We take pride in the work of our lawyers in the community and assisting those in need. We regularly support and partner with organizations that are committed to excellence through diversity and inclusion and have a long-standing commitment to pro bono work.
The firm has a long history of supporting the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (“LDF”) and the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs. Moreover, senior counsel David Kendall has served on NAACP LDF’s board of directors for many years, and Edward Bennett Williams was one of the founders of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee.
Williams & Connolly is also helping to broaden the pipeline of students from backgrounds not well represented in the legal profession. For example, Williams & Connolly continues its two-decade commitment to the Thurgood Marshall Academy, a Charter School in the District of Columbia that serves students who hope to pursue a legal career. Williams & Connolly lawyers have served on the school’s board and employees have volunteered at the school. In addition, lawyers and firm staff have tutored Thurgood Marshall students for over 15 years. We are also proud to sponsor the founding of an award-winning debate program at Thurgood Marshall Academy and support the Washington Urban Debate League. The firm also partners with Georgetown Law Center to teach the Street Law class at Dunbar High School. Each year, firm attorneys coach the Dunbar students in a mock trial competition. In addition, the firm participates in the D.C. Road Show and our Black Attorney Affinity Group hosts an annual interview and resume “boot camp” for students from Howard and other local law schools.
Williams & Connolly has been ranked among the top firms in the D.C. area in terms of pro bono work and was honored by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for its commitment. Our attorneys perform pro bono work on a wide range of matters, including representation of veterans seeking benefits, indigent criminal defendants, immigrants and asylum-seekers, low-income individuals in housing cases, and victims of domestic violence in civil protective order cases. Since 2001, we have partnered with the Maryland Public Defender’s Office to handle numerous felony trials and appeals. Moreover, each year we provide 2-4 associates to the Public Defender’s Office for six-month paid secondments, which provide an intensive trial and hearing experience. In addition, the firm has a strong asylum and immigrants’ rights pro bono practice. For example, the firm partners with the Texas Civil Rights Project, the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, and other organizations to represent numerous families currently seeking asylum. We also have established a pro bono partnership with the National Veterans Legal Services Program (“NVLSP”). Matters have included representing veterans before service-specific discharge upgrade boards and appellate cases before the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.