A law school associate dean and a small-firm attorney are vying this year for the District of Columbia Bar's top job.

The D.C. Bar's nominations committee chose Laura Possessky of Gura & Possessky and Annamaria Steward, associate dean of students at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, as this year's candidates for president-elect. The president-elect spends one year in that position, one year as president and one year as immediate past president.

Voting kicked off in late April and will end May 22. Information on candidates for other positions is available here.

LAURA POSSESSKY

Possessky, a 45-year-old media and entertainment lawyer, has served for years as a leader in professional organizations. She has been president of the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts and was on the D.C. Bar Board of Governors and served as D.C. Bar treasurer. At Gura & Possessky, she practices with Alan Gura, who specializes in constitutional law.

Possessky said she was interested in this leadership position because the legal profession has seen a paradigm shift. Clients have more options for legal-services pricing, and there's more competition from online companies, like the document and filing provider LegalZoom. At the same time, law students are graduating with debt double what Possessky and her peers may have carried.

The bar doesn't advocate for policy, but it can still raise awareness by bringing all lawyers in the organization into an ongoing conversation, Possessky said.

“For attorneys who are licensed, it can ensure there are resources available through the bar to help navigate these challenges,” she said.

ANNAMARIA STEWARD

Steward, 42, joined the law school in 2008 as associate dean of students. She previously worked as an associate at Washington's Jack H. Olender & Associates, a firm that specializes in medical-malpractice cases. Steward clerked for Judge Annice Wagner of the D.C. Court of Appeals. In addition to her duties as an associate dean, she coaches the law school's oral advocacy team.

Steward is a member of the bar's Board of Governors and has served on a number of committees. She's also been active in the city's voluntary bar associations, including a term as president of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.

Coming from academia, a less common background among bar leaders, Steward said she believes she would bring valuable experience. She said she wants to find ways to better integrate the city's six law schools into the bar and tap law students as a resource to help meet the growing demand in D.C. for legal services for low-income residents.

“With the challenges facing the legal profession now, the increased need for pro bono and low bono services, I think it's a unique time for me to build on the experience I have through the various voluntary bars and mandatory bar,” Steward said.

Read statements from the candidates provided to the NLJ:

Laura Possessky writes:

“I plan to advance D.C. Bar's role as a forum for innovative solutions. The legal profession has encountered unprecedented change in recent years. We have experienced the impact of new business models, technological advances, increased globalization and a stagnant employment market, especially for entry-level attorneys. I want to engage members to identify critical reforms for the future of our profession and amplify the message about the growing need for pro bono and low-cost legal services. To accomplish these goals, I plan to activate the Bar's expertise in order to assist members navigating these challenges and leverage its technology platforms to improve member access to resources.”

Annamaria Steward writes:

“For over seventeen years, I have actively served in bar associations to advance the legal profession and benefit the greater community. Focusing on promoting a culture of service, I have held leadership positions in the Bar Association of D.C., the Washington Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the D.C. Bar. If elected, I will focus on strengthening the pipeline of law students into the profession, bolstering service to the larger community, and establishing the Bar as a resource for solutions to market and technological challenges affecting the profession. More specifically, in addition to implementing the Bar's new strategic plan, I will work to further incorporate law students in addressing the justice gap, increase membership and pro bono service, and enable the Bar to maintain its position as one of the premier bar associations in the country.”