D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Raises $1 Million in Donations at Presidents Reception
June 30, 2025
In a June 26 reception welcoming incoming D.C. Bar president Sadina Montani, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center raised more than $1 million for the center, the largest provider of pro bono legal assistance in the District whose programs are entirely funded by voluntary contributions.
The reception, held at the Westin DC Downtown hotel, preceded the Celebration of Leadership formally installing Montani, partner at Crowell & Moring LLP, as the Bar’s 54th president. Montani’s term begins July 1.
In her introductory remarks, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Committee chair Shavon J. Smith said the Pro Bono Center’s formula for serving the community is simple. “Harness the power of volunteers to help those most in need and provide them with the training, support, and mentorship of expert staff,” Smith said. “Every year, the Pro Bono Center helps over 21,000 D.C. residents to stabilize their families, preserve their homes, and improve their futures. We strengthen 5,000 local nonprofits and small businesses to open their doors and maintain operations.”
Smith also spotlighted this year’s launch of the Client Advisory Board, whose members advise the Pro Bono Center on ways to improve services to best meet client and community needs. “Rather than presuming to understand our clients’ needs, our goal was to establish a group of members who could offer diverse perspectives and interests,” Smith said. “We established this board because we understand that our clients’ lived experiences should inform our policies, strategies, and decisions.”
Pro Bono Center Executive Director Kelli Neptune built on this theme in her address. “We are grounded in the core belief that our clients are our North Star. Our clients are not just case numbers. They are parents facing eviction, immigrants seeking safety, and neighbors securing their futures,” Neptune said.
Neptune recounted some of the center’s recent milestones, including the 30th anniversary of the Advocacy & Justice Clinic, which has served more than 10,000 people, and the Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic’s 20 years of operation, providing legal services to over 6,200 community-based small businesses. The Family Law Assistance Network (FLAN) and Landlord Tenant Legal Assistance Network (LTLAN) — partnerships between the Pro Bono Center and other legal services providers — marked their fifth anniversary this year. In those five years, FLAN has made 5,000 referrals, and the Pro Bono Center has fielded thousands of calls to the LTLAN hotline.
These remarkable efforts are necessary due to the increasing demand for legal assistance, Neptune said. “This past year has been challenging,” she added. “We’ve seen a surge in demand for legal services, and evictions in the District hit a 10-year high.” Neptune credited the efforts of volunteers and other contributors to the center’s ability to rise to the challenge, acknowledging the accomplishments of Paul Cornoni, the Laura N. Rinaldi Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, and Sidley Austin LLP, the Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year.
Cornoni’s 125 hours of pro bono service over the past year included regular volunteer work at the Pro Bono Center and Children’s Law Center, while Sidley Austin dedicated over 42,500 hours toward pro bono work, representing nearly 8 percent of the firm’s billable hours for the year.
In her speech, Montani acknowledged outgoing D.C. Bar president Shaun M. Snyder’s contributions through his leadership over the past year, and the Development Committee for its efforts fundraising on behalf of the Pro Bono Center.
Montani also thanked those assembled at the event for their efforts and financial contributions. “Ensuring access to justice takes all of us,” she said. “It takes volunteer lawyers and mentors. It takes partner organizations coming together to deliver high-quality, coordinated, accessible, legal services. And it takes generous donations to fuel the fight. For whatever part you play in this important effort, thank you. We can’t do it without you.”
