Join the leadership of the D.C. Bar’s Human Rights and Immigration Subcommittee (part of the International Law Community) in a stimulating conversation with two leaders in the anti-human trafficking movement. This program is particularly timely at the 25-year mark of the criminalization of human trafficking under U.S. law. Additionally, during the past two decades, survivors have successfully held their traffickers accountable through filing action in district court (frequently with the assistance of pro bono attorneys) under a civil remedy provision. We hope that this program will motivate D.C. Bar members to serve as pro bono attorneys in this significant area of the law.

Guests:

Martina Vandenberg (President and Founder) and Evelyn Chumbow (Advocacy and Survivor Leadership Director) at the Human Trafficking Legal Center in Washington, D.C. Evelyn is a survivor of forced labor who was trafficked from Cameroon to the U.S. as a young child. She spent years in involuntary servitude in Maryland to a Cameroonian national, enduring treatment described by the Justice Department as “modern-day slavery.” Since 2015, Evelyn has served on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

Repressive regimes throughout the world are increasingly relying on political imprisonment to silence opposition and dissent. In this episode, Brian Tronic, Director of the Fred Hiatt Program to Free Political Prisoners at Freedom House, will discuss what a "political prisoner" is; the prevalence of political imprisonment and key countries of concern; common issues political prisoners face and violations they experience; and advocacy strategies for their release. He will be joined by Talia Khattak, the daughter of Pakistani political prisoner Idris Khattak, who will share her father's story and what it is like when a family member becomes a political prisoner.

To learn more or get involved, email tronic@freedomhouse.org.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

U.S. PIRG's Federal Legislative Director, Isaac Bowers, discusses his organization's advocacy for "right to repair" at the state and federal level, including for the military. Such laws guarantee access to parts, tools, and service information for an array of products, from military ships and planes to consumer electronics and general consumer goods. D.C. does not yet have a comprehensive right to repair law. Don Allen Resnikoff moderates.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode of Season 2, A. Valerie Mirko, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, joins William Nelson, Director of Public Policy and Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, to discuss the ongoing government shutdown and two recent speeches by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on enforcement and corporate governance.

Chairman Atkins has announced plans to revamp the SEC’s Wells process, aiming to make the agency more transparent in sharing investigative findings and to give firms greater opportunity to respond before enforcement actions move forward.

He also signaled a potential shift in the shareholder proposal framework under Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, suggesting the SEC may allow companies to exclude precatory, or non-binding, shareholder proposals - a move that could reshape how corporate governance issues reach the ballot.

Finally, Valerie and William explore the implications of the government shutdown, noting that its full impact on rulemaking and policy may take time to unfold.

Past Episodes of this Series:

From Memecoins to Custody: What Firms Need to Know About Crypto (9/24/25)

⁠Corp Fin in Flux: What the SEC’s Latest Moves Mean for Issuers and Investors⁠ (8/13/25)

⁠⁠AI in the Investment Adviser Industry⁠⁠ (7/16/25)

⁠⁠Harnessing AI: What Attorneys and Financial Industry Professionals Need to Know⁠⁠ (6/18/25)

⁠⁠SEC Leadership, Crypto Policy, and FINRAs Regulatory Refresh⁠⁠ (5/21/25)

⁠⁠New Leadership, New Priorities: Paul Atkins at the SEC⁠⁠ (4/23/25)

⁠⁠How the New Administration and Congress Will Shape the SEC⁠⁠ (3/26/25)

⁠⁠Reflecting on 30 years of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act⁠⁠ (2/26/25)

⁠⁠Insights on SEC Transition and Policy Priorities with Pete Driscoll⁠⁠ (2/5/25)

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

Retired Judges Thomas Moukawsher and Bennett Rushkoff speak on the role of dynamic judges in guiding the course of litigation so that it moves efficiently to a reasonable and just conclusion.
Judge Moukawsher is the author of "The Common Flaw: Needless Complexity in the Courts and 50 Ways to Reduce It." The book critiques the complexity of modern litigation and judicial practices and proposes a series of suggestions to bring greater efficiency to court proceedings, as well as greater public respect for the courts.
Judge Rushkoff brings to bear his experience as an D.C. Administrative Law Judge, where the guiding role of the judge is very important.
The discussion is moderated by Don Allen Resnikoff of the D.C. Bar Public Interest and Courts Community.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this latest episode of the series, "Intersections: Energy and Environmental Issues in Law and Tech," Cathy Pagano of the Women's Bar Association of D.C. (WBA) interviews Lorraine Spradley Wilson, Founder and Strategic Advisor at Blue Horizon.
Lorraine explains how she founded Blue Horizon, a DC based advisory firm that helps organizations from early-stage startups to nonprofits, achieve sustainable growth. She also explains how thoughtful sustainability reporting and the resulting data help these organizations become more resilient and successful. In addition, Lorraine shares resources for organizations starting this process.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.