John Murph

Washington, D.C.

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Articles

Blues Alley Swings at 60 from the Nation’s Capital

3 weeks ago | downbeat.com | John Murph

By John Murph I Jun. 3, 2025 On a Thursday afternoon in early March, the lights are dimmed inside Blues Alley as employees polish tables and scrub the floors. The Washington, D.C.-based, red-brick carriage-house jazz club is preparing to welcome Nicholas Payton.
D.C. Bar Well-Being Summit Addresses Job Loss and Other Challenges

1 month ago | dcbar.org | John Murph

Coping with unexpected loss and cultivating resilience were major focal points of the D.C. Bar’s annual Well-Being Summit on May 21, co-presented by the Lawyer Well-Being Community and Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) under the theme “Meeting You Where You Are.” In his welcoming remarks to more than 150 attendees, D.C. Bar President Shaun Snyder reflected on his work as former chief operating officer of the American Psychiatric Association and at the D.C. Department of Health.
D.C. Bar Intellectual Property Law Community Honors Judge Clark Cheney With Champion of IP Award

1 month ago | dcbar.org | John Murph

On May 14 the D.C. Bar Intellectual Property Law Community presented its Champion of Intellectual Property Award to Clark S. Cheney, chief administrative law judge (ALJ) at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). Held at the Bar’s headquarters, the event was attended by approximately 40 people, including Cheney’s colleagues, mentors, and husband, Greg Newcomb. Cheney held back tears of joy upon accepting the award from Judge Doris Johnson Hines of the ITC.
D.C. Bar CEO Bob Spagnoletti Wins Bolton Award for Outstanding Leadership

1 month ago | dcbar.org | John Murph

The Association for Bar Professionals (NABE) has chosen D.C. Bar CEO Robert J. Spagnoletti as the recipient of its 2025 Bolton Award for Outstanding Bar Leadership, the organization’s highest accolade for professional excellence. Spagnoletti will be honored at NABE’s Annual Meeting in Toronto in August. Spagnoletti said he was “speechless, which is extremely rare,” when he received the call from NABE President Whitney von Haam.
International Jazz Day in Abu Dhabi a ‘Learning Experience’ for All Involved

1 month ago | downbeat.com | John Murph

By John Murph I May. 5, 2025 This year’s edition of International Jazz Day served as its most peculiar chapter so far as jazz luminaries from various regions of the globe — including the U.S., Panama, Japan, China, Morocco, Iraq and India — swarmed down on Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which hosted the annual event’s main April 30 concert.
Judicial & Bar Conference Offers Look Into the Future of Law

2 months ago | dcbar.org | John Murph

Artificial intelligence and its impact on the legal profession was the central topic of discussion at the 2025 Judicial & Bar Conference on April 25 that drew nearly 500 attendees. Held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, the conference opened with reports on the state of the D.C. Court of Appeals and D.C. Superior Court and highlighted the D.C. Bar’s accomplishments in the current fiscal year, including its emphasis on training lawyers for the future of law.
D.C. Bar Announces 2025 Award Winners

2 months ago | dcbar.org | John Murph

The D.C. Bar has selected the winners of its 2025 Annual Awards honoring individuals and organizations whose outstanding work and exceptional projects benefited Bar membership, enriched the legal community, and expanded access to justice. The following awardees made important contributions to the advancement of the legal profession and provided critical assistance to the District’s most vulnerable populations. Frederick B.
Meet President-Elect Candidate Diane Seltzer

Mar 11, 2025 | dcbar.org | John Murph

The D.C. Bar’s 2025 general and Communities elections will run from April 15 to June 4. Eligible voters will receive an email link to their ballots via Survey & Ballot Systems, an independent vendor administering the elections. Results of the elections will be announced on the Bar’s website and during the 2025 Celebration of Leadership on June 26. Here, get to know Diane Seltzer, one of two candidates running for D.C. Bar president-elect for the 2025–2026 term.
Nearly 500 Tax Professionals Explore What’s Ahead in Tax Policy, Administration, and Enforcement

Jan 21, 2025 | dcbar.org | Jeffery Leon |John Murph |Jeremy Conrad

The new year and new administration bring the potential for big shake-ups in the tax world. At the 2025 D.C. Bar Tax Conference on January 15–16, tax experts explored what’s next in tax policy, with key provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiring this year and with President Donald Trump promising to impose tariffs on foreign-made goods. Panelists also discussed areas where legislators on both sides of the aisle can find common ground.
Meshell Ndegeocello Preaches ‘The Gospel’

Oct 15, 2024 | downbeat.com | John Murph

Interview, From the Magazine, Meshell Ndegeocello By John Murph I Oct. 15, 2024 It was less a matter of “if” and more of “when.” Meshell Ndegeocello’s transfixing new album, No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin (Blue Note), seems an inevitability when one considers her career trajectory.