In This Issue

---

Events

WBA Kicks Off the Year with Stars of the Bar

By Kerri Castellini, Feeney & Kuwamura, P.A.

Stars of the Bar was once again a successful kick-off for WBA's year. The event bustled with over 200 law students, judges, and members of the metropolitan legal community. The Hogan & Hartson building at Columbia Square was a beautiful setting for a night of networking and honoring community service leaders. Current and prospective members alike shared in the complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages while learning more about the upcoming WBA program year.

Co-chairs from each of the WBA's committees and forums were present to showcase upcoming events and answer questions regarding the mission and history of the WBA. Co-chairs have prepared a number of events ranging in topic areas to address both substantive and lifestyle concerns of the legal community. Current members were encouraged to bring prospective members to the event so that they may learn more about the WBA. More information about upcoming WBA events can be found at the WBA's website, www.wbadc.org.

WBA President Consuela Pinto introduced this year's theme of community service with a brief program that honored attorneys who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to helping the community. The honorees graciously accepted their star shaped awards, and expressed appreciation for the WBA's attention to their work. In addition, the honorees had the opportunity to present materials about their respective programs to event participants.

Shantelle D. Wright was honored for her work founding and heading the Achievement Prep Academy. Once an attorney for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Ms. Wright founded the tuition-free public charter school with a focus on college through a concentration by concentrating on math and literacy, and a low student to teacher ratio. www.aprepacademy.org

Jenny Brody, Karen Barker Marcou, and Marla Spindel were recognized for founding the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP). Ms. Brody, Ms. Marcou, and Ms. Spindel had found themselves without adequate resources to continue pro bono work when they each took time off from their careers to care for their families. DCVLP provides office space, training, mentoring, malpractice insurance, and other resources to attorneys not associated with a law firm but who still wish to provide pro bono assistance. www.dcvlp.org

Doran Flowers, Tina Hsu, and Jason King were honored for founding Turning the Page, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a link between DC public schools, families, and communities by hosting community nights and providing parent and teacher leadership training, child mentoring, and book giveaways. www.turningthepage.org

Continuing with the theme of community service, this year's Stars of the Bar kicked off the WBA Community Projects Forum's three-month long food and donation drive to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank Children's Program. The Community Projects Forum collected an abundance of nutritious, kid-friendly, non-perishable food items and over $400 in monetary donations. The drive will continue through the Holiday Tea to be held December 16. Food items and donations are being collected at each fall WBA program.

Stars of the Bar could not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We would like to thank each of the following sponsors for helping the WBA gather the legal community and recognize the significant community service contributions of this year's honorees.

Platinum Sponsors
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Huron Consulting Group
Jack H. Olender & Associates P.C.
King & Spalding, LLP
Latham & Watkins
Miller & Chevalier Chartered
Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
Women's Bar Association Foundation

Gold Sponsors
American University Washington College of Law
Crowell & Moring LLP
GerardPhoto
Jones Day
Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A.
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
WilmerHale
Reliable Litigation Support Services