D.C. Bar Communities Lawyer of the Year Awards

With this newly instituted annual award, the D.C. Bar Communities seeks to recognize and honor Community members who stand out in their respective practice areas by exhibiting excellence in the professional and personal lives, as well as dedication to the mission of the D.C. Bar and D.C. Bar Communities. The Lawyer of the Year Awards will be presented to a member of each of the 21 Communities.

The winners of this award will be honored at the Bar’s annual conference. They will receive a plaque, special recognition for their selection in this class, and free registration for the Celebration of Leadership dinner and awards ceremony.

Lawyer of the Year Award Selection Criteria and Timeline

Nominations for 2024 are closed. Check back next spring for 2025 Nominations information. For questions, email [email protected].

Eligible nominees MUST meet the following criteria:

1. Must be a current member of the D.C. Bar and D.C. Bar Communities (D.C. Bar membership requirement excludes LSC nominees)
2. Must have attended or presented at any D.C. Bar, CLE, Pro Bono Center, or Communities event within the past two bar years (ex. for 2024, must have participated in 2021-2022, 2022-2023 to present at time of nomination).
3. Submit a Resume (optional if nominating someone else) and Statement of Accomplishments
4. Elected members of a Community Steering Committee or appointed members of the Communities Committee are eligible but must recuse themselves from participating in any aspect of the selection process.

Criteria to consider in favor of a candidate when reviewing nominees (nonexhaustive):

1. Specific career accomplishments demonstrated by: peer review/recognition, judicial achievements, publications, academic record, or other ground-breaking advancements in their specific practice area (i.e., Tax, Criminal law, Torts, etc.)
2. Leadership and/or participation within the D.C. Bar and/or a specific Community (i.e. D.C. Bar voluntary bar representative, D.C. Bar Committee or D.C. Bar Communities Subcommittee)
3. Leadership and participation within the legal community as a whole
4. Pro Bono service (does not have to be with the D.C. Bar PBC)
5. General community service
6. Work to promote or enhance DEI within legal profession
7. Mentorship/work with students

Criteria NOT to be considered against a candidate when reviewing nominees:

1. Physical location. The D.C. Bar Communities boasts 18,000+ members from across the country. A nominee does not have to be a resident of D.C., MD, or Virginia to be eligible.
2. Age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, religious affiliation or lack thereof, physical disability/ability, socioeconomic status, law school ranking or GPA.