DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BAR - Key Persons
As a candidate for the Board of Governors of the DC Bar, I am committed to enhancing the Bar's ability to serve its members and the public. I believe that the Governors play a crucial role in setting the strategic direction of the Bar and ensuring its policies and initiatives align with the needs of its diverse membership and the broader community. Through service on the Board, I hope to have the opportunity to contribute to this vital function and advocate for measures that prioritize member support and public welfare. I served on the Bar's CLE Committee for the last six years (the maximum time permitted) and enjoyed the experience immensely. I hope to continue serving the membership effectively in this new role. Your vote for me would allow me to advance initiatives that foster a more inclusive, responsive, and impactful DC Bar for all stakeholders.
I have called D.C. home since I moved here from Honduras when I was a child. Ever since then, I felt DC was special and have wanted to find ways to serve and give back to the city that has given me so much. As an attorney in the affordable housing space, I am acutely aware of the unique place that attorneys have in serving our communities. Accordingly, by serving with the D.C. Bar, I believe I can help ensure attorneys become aware and take advantage of pro bono opportunities, the ability to continue our education, and to network in order to achieve greater things together.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer / U.S. Department of Justice
Job Titles:
- DOJ - Office of the U.S. Trustee, Colorado
I have been a member of the D.C. Bar since 1989 and have long ties to our Bar community. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, I joined the Department of Justice in 1988 as a trial attorney in the Civil Division, and was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2004 and later as Deputy Branch Director, before retiring in 2023. I believe my long career in public service has provided me with unique experience that can serve the Bar well. Throughout my career, I have mentored attorneys of diverse backgrounds to help them develop outstanding skills and the highest ethical standards. I now seek to serve the Bar not only to foster excellence in our profession, but to help ensure that we remain a force for the protection of the rule of law, the rights of all people, and the integrity of the judicial process.
Job Titles:
- Land Acquisition Specialist, Demeter Land Development, Editor - in - Chief, GP Solo EReport
Barbara Mandel Mayden, TN, Former Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division, Former Chair of the ABA Section of Business Law, more than 30 years as a member of the House of Delegates, two terms on the ABA Board of Governors
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- Chairman, ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
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- D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Authority
As an attorney with the District government, I have advocated for an open and online government, testified in support of marriage equality, budget autonomy, increased authority for our independent ethics office, reducing collateral consequences of criminal convictions, and removing discriminatory covenants from property records. I believe the Bar should collaborate with government more often to achieve its public service mission, and maintain the transparency practices we've learned from the pandemic that promote public participation. I have served in many capacities, including the Health Benefit Exchange Authority, Office of the Attorney General, Board of Ethics and Government Accountability, Counsel to the DC Council, Mayor's Counsel, Uniform Law Commissioner, and ANC Commissioner. Serving in these different roles afforded me unique opportunities and perspectives on public service. My Bar service: Board of Governors, Nominations Committee, DC Affairs, and Administrative Law/ Agency Practice Communities. I graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and Howard University.
Currently, I serve as Tax Counsel to Congresswoman Gwen Moore and advise her on matters within the Ways and Means Committee's jurisdiction, including tax, trade, health care, and social security. It is an honor to support the Congresswoman advance policies that address serious challenges in our nation, generally centered around reducing economic inequality and improving economic resilience. As a member of the D.C. Bar, I periodically volunteer with the D.C. Bar's Pro Bono Center's Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic. Personally, I am motivated by the words of George Washington, who called on us to "raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair." Personal and professional integrity is core to my efforts working for Congresswoman Gwen Moore and would remain so were I to be selected to serve on the bar's Board of Governors.
Job Titles:
- President
- Senior Policy Director for the National Housing Conference
Charles Lowery serves as the Senior Policy Director for the National Housing Conference since March of 2023. Charles is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Massachusetts and is a graduate of Stanford University (B.A. Economics with Honors) and the University of Michigan Law School.
Lowery has served the D.C. Bar in many capacities, including as co-chair of the District of Columbia Affairs Community, treasurer of the Bar, and member of the Board of Governors.
