December Newsletter: Victory for DC Residents with Disabilities

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Blind DC residents and the DC Council of the Blind resolved their lawsuit against DC Health for failure to make at-home COVID testing accessible to people with vision impairments. We are proud to have brought this case together with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP.

Read more about the case here.

Photo of a rainbow pride flag and overlaying white text that reads "We Filed a Joint Amicus in North Carolina that Supports Employment Protections for LGBT Workers"

After 15 years of working as a school teacher, Mr. Billard was fired when he posted on Facebook that he was engaged to his long-term partner.

We joined an amicus to make it abundantly clear that employers cannot deny LGBTQ+ workers’ legal protections.

Photo of a line of police cars with overlaying white text that reads "Breaking News We Filed a Joint Amicus in Maryland Against the Obstruction of Public Records by Police Agencies Thwarting Transparency to Police Abuse"

Police agencies are violating Anton’s Law with high fees to thwart public information requests and block the transparency needed to stop police abuse. On Friday, we filed a joint amicus with the ACLU of Maryland, Public Justice Center, and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP on this issue.

Read our full amicus brief here.

Collage of six photos from the Burke Breakfast with text in the middle that reads "Thank You" The photos beginning at the top left are a photo of a full room of people seated at black tables watching a panel of speakers, a photo of Helen Cordero and Julio Baez in front of a window, a panel of three with a screen in the background that reads "Challenging Workplace Discrimination" and the three people are Joanna Wasik, Dan Tishman, and Evangeline Parker, a photo of the same three panelists standing at the end of the event, a panel of Erica Kraus, Maggie Hart, and Reverend Ray Rayor at a panel table with a screen in the background reading "Challenging Barriers to COVID-19 Testing, and a photo of Ugochi Ikpeoha, Helen Cordero, and Joni Jacobs standing at the end of the event in front of a screen that reads "Thank Your Sponsors"

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2022 John Burke Pro Bono Breakfast.

You can see pictures from the event and learn more about the work we highlighted this year here.

Dear Friend,

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us and 2022 is rapidly coming to a close. We have much to be thankful for at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee. For those who had a chance to join us at the John Burke Breakfast, you saw first-hand how we stay motivated and inspired by our extraordinary clients and dedicated co-counsel.

Reflecting back on 2022, we also recognize that, no matter how hard-fought, progress towards racial equity and economic justice is always at risk. The overturning of Roe v. Wade, reversals in housing opportunity brought on by gentrification, and growing inequality, underscored that the work for justice by the Committee, our clients, and our many partners is as vital as it has ever been.

We remain committed in 2023 to continuing to join with impacted communities to make policy and practice reflect the fundamental requirements of justice. We give thanks that you are part of our community in this essential work.

Thank you.

Jonathan M. Smith
Executive Director

More News

The Committee sent a letter urging the DC Council to vote against Mayor Bowser’s proposed legislation to restructure the DC Housing Authority’s Board.

“Political control over DCHA has been part of the problem, and the mayor’s proposal only makes that worse by limiting the power of residents to influence the process.” - Catherine Cone, Supervising Housing Counsel, in the Washington Post

Our letter detailing recommendations to the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Bill was uplifted in the DCist.

The Committee joined a coalition urging Mayor Bowser to continue supporting the School-Based Behavioral Health Program. Read why this matters.

We joined a coalition fighting to decriminalize street vending in DC. You can read why this issue is important from Dennis A. Corkery's, Senior Counsel, testimony here. You can also learn more about this issue directly from street vendors by watching these videos (Part 1 and Part 2).

Last month, on behalf of three Virginia Tech students, we filed motions to dismiss after an employer sued the students for challenging being paid below minimum wage. Read more about these cases and quotes from our clients in the Collegiate Times.

“Political control over DCHA has been part of the problem, and the mayor’s proposal only makes that worse by limiting the power of residents to influence the process.” - Catherine Cone, Supervising Housing Counsel, in the Washington Post

Carlos Andino, Associate Counsel, was featured in the Washington Lawyer magazine. Read more about him and his work with the Committee here.

Our joint amicus brief on access to public accommodations for persons with disabilities was highlighted by The Daily Record.

The Washington Examiner and Law360 featured Black Lives Matter DC v. Trump, our case on behalf of anti-racism demonstrators brought together with the ACLU of DC, the national Lawyers’ Committee, and Arnold & Porter.

The Yale Daily News once again detailed the inhumane conditions that continue at the DC Jail. Yale alumna who were protesting for women's right to choose experienced the injustice happening every day at DC Central Cell Block and our 2015 report showed further evidence that this is not a new issue.

Thank you to the DC Bar Foundation for recognizing our Executive Director, Jonathan Smith, with the 2022 Jerrold Scoutt Prize at their 2022 Fall Reception.

Get Involved

The Committee is always looking for co-counsel on important cases. If you want to receive regular emails with available matters, please email jonathan_smith@washlaw.org. Or take a compassionate release or a parole matter or help at our workers’ rights clinic.

Workers' Rights Clinics

The Committee conducts Workers’ Rights Clinics which provide one-on-one consultation with a trained Intake Volunteer who will provide legal advice and brief services, under the supervision of an experienced employment law attorney. These clinics are currently held remotely during the pandemic.

If you are interested, please reach out to sarah_bessell@washlaw.com.

To schedule an intake with our Clinic, call (202) 319-1000 ext. 118. For Spanish please call (202) 319-1000 ext. 123.