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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 |
Chief Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and Chief Judge Milton C. Lee Jr. of the District of Columbia Superior Court are pleased to announce that enrollment is now open for the 2025 annual Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll! The submission deadline is Friday, February 20, 2026.
The District of Columbia Courts, with support from the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, established the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll in 2011 as part of the American Bar Association’s National Celebration of Pro Bono. Since then, the Honor Roll has continued annually to pay 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 individuals and families who cannot otherwise afford a lawyer 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 submit a declaration indicating that they provided 50 or more hours of pro bono service – or 100 or more hours for the High Honor Roll – in 2025.
Bulk applications may be submitted by firm pro bono counsel/office administrators. Instructions for completing a bulk submission are available on the Honor Roll website.
We recommend that attorneys employed by large firms/organizations check to see if their firm/organization is intending to include them in a bulk submission. If not, attorneys are encouraged to complete an individual submission.
The 2025 honorees will be recognized on the DC Courts website and elsewhere.
5,400 attorneys registered for the 2024 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, with 3,033 providing 100 hours or more of pro bono service, thus qualifying for the High Honor Roll. See the list of 2024 honorees and an open letter to the honorees from the Chief Judges.
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.