"I ran on a platform of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; access to justice; and increasing access for new Bar members. I think that there's a lot of work that the Bar can do in the diversity, equity, and inclusion area. We must continue the D.C. Bar's leadership to increase access to justice by all District residents," Lowery added. "Finally, I am thrilled to now be able to officially promote the Bar's great resources and help connect those resources to our Bar members."
Lowery brings a wealth of experience to the Bar. As Director, Legislative Policy & External Affairs for New American Funding, he managed government relations and stakeholder outreach and directed the New American Dream Initiative to increase Black homeownership.
He has also served as the Director of State Regulatory Relations for Ocwen Financial Corporation, where he interacted with state regulatory representatives and industry groups by forging strong relationships and ensuring effective communication channels with state-based stakeholders. Previously, Charles served for five years in different roles at the NAACP, including Interim Senior Director of the National Economic Department, where he managed the role of the NAACP in the economic area, and Director of Fair Lending and Inclusion, where he oversaw compliance with the NAACP's Responsible Mortgage Lending Principles and coordinated the role of the NAACP regarding national issues in the mortgage lending and consumer financial services arenas. His experience in the mortgage and consumer financial services areas includes five years as Policy Counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending; two years as Acting Director of Military Saves, a program co-sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Consumer Federation of America; and seven years as General Counsel and Legal Counsel with the D.C. Department of Banking and Financial Institutions.
Cheri Crow, Law Office of Cheri L. Crow, Stoneham, MA
Job Titles:
- Principal, Gilkerson Law, CA Former CLO at Charles Schwab & Co. Former Assistant General Counsel for Market Regulation at the SEC
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - M. Gandhi. We do best when serving others and err frequently when serving only ourselves. On the Board of Governors, my focus will be on service, education, and civility. My connections with this legal community run deep. I served as president of the D.C. Trial Lawyers Association and co-chaired the Steering Committee of the D.C. Bar's Tort Law Section. Currently, I serve on the Superior Court Civil Jury Instructions Committee and Superior Court Civil Rules Committee, and on the Advisory Committee for the D.C. Catholic Charities Legal Network (provider of pro bono legal services). I served as an adjunct at Georgetown Law Center for 12 years and currently present CLE seminars and yearly updates on D.C. appellate decisions. I hope to bring these connections, experience, and enjoyment of service to the Board of Governors.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Lawyer Assistance Program, at 202 - 347 - 3131 or
I have enjoyed serving on the Board of Governors as its Secretary from 2020-2021, and as a Board member since 2021, and I welcome the opportunity to serve another 3 year term with this energetic, creative, and thoughtful group. I have seen firsthand how hard my colleagues on the Board work with each other, with our incredible Bar staff members, and with our stakeholders to make sure we are proactive about, as well as responsive to, the various issues the Bar faces. Having also served on the Board's Executive Committee, Budget Committee, and Compensation Committee, and on the Bar's 2020-2025 Strategic Planning Committee; the Continuing Legal Education Committee (as Chair (2016-2017, 2022-2024), Vice Chair (2015-2016), and Committee member (2012-2015, 2018-2022); the Screening Committee; the Communities Committee; and the Nominations Committee, I have a deep understanding of how the Bar works and will use that knowledge to best serve the Bar.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel, Prickett Jones & Elliott P.a., Delaware
Job Titles:
- Immediate past - President / Kirkland & Ellis LLP
James Ming Chen, Professor of Law and Justin Smith Morrill Chair in Law at Michigan State University (The inclusion of Professor Chen's title is solely an aid in identification and should not be construed as an endorsement by the university.)
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner, Hunt Huey PLLC, Dallas, TX
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- Founder, Graves & Allen, Oakland, CA, Former Editor - in - Chief, ABA GPSolo Magazine
I'm running for Treasurer to make it more affordable to be a lawyer in DC. I want to lower fees for new lawyers and public interest lawyers, advocate for transformative student loan forgiveness efforts, and protect diversity/inclusion programs across our profession. I have deep experience in financial management as a former compliance manager at a bank, as a banking lawyer, and as Treasurer and then President of the DC LGBTQ+ Bar Association where I bolstered private-sector funding partnerships. For the past few years, I have joyfully served the DC Bar as a member of the Voluntary Bar Leadership Group. I worked with Bar leaders to bolster our community and make DC a great place to practice. If elected, I will work tirelessly to uphold the DC Bar's standards of excellence, grow our membership, and plan more community-wide social events. Most importantly: I'll ensure that the Bar spends your money wisely!
