HISTORY
NCLA, formerly Lawyers’ Wives of DC (LWDC), was founded in 1961. LWDC was the brain child of Allan Fisher, the head of the Legal Aid Society. The first president was Mrs. George Washington, wife of a U.S. Court of Appeals judge. Vera Burger, wife of Chief Justice Burger of the Supreme Court, was also a founding member.
In looking back over our volunteer activities, we can be justly proud of our accomplishments. Our first service projects benefited the Legal Aid Society and the Juvenile Court. At the Juvenile Court, members worked in “Intake,” where we interviewed juvenile offenders and their parents for case histories. We provided an exceptionally well-stocked clothes closet for families of the juveniles, eyeglasses and boots for needy children. After four years, our project expanded and became “Friends of the Juvenile Court” which was chaired by Dorothy Goldberg, wife of Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Goldberg followed by Andy Stewart, wife of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart. We also obtained jobs for fathers delinquent in child support payments as well as jobs for young people on parole. NCLA also sponsored an Essay Contest for 12 to 18 year old boys who were incarcerated at Cedar Knoll School. It was a great success and we can be very proud of the results.
A theater party at The Arena Stage benefited the Legal Aid Society. Candy for waiting rooms at both Legal Aid Society and Juvenile Court was provided as well as decorated Christmas trees for both agencies and the WRC Doll House. Typewriters were donated to Lorton as a result of a benefit and clothing was collected for inmates leaving Lorton. We donated $5,000 from the proceeds of our Scholarship Ball to the Drug Prevention Program, which was chaired by Mrs. Richard G. Kleindienst, wife of the Assistant Attorney General, who was an Honorary member of NCLA.
When the organization “World Peace Thru Law” had its conference in Washington, we hosted the women’s functions, as well as a formal evening at the National Gallery of Art. Scholarship Balls raised funds for student loans to two senior law students at each of five area universities. Donations were also made to the law schools for the purchase of much needed books for their law libraries. In conjunction with the Women’s Bar Association of DC, we sponsored a “Welcoming Tea” for new citizens, who had been sworn in at the District court on Law Day.
When the Citizens Information Service was founded in 1968, we were asked to visit agencies in the metropolitan area to secure information on the kinds of assistance they could provide to the needy, from which a Resources Index File would be available to the staff and to the general public.
Yearly contributions to the Supreme Court Historical Society have been made. Members were also involved in “Reading for the Blind” a favored project of Justice Potter Stewart. Members led court tours for 5th and 6th graders and students participated in a “mock trial” and then were taken to see a real trial in progress. In 1980 we received an award from the National Law Wives for our Legal Counsel for the Elderly Project.
Our work with the DC Public Schools began with poster contests and then an essay contest. In 1976, Jean Gordon, past president of NCLA, introduced a “mini-course” for 6th graders to make students aware of our special kind of government and of how fortunate they are to live in the Capital of the United States. We wanted these young people to realize that they indeed are special and that they can make a difference in their city.
The children write essays which are judged by our members for an essay contest entitled “A Special City Needs Special People.” Awards are funded by NCLA, the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., and the Foundation of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. The awards ceremony and reception are held at the Supreme Court of the United States on Law Day in May. We are honored to have some of the Justices and their wives participate in the ceremony. From the beginning, Mrs. Thurgood Marshall has assisted us each year with this project. In 1994, NCLA won the American Lawyers’ Auxiliary First Place Award for this Law Day Project. 
Other projects have included fingerprinting of children at Montgomery Mall. In cooperation with the Montgomery County Boy Scout Explorers and Ritz Camera Store, children were fingerprinted and photographed. The photograph and fingerprint were given to the parents free of charge. We have also hosted parties at the Baptist Children’s Home. In 1994, we began “Have a Heart Day.” A special party was held on Valentine’s Day for the toddlers and preschool children at St. Ann’s Infant and Maternity Home. Most of the children are “at risk” children adjudicated from the courts, and evaluated at St. Ann’s so a plan can be made to help them. We provide a wonderful clown, musical games, and lunch and gifts. We also provide toys, books, clothes and other items that are needed by St. Ann’s for the children’s care and education. A much needed resource was our donation of a VCR camera to be used for therapeutic evaluations of the children.
We have honored our wounded veterans with a picnic and visit them in the hospital.
We have the unique privilege of having as our honorary members the Spouses of the Supreme Court Justices and the Attorney General and each fall we honor them at a special luncheon. Our members continue to use our resources and volunteer hours to meet many needs in the community.
Among the many awards NCLA has received are the following:
(1) ’67-’68 – Plaque for Meritorious Service to the Legal Profession from National Lawyers Wives
(2) ’86 – ALA award for excellence in competition held to observe Law Day, USA May 1.
(3) ’86 – Certificate of Merit in recognition of meritorious Volunteer Services from the American Lawyers Auxiliary.
(4) ’86 – Resolution for 10th Anniversary for the Commitment to Education and its continuous support and interest in the students of the D.C. Public Schools from the D.C. Board of Education.
(5) ’94 – Plaque for First Place Law Day Award from the American Lawyers Auxiliary.
(6) ’96 – Plaque for President’s Award from the American Lawyers Auxiliary.
(7) ’97 – Certificate for State Auxiliary Law Day Award from the American Lawyers Auxiliary.
(8) ’02- American Lawyers Alliance awarded NCLA Past President Cerlene Rose with “The Outstanding Individual Volunteer”
(9) ’07 – NCLA Past President Catherine O’Reilly served as President of the American Lawyers Auxiliary
(10) ’09 – NCLA Past President Janet Bullinger served as Secretary of the American Lawyers Auxiliary
(11) ’16- 17- ALA awarded a monetary grant to the NCLA to recognize its outstanding Law Day Essay Contest
(12) ’17-18 NCLA Past President Anne Santorelli serves as American Lawyers Alliance President
(13) ’17-18 NCLA Co-President Evelyn Albright- serves as American Lawyers Alliance 2nd VP
(*We thank Diane Harmon for compiling the NCLA history)
National Capital Lawyers Auxiliary 