Washington, DC - Attorney General Robert J. Spagnoletti announced the start of the Special Assistant Attorney General Program on May 9, 2005. On May 11, 2005, Mr. Spagnoletti inaugurated the Special AAG Program by welcoming to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) two associates from the Washington office of Fulbright & Jaworski LLP (Fulbright). The Fulbright associates will be the first to take part in the program.

"This is an excellent example of public-private partnering in the legal profession intended to benefit the citizens of the District of Columbia," said Attorney General Spagnoletti. "We are excited to have associates from Fulbright here at OAG, and look forward to challenging them and making full use of their legal talents."

Attorneys at Fulbright are the first to take part in this innovative program. Special Assistant Attorneys General will volunteer at the OAG for six months, and will gain valuable experience by working in the Civil and Appellate Divisions. Fulbright will send a rotating roster of associates who will typically make a six-month commitment to the program.

"This is a win-win program for Fulbright," said John Simpson, a Fulbright partner and the head of the litigation department at the firm's Washington, DC office. "The firm is making an important contribution to public service through this program by donating 20 hours a week to the OAG's from some of our best and brightest young attorneys."

Wendy Butler Curtis and Joseph Hartman are the Fulbright associates who will begin work with the Civil Litigation Division of OAG, and may conduct and defend depositions, make arguments on motions and try cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and before various administrative bodies.

At the end of the six-month rotation, Fulbright will continue to send additional associates, and has committed to supplying a steady stream of volunteers to OAG on a year-round basis. Fulbright will continue to pay the full salaries of all volunteers in the six-month program, with no costs attributed to the District.