Washington DC, June 18, 2019 – After 14 years at D.C. Law Students In Court (LSIC), Executive Director Moses Cook will be stepping down this fall, as he will relocate to Europe with his family later this year.
Cook has been with LSIC since 2005 when he started supervising in the criminal defense clinic. He has served as Executive Director since 2013. Before joining LSIC, he was a Prettyman/Stiller Fellow with Georgetown University School of Law. He received his Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.
“Under Moses’ leadership, D.C, Law Students In Court has grown to represent more than 4,000 clients and train nearly 90 law students to be lifelong advocates for justice and ensure that equal justice applies regardless of income,” said Don Ridings, Board President, LSIC Alumni, and partner at Covington & Burling LLP. “Moses leaves our organization stronger than it has ever been, and poised to produce even greater impact.”
Launched in 1969 by five D.C. area law schools, LSIC is today a nationally recognized leader at training social justice advocates and representing clients in grave legal jeopardy in the District of Columbia. Among the signature achievements of the organization under Cook’s leadership:
- Excellence in Teaching – A staff of eight full-time faculty teach, supervise and mentor law students in a clinical program designed to meet American Bar Association standards for clinical training. LSIC’s Housing Advocacy and Litigation Clinic (HALC) and the Criminal Defense Clinic train approximately 45 student attorneys from DC-area law schools each semester.
- Expanded Client Representation – Physically located in the Landlord and Tenant Branch of D.C. Superior Court, LSIC’s Eviction Defense Services (EDS) is the only legal provider that is open every hour that the Court is open and on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. Through HALC and LSIC’s other clinical programs, law students, supervising attorneys and staff attorneys provide representation to more than 4000 clients each year and devote nearly 30,000 hours of pro bono legal services.
- Innovations in Justice and Equity – LSIC has a legacy of innovation, developing groundbreaking programs around expungement and immigration, launching a Civil Protection Order Project to represent respondents in intrafamily protection order cases, and pioneering the integration of social work students with clinical legal education.
- Organizational Stability – over the past decade, LSIC has grown in size and impact, diversified revenue by tapping into philanthropic sources, and built a professional staff of 30 full time employees. The LSIC annual gala, the Celebration of Service, has grown to be a signature event, raising revenue for the program and recognizing leaders in the greater D.C. legal community.
“I’ve been honored to work with a team of skillful and passionate teachers and advocates at D.C Law Students In Court, and I’m confident they will sustain the drive toward social justice and equity,” said Cook. “I’m excited about the future of this amazing organization.”
The Board of Directors has retained the executive search firm LeaderFit and will conduct a national search for Cook’s successor.
About D.C. Law Students In Court
Since 1969, D.C. Law Students In Court’s mission has been to teach and inspire the next generation of law students while providing the highest quality legal representation to the District’s low-income residents. D.C. Law Students In Court has made “equal justice under law” a reality for thousands of our clients, and trained and inspired hundreds of lawyers to protect the legal rights of the less fortunate.