Darrell G. Mottley was sworn in as the 40th president of the DC Bar at the Celebration of Leadership: The DC Bar Awards Dinner and Annual Meeting. The evening also recognized individuals and programs for their outstanding work over the past year.
"Leadershipis not about standing above anyone at all, but rather standing by their side: the side of a client, the side of a cause, and standing up for the community. That essence of leadership - serving a client, a cause, or community, walking beside them - extends far beyond Supreme Court cases or the nightly news. It's present in the everyday work we do as lawyers" said President Mottley after receiving the gavel, in a symbolic moment, from Ronald S. Flagg, the outgoing president.
Mr. Mottley concluded his speech by saying, "And in my term as president, I will cherish the great honor to walk beside you, our members of the DC Bar."
During the dinner, bar members celebrated the programs and people who made a deep impact on both the District of Columbia community and legal profession. Maureen Thornton Syracuse received the bar's highest honor, the William J. Brennan Jr. Award, for her nearly two decades of leadership in expanding the impact of the DC Bar Pro Bono Program.
Other award recipients included the DC Bar Intellectual Property Law Section (Best Section); Jerald Hess of DLA Piper LLP and Larry E. Tanenbaum of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (tie, Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year); Ropes & Gray LLP (Law Firm Pro Bono Award, Large Firm); Haynes and Boone, LLP (Law Firm Pro Bono Award, Small Firm); and the Health Care Access Project of the DC Bar Pro Bono Committee and the New Fee Agreements Course Curricula of the DC Bar Continuing Legal Education Committee (tie, Best Bar Project).