{"id":7,"date":"2019-10-29T02:59:54","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T02:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/history\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T14:59:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T18:59:43","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"

District of Columbia Chapter History<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A little over 30 years after the establishment of the Federal Bar Association, the District of Columbia Chapter was founded on July 31, 1952. \u00a0Initially, the Federal Bar Association\u2019s constitution forbade the establishment of a chapter in the District of Columbia. The constitution was amended in 1949, however, clearing the path for an FBA chapter in the Nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

The D.C. Chapter hosted its first function in September 1952: a champagne dinner attended by chapter members and highly-ranked associates of the judiciary and diplomatic corps.<\/p>\n

In 1960, the D.C. Chapter established the Justice Tom C. Clark Award. The prestigious award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of lawyers in the career civil service, the U.S. Military, and the District of Columbia. The award is named in memory of Justice Clark, who served as Attorney General of the United States, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, and as the first Director of the Federal Judicial Center. Paul A. Sweeney from the U.S. Department of Justice was the inaugural recipient.<\/p>\n

The D.C. Chapter sponsors a \u201cConversations with \u2026\u201d lunch series, in which recent appointees to the federal courts in D.C. discuss their careers and pathway to the Bench; a Distinguished Lawyer Luncheon, a lecture series featuring high-profile lawyers from the D.C. community, and an annual government enforcement and investigations seminar.<\/p>\n

The D.C. Chapter also co-sponsors a welcome ceremony for newly admitted attorneys in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and also sponsors a reception to celebrate newly naturalized citizens of the U.S. following a naturalization ceremony in the district court.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

District of Columbia Chapter Presidents<\/span><\/strong>
\n1952 \u2013 Present<\/strong><\/p>\n

2024-2025: Eric R. Nitz
\n2023-2024: Eric R. Nitz
\n2022-2023: Jonathan Lasken
\n2021-2022: Jonathan Lasken
\n2020-2021: Nicole Bacon
\n2019-2020: Nicole Bacon
\n2018-2019: Ruth Vernet
\n2017-2018: Brian Murphy
\n2016-2017: Frances A. Sclafani
\n2015-2016: Frances A. Sclafani
\n2014-2015: T. Cary Devorsetz
\n2013-2014: T. Cary Devorsetz
\n2012-2013: Steve Miller
\n2011-2012: Steve Miller
\n2010-2011: Robie A. Beatty
\n2009-2010: Robie A. Beatty
\n2008-2009: Ronald C. Crump
\n2007-2008: Silvio Krvaric
\n2006-2007: Silvio Krvaric
\n2005-2006: T. Cary Devorsetz
\n2004-2005: Hon. Ronnie A. Yoder
\n2003-2004: Hon. Ronnie A. Yoder
\n2002-2003: Dr. Ann H. Clarke
\n2001-2002: Kathleen A. Duignan
\n2000-2001: Kevin Judd
\n1999-2000: Michael H. Stein
\n1998-1999: Miles F. Ryan, III
\n1997-1998: Eugene I. Kane
\n1996-1997: Rosalyn L. Wilcots
\n1995-1996: Gwyn Ann Taylor
\n1994-1995: Patricia D. Ryan
\n1993-1994: Louis G. Ferrand
\n1992-1993: Claire Whitaker
\n1991-1992: Ronald C. Crump
\n1990-1991: Brian C. Murphy
\n1989-1990: John F. Connolly
\n1988-1989: Bonnie L. Gay
\n1987-1988: Marsha A. Echols
\n1986-1987: Sarah Hertz
\n1985-1986: Lauren L. Fuller
\n1984-1985: Arthur L. Burnett
\n1983-1984: Romulo L. Diaz, Jr.
\n1982-1983: Thomas J. Madden
\n1981-1982: Julian A. Wilhelm
\n1980-1981: Karen S. Lee
\n1979-1980: Jeanus B. Parks, Jr.
\n1978-1979: Roscoe E. Long
\n1977-1978: Eileen C. O\u2019Connor
\n1976-1977: Mark R. Joelson
\n1975-1976: Justin Dingfelder
\n1974-1975: L. Barry Costilo
\n1973-1974: George A. Avery
\n1972-1973: Mary M. Garner
\n1971-1972: Sherman L. Cohn
\n1970-1971: William G. Malone
\n1969-1970: Louis J. Frana
\n1968-1969: E. Bonnie Mills
\n1967-1968: Joseph F. Spaniol, Jr.
\n1966-1967: Simon H. Trevas
\n1965-1966: Carl F. Paul, Jr.
\n1964-1965: A. Donald Mileur
\n1963-1964: Cyril F. Brickfield
\n1962-1963: Leo N. Pellerzi
\n1961-1962: Paul E. Treusch
\n1960-1961: Laurie M. Streeter
\n1959-1960: Frank G. Millard
\n1958-1959: Theodore H. Haas
\n1957-1958: Larry D. Gilbertson
\n1956-1957: Robert W. Minor
\n1955-1956: Bernard B. Smyth
\n1954-1955: F. Trowbridge vom Baur
\n1953-1954: Joe E. Moody
\n1952-1953: F. Joseph Donoghue<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

