’re a lawyer interested in helping to bridge the access to justice gap in our city, now is the time to get started!
Volunteer opportunities for lawyers are also available on site at Superior Court’s Family Court Self-Help Center (volunteering details here) and Probate Self-Help Center (volunteering details here).
If you’d like more information about how to get involved or unsure where to start, please contact Jodi.Feldman [at] dccsystem.gov (Jodi Feldman), Pro Bono Manager.
| Title | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| What are Your Pro Bono Goals | Download |
| How to Get Involved | Download |
Enrollment for the 2024 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll is now open! The FINAL submission deadline is Friday, February 21, 2025.
Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and Chief Judge Milton Lee of the District of Columbia Superior Court are pleased to announce that registrations are now being accepted for the annual Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll. Also supported by the D.C. Access to Justice Commission, the D.C. Bar, and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll pays tribute to the thousands of D.C. Bar members and attorneys practicing under D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49 who provide desperately needed free legal services to those living in poverty and/or to the disadvantaged small businesses and community-based non-profits that are critical to the economic well-being of our community.
To register for the Honor Roll, attorneys must simply submit a declaration indicating that they have provided 50 or more hours of pro bono work – or 100 or more hours for the High Honor Roll – in 2024. Attorneys may submit applications online at https://dcbar.knack.com/pro-bono-honor-roll#home/. Bulk applications may be submitted by office administrators, and directions for doing so are on the website. Honorees will be recognized on the Courts' website and elsewhere.
We recommend that attorneys employed by large firms/organizations check to see if the firm/organization is intending to submit a bulk list on behalf of its employees. If not, attorneys are welcome and encouraged to submit an individual declaration.
Click here to see the list of 2023 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll honorees.
Learn more about the pro bono experience in our courts from past honorees!
See playlist of all pro bono attorney video profiles
Choosing Pro Bono in the DC Courts
How can you make a difference in our local courts and community? Learn why these lawyers choose pro bono in the DC Courts.
See playlist of all pro bono attorney video profiles
Family Court Volunteers
Over 85% of parties in child custody, divorce and child support cases in Superior Court lack representation. That's why Jill Greaney, Barbara Nielsen and Eddie Allen donate their time to the D.C. Superior Family Self-Help Center.
Learn more about their experiences doing pro bono service here!
- D.C. Access to Justice Commission
- D.C. Access to Justice Commission, Delivering Justice: Addressing Civil Legal Needs in the District of Columbia (December 2019)
- D.C. Consortium of Legal Services Providers, The Community Listening Project (April 2016)
- Jeffrey Leon, No Access, No Justice: A Pressing Challenge in the District of Columbia, WASHINGTON LAWYER (May 2016)
- Sheldon Krantz, There Is No Justice When Low and Modest-Income D.C. Residents Are Forced To Represent Themselves in Civil Cases, University of the District of Columbia Law Review (Vol. 24, 2021)
Did you know that Rule 6.1 of the DC Bar Rules of Professional Conduct states that a lawyer should participate in serving those who are unable to pay all or a portion of reasonable attorney’s fees?
DC Refers is an online directory of experienced lawyers who are willing to represent clients of modest means for a reduced fee. Are you interested in joining this innovative initiative to expand access to justice in the District of Columbia for individuals, families, and businesses that do not qualify for free legal services but cannot afford representation at market rates? Consider applying to join DC Refers. Learn more about becoming a DC Refers legal professional here.
