Following our Celebration of Accessible Justice on June 10, we are continuing that momentum with a special matching opportunity to deepen our impact across the District.
Every gift made by June 30 will be matched up to $25,000, doubling your support for DC residents who rely on accessible legal services.
Make your gift today!
Thank you to the hundreds of supporters who helped raise $394,711 (and counting!) to support District families access justice, and honor Mary E. Gately, through the 2026 Celebration!
The date of the 2027 Celebration will be announced soon—join DCALF's mailing list to make sure your invitation can find you! And, in the meantime, enjoy browsing the photos of the 2026 Celebration.
2026 Celebration in Review
DC Affordable Law Firm's annual Celebration of Accessible Justice recognizes the leaders, advocates, and emerging public-interest lawyers who are building a more equitable legal system. It is an inspiring evening honoring the impact of DCALF’s programs, the fellows who work to build a more equitable future, and the community members DCALF is proud to walk alongside.
Together, we celebrate the transformative impact of accessible, client-centered legal services for hardworking DC residents while strengthening the award-winning fellowship programs that train and inspire the next generation of public interest lawyers.
In 2026, we proudly honored Mary Gately, partner at DLA Piper, DC Affordable Law Firm’s longtime Pro Bono Litigation Director, and recipient of the John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association, for her extraordinary leadership in mentoring the next generation of public interest lawyers and championing accessible justice for hardworking families.
The 2026 event is over, but you can still support DCALF's mission of ensuring income is never a barrier to justice with your donation! Your gift to DCALF helps remove financial barriers to justice, strengthen economic security for DC families, and build a more accessible legal system for years to come.
Honoring the 2026 Champion of Accessible Justice, Mary E. Gately
This year’s Celebration honors Mary Gately, partner at DLA Piper and longtime Pro Bono Litigation Director of DC Affordable Law Firm.
Mary is widely admired across the legal community for her extraordinary commitment to mentoring newly minted lawyers, championing the rights of hardworking families, and strengthening pathways into public interest law. Her leadership has helped shape generations of lawyers committed to service and justice.
In recognition of her profound contributions to the profession and to the community, Mary received the John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association, one of the legal profession’s most distinguished honors for public service and professionalism.
DC Affordable Law Firm is proud to recognize Mary as the 2026 Champion of Accessible Justice.
Featuring the 2026 Celebration of Accessible Justice Keynote Speaker, Dr. Amber Hewitt
Dr. Amber A. Hewitt is the District of Columbia Government's inaugural Chief Equity Officer and Director of the Mayor's Office of Racial Equity. She advises the mayor and senior leadership on policy and budget decisions and works with agencies to embed racial equity principles into government operations.
Dr. Hewitt's team developed the first racial equity strategic plan for the municipality and its 36,000 employees. She has also served as Director of Health Equity for a national health advocacy organization and as a health policy fellow in the Office of US Senator Cory Booker. She has authored publications and produced policy recommendations on health equity, social determinants of health, and innovative care and payment models.
Thank You to Our 2026 Celebration of Accessible Justice Sponsors and Supporters
JUSTICE SPONSORS | $50,000+
Sponsors as of June 2, 2026
All sponsorships must be pledged by May 22 to be included in printed event materials.
PRESENTING SPONSORS | $25,000+
Marc and Phyllis Fleischaker
VISIONARY SPONSORS | $10,000+
Nancy Noonan and John Odenwelder
Sheldon Krantz and Laurie Robinson
CHAMPION SPONSORS | $5,000+
Benjamin Boyd
Marcus Christian
ADVOCATE SPONSORS | $2,500+
Jim and Doris Brogan
Lawrence E. Eiselstein
Jim Sandman
FRIEND SPONSORS | $1,000+
Elizabeth "Lisa" Dewey
Diana L. Erbsen
William Minor
Joe Petrosinelli
Brian Schneider
Ted Segal
Philip Zeidman
Thank You to the 2026 Host Committee
Christian Amolsch, Gensler
Joseph C. Ardito, DC Affordable Law Firm
Temi F. Bennett
Jon S. Bouker, ArentFox Schiff
Benjamin Boyd*, DLA Piper
Jim Brogan
Stephanie Clements, Gensler
Lisa Cohen, Open Horizon
Paul Cornoni, Regan Zambri Long PLLC
Ghida AlJuburi Damirji, Museum of Illusions, DC
Elizabeth "Lisa " Dewey*, DLA Piper
Diana L. Erbsen, DLA Piper
Marc Fleischaker*, DCALF Co-Founder, and Phyllis Fleischaker
David Hall
Drew Hauge, HKA
Brooke Kim, DLA Piper
George Korenko, Edgeworth Economics
The Honorable Rebecca Goldfrank
Claire C. Kelly, Esq., Trusts & Wealth, PLLC
Sheldon Krantz*, DCALF Co-Founder, and Laurie Robinson
Debra and Joseph Landa, BriarTek Inc.
Paul Lee, Steptoe LLP
Richard Marks, DLA Piper
William Minor, DLA Piper
Nancy Noonan*, DCALF Board Chair, and John Odenwelder
Clint T. Odom*, T-Mobile
Nick Opinsky
Councilmember Zachary Parker
Joe Petrosinelli
Ronnie Raju, Wilkinson Barker Knauer
Brian Schneider, ArentFox Schiff
Julian Scott, Glenmede
Ted Segal
Dolly Turner
Robert Tyrer, The Cohen Group
*Member of DCALF's Board of Directors
For questions about the event, sponsorship opportunities, or tribute gifts, please contact Development@dcaffordablelaw.organd visit our ticketing page to lend your support to this event.
Your support of DC Affordable Law Firm's Celebration of Accessible Justice helps ensure that every hardworking DC family can access the legal guidance they need — and that the next generation of public interest lawyers continues to be trained, inspired, and empowered. Together, we can make justice truly accessible for all.