Recent Activities of The District of Columbia Chapter<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chapter regularly [usually on a monthly basis] sponsors, along with the FBA Immigration Law Section, the Immigration Leadership Leadership Luncheon Series, featuring notable speakers on notable emergent issues in Immigration Law and Practice. The cost of attendance is kept low, and the venue, Tapas Restaurant, in downtown Washington, D.C., is readily accessible.<\/p>\n

Also each month, the Chapter co-sponsors, along with judges of our U.S. Federal Bench [D.D.C.] the Admissions and Welcoming Ceremony for newly-admitted attorneys to the bar of the Federal District Court. Normally, Chapter representative[s] offer welcoming remarks, followed by a reception with the presiding judge and the Chapter representatives. This occasion also provides an opportunity for Chapter membership recruitment and retention.<\/p>\n

The Chapter has taken a leadership role in bringing SOLACE [Support for Lawyers, Judges and Legal Personnel\u2014All Concern Encouraged] to the Washington, D.C.-area legal community. SOLACE affords a unique opportunity for members of our legal community to respond to sometimes-dire personal needs, such as for help with health-related matters, dealing with so-called \u201cnatural disasters\u201d [such as floods, violent weather], and the like.<\/p>\n

The Chapter sponsors annually the signal Tom C. Clark Award Ceremony for Outstanding Federal Lawyer, convening a panel of distinguished judges and eminent practitioners, with the award normally presented in the presence of D.D.C. jurists in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the U.S. Courthouse.<\/p>\n

The Chapter also participates in the Annual Immigration Ceremony, welcoming newly-naturalized U.S. Citizens, also in concert with the judges of the U.S. Federal Bench of D.D.C.<\/p>\n

The Chapter also sponsors or co-spoinsors a broad range of CLE programs and other community service events, in service to the Federal Legal Profession.<\/p>\n

Membership recruitment and retention has long been a focus of the Chapter, with members of the D.C. Chapter Board of Directors regularly contacting, on an individual basis, former FBA members of the Chapter, whose membership may have lapsed, and also individually contacting those who have recently become members, to welcome them and encourage their active involvement in Chapter activities.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n

District of Columbia Chapter\u2019s FBA Awards<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter Activity Awards<\/strong>
\n\u2013 2015 (Presidential Achievement)
\n\u2013 2014 (Presidential Achievement)
\n\u2013 2013 (Presidential Achievement)
\n\u2013 2011 (Presidential Achievement)
\n\u2013 2009 (Presidential Excellence & Presidential Citation)
\n\u2013 2008 (Presidential Citation)
\n\u2013 2004 (Presidential Achievement)
\n\u2013 1978
\n\u2013 1976
\n\u2013 1975<\/p>\n

Newsletter Recognition Awards<\/strong>
\n\u2013 2014 (Meritorious)
\n\u2013 2013 (Meritorious)
\n\u2013 2012 (Meritorious)
\n\u2013 2011 (Outstanding)
\n\u2013 2010 (Meritorious)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

District of Columbia Chapter History A little over 30 years after the establishment of the Federal Bar Association, the District…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":3,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"kp-content-permissions":[],"class_list":["post-7","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":191,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7\/revisions\/191"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kp-content-permissions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fedbar.org\/district-of-columbia-chapter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kp-content-permissions?post=7"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}