Job Titles:
- June Kress Consulting, LLC
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- Chairman in Law at Michigan State University
Job Titles:
- Neighborhood Legal Services Program
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- Attorney 's Office for the District of Columbia
As an attorney who has practiced in the District for nearly fifteen years and served with the Bar's Judicial Evaluations Committee for the last eight years, I have seen first-hand the incredible work of the D.C. Bar in promoting access to justice, enhancing the delivery of legal services to those in need, fostering and maintaining the high ideals of our profession, and safeguarding the professional interests of its members. I would love to continue helping the Bar to fulfill this noble mission.
Laura Possessky seeks re-election as ABA Delegate to represent the interests of DC Bar members in the ABA House of Delegates. An experienced DC Bar leader, she has served as President of the Women's Bar Association, as DC Bar Treasurer, and two terms on the DC Bar Board of Governors, among other leadership positions she has held in service to the DC legal community. For her work with the Leadership Development Committee, she received the Frederick B. Abramson Award for innovative and dedicated service to the DC Bar. Involved with DC Refers and Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, Laura has dedicated her pro bono efforts to creating access to affordable legal services for modest-means clients. A graduate of Georgetown Law and the University of Pennsylvania, Laura has worked in public media for nearly a decade and currently is Vice President of Business Affairs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
As Senior Special Counsel at the Securities and Exchange Commission and a two-term Steering Committee leader of DC Bar's Corporation, Finance and Securities Law Community, I want to use my professional experiences to move the DC Bar forward.
During my leadership of the CFSL Community, we established a subcommittee on diversity and inclusion - the first such group at DC Bar - and produced many insightful programs on emerging issues, for which we were awarded Community of the Year (2021). We also initiated collaborations with Georgetown Law and New York City Bar, enabling valuable professional development. A commitment to expand opportunity and understanding beyond boundaries has driven my career in the public and private sectors and overseas. If elected, I would be honored to work tirelessly to promote access to justice, support Communities, advance diversity and inclusion, and engage non-resident members and outside bars.
I seek to serve again as DC Bar Delegate to the ABA's House of Delegates to continue work I've done in the House. As Delegate from 2016 (when on the ABA Board of Governors and then DC Bar Delegate), I've helped obtain passage of important resolutions which then serve as ABA policy. For example, in co-chairing the ABA Litigation Section's Federal Practice Task Force, I helped draft Resolution 521 calling for random assignment of judges in cases in the federal courts. I have served in many positions in the ABA, DC Bar, Women's Bar Association of DC, and DC Bar Foundation. I am dedicated to pro bono work and chair the Human Trafficking Legal Center which helps trafficking survivors obtain justice. I have founded and led groups advancing professionalism and collegiality in our profession, and, as a partner in the Insurance-Coverage Group at Hunton Andrews Kurth, help mentor other lawyers.
Lucy is seeking reelection as ABA Delegate. An ABA leader, she is Chair of the ABA President's Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence (ambar.org/aiLaw); past Chair, Science & Technology Law Section; and Cybersecurity Legal Task Force founding member. Principal of Livingston PLLC, she focuses on cybersecurity and global data privacy and has been appointed the Consumer Privacy Ombudsman in 35 federal bankruptcy cases. Previously a Justice Department white collar crime prosecutor and senior engineer at a global technology company, she began her career litigating landmark civil rights cases.
With deep D.C. roots, Lucy served two terms on the D.C. Bar Board of Governors and as Bar Secretary. She is past President of the WBA and its Foundation. Her active pro bono practice includes initiatives to combat voter suppression and disinformation. An ALI member, she was elected an Alumni Trustee of Phillips Academy/Andover. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute M.S., Georgetown Law J.D.
