About the Commission

The D.C. Access to Justice Commission was
created by the D.C. Court of Appeals in 2005 to
address low and moderate income residents' unmet
need for civil legal services (
Click here for the Court
of Appeals Order creating the Commission).  The
Commission is also responsible for raising the
profile in our community of the need for equal
access to justice.  The Commissioners include D.C.
Court of Appeals and Superior Court judges,
leaders of the D.C. Bar, legal services attorneys,
and other community leaders.  The Commission is
chaired by Georgetown University Law Center
Professor Peter Edelman.  
Commission Goals

The Commission seeks to increase significantly the
resources for civil legal services, improve planning
and coordination of legal services delivery, and
reduce other barriers preventing equal access to
justice.  The Commission works with the Court,
legal services providers, bar members, and other
community leaders to achieve these goals.
Commissioners

Professor Peter B. Edelman, Chair
Professor, Georgetown University Law Center

Hon. Inez Smith Reid, Vice-Chair
D.C. Court of Appeals

Rawle Andrews, Legal Director
Legal Counsel for the Elderly

Jon Bouker
Arent, Fox LLP

Shelley Broderick, Dean,
University of the District of Columbia
David A. Clarke School of Law

Hon. Stephanie Duncan-Peters
D.C. Superior  Court

JoAnne Doddy Fort
Urban Service Systems Corporation

Patricia Mullahy Fugere, Executive Director
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

Nathalie Gilfoyle, General Counsel
American Psychological Asssociation

Maria S. Gomez, President and CEO
Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care

Su Sie Ju, Supervising Attorney
Bread for the City

Andrew H. Marks
Crowell & Moring LLP

Shirley Massey, Injured Worker Advocate

Stephen J. Pollak, Counsel
Goodwin Procter LLP

Hon. Hiram Puig-Lugo
D.C. Superior Court

Hon. Vanessa Ruiz
D.C. Court of Appeals

Jonathan M. Smith, Executive Director
Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia
About the Commission
District of Columbia
Access to Justice Commission
The Court of Appeals established the Commission
for an initial term of three years.  In October 2007,
the Court issued an
Order continuing the work of
the Commission indefinitely.
Click here for Court Order naming the
Commissioners.

Click on each name below to view the
Commissioner's biography.