Susie Hoffman became the nation’s first pro bono counsel in 1988 when she joined Crowell & Moring in that role and the first full-time pro bono partner in 2000. For more than 36 years, she has promoted, supervised and participated in Crowell’s pro bono work. In addition, Hoffman has herself represented many clients in domestic violence, adoption, and child custody cases. Hoffman served as D.C. Bar President between 2019-2020. She served two previous terms on the Bar Board of Governors, as president of the D.C. Bar Foundation and Washington Council of Lawyers and as co-chair of the D.C. Circuit Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services. She is a commissioner on the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and serves on the boards of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless and Washington Council of Lawyers. Hoffman has often directed efforts to empowering domestic violence survivors, volunteering as a hotline volunteer and on the Board of My Sisters Place, representing women seeking protection orders, and serving as founding Board Chair of the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Advocacy Project (“DV LEAP”). She clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Harold H. Greene and was a litigation associate at Hogan & Hartson.

Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr. is the President of the historic Howard University Hospital. He is a board certified forensic pathologist and recently served as Professor of Pathology and Chair of the Pathology Department at Howard University College of Medicine. He also served as Chief Medical Officer for the Faculty Practice at Howard just prior to his role as President. Dr. Mitchell also serves as President-Elect for the National Medical Association, the oldest and largest group of Black physicians inthe United States. Dr. Mitchell’s leadership also included service as Chief Medical Examiner for Washington, DC as well as Interim Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice. There, he developed and supported numerous programs and policy for violence prevention for the District. He recently co-authored the book entitled Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do About It, published by John Hopkins Press. He is the co-host of the recent NAACP Image Awards-nominated podcast entitled Official Ignorance – The Death in Custody Podcast. Dr. Mitchell received his B.S. from Howard University, medical degree from Rutgers – New Jersey Medical School, pathology residency from the George Washington University Hospital, and forensic pathology fellowship from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner – New York City.

Tzedek DC’s name is drawn from the ancient Jewish teaching “Tzedek, tzedek tirdof,” or “Justice, justice you shall pursue.” Headquartered at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, and with offices also in Ward 8, Tzedek DC is a nonprofit organization with the mission to safeguard the legal rights and financial health of D.C. residents with lower incomes facing the often-devastating consequences of debt collection and credit-related obstacles. This mission is carried out as anti-racism work in response to the massive wealth gaps tracking race in D.C. and nationwide. Tzedek DC seeks to serve and empower its client base, which is comprised of 90% Black residents, 60% women, and 25% disabled community members. Tzedek's strategic approach combines three synergistic activities: (i) free direct services—legal representation and advice, and financial counseling; (ii) working in coalition to make systemic change; and (iii) providing bilingual community legal education on debt collection, identity theft, and credit management. Since 2017, Tzedek DC has served over 4,000 client households in legal matters and catalyzed systemic reforms benefiting hundreds of thousands of D.C. residents.