I am honored to be considered as a candidate for the ABA House of Delegates. As a DC Bar member and an active member of the ABA, I will work on combining the synergies of the nation's two premiere bars. I believe that I am qualified for the role given my demonstrated track record of serving in the leadership roles in the ABA International Law Section, Section of Dispute Resolution, and ABA Young Lawyers Division. I currently serve as Co-Chair of the ABA International Courts & Judicial Affairs Committee, Vice Chair of the ABA International Arbitration Committee, and the Young Lawyers Division's Liaison to the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution. By virtue of my roles, i have deep understanding of ABA's procedures and policies. If chosen, I will work tirelessly on advancing the ABA goals of promoting the rule of law, the legal process, and the role of our profession.
Job Titles:
- Actor, Attorney, Author of "in the Country of the Blind"
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- Managing Partner, the Cullen Law Firm, PLLC, DC
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- Children 's National Health System
Robert J. Spagnoletti is the Chief Executive Officer of the District of Columbia Bar and Executive Vice President of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. He was president of the D.C. Bar from 2008 to 2009.
Prior to being named CEO in 2017, Bob was a partner at Schertler & Onorato where he developed litigation strategies for clients in a wide variety of criminal, civil, and domestic matters, as well as represented individuals under investigation by local and federal government agencies.
From 2003 to 2006 Bob served as attorney general for the District of Columbia. In that role he led 700 attorneys and support staff and counseled the mayor, D.C. Council, and D.C. Courts. Before being named attorney general, Bob served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia from 1990 to 2003, specializing in cases involving sex offenses and domestic violence.
Bob also has experience in legal and government ethics. He was the first chair of the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability and was responsible for building the office that enforces the ethical code of conduct governing the executive and legislative branches of D.C. government.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Law Partner at Crowell
Sadina Montani has held numerous voluntary leadership positions with Bar organizations, legal services providers and community nonprofits.
Sadina was president of the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia (WBA) during the 2020-21 Bar year. As president, she focused on allyship and the WBA's advocacy in support of its membership and interests central to the association's mission.
The WBA's Discussing Racism and Being Anti-Racist Tool Kit - developed under her leadership - received the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations' Outstanding Member Program Award: Special Recognition for Social Change. And for the 2021 calendar year, which included Sadina's WBA Bar year (and the Bar year of Bridget Bailey Lipscomb), the WBA was recognized as the D.C. Bar's Voluntary Bar of the Year.
Sadina has been active in the D.C. Bar for more than a decade, serving in the first cohort of the D.C. Bar's John Payton Leadership Academy in 2013. She has chaired the D.C. Bar's Nominations Committee, and served on the Leadership Development Committee and Screening Committee.
Sadina is an experienced nonprofit board member, currently serving as a board member, governance committee chair and chief governance officer for Ayuda, a nonprofit providing legal, social, and language services to help low-income immigrants in the D.C. community. She recently stepped down from the board of the Greater D.C. Diaper Bank, on which she served starting in 2017, including as governance committee chair and board chair.
Sadina has a robust pro bono practice, primarily supporting nonprofit organizations focused on education, the environment, and social services.
Sadina is an employment law partner at Crowell. She serves as co-chair of Crowell's Women's Leadership Initiative, as a member of Crowell's Technology Innovation Committee, and on the Steering Committee for Crowell's Labor & Employment Group.
Job Titles:
- President - Elect / National Association of State Treasurers
My name is Shirley Diaz. I am an associate at Skadden and the Immediate Past President of the Hispanic Bar Association of DC. I am honored to run for the position of At-Large Member of the Board of Governors for the DC Bar. I am an advocate for inclusion and well being. Specifically, I support creating supportive environments that promote non-alcohol-focused socialization, reflecting our profession's need for holistic health.
Job Titles:
- State Delegate for Ohio to the ABA House of Delegates
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- State Delegate for Minnesota to the ABA House of Delegates
Sumbal Mahmud, State Delegate for Minnesota to the ABA House of Delegates