Legal Aid DC is proud to announce that Samantha Sergent, an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, will receive the 2026 Klepper Prize for Volunteer Excellence in recognition of her outstanding pro bono service to our clients.

Ms. Sergent has been a driving force in building the pro bono component of Legal Aid’s Reentry Justice Project. For more than 10 years, Legal Aid has helped clients overcome the barriers created by a criminal record, which can reduce access to housing, employment, and other opportunities. Legal Aid began partnering with pro bono attorneys on criminal record sealing in 2020, and since then, Ms. Sergent has helped Simpson Thacher become a pillar of the program.  

Over the past five years, Ms. Sergent has taken on 12 criminal record sealing matters for Legal Aid clients, while also mentoring colleagues and helping expand pro bono participation at her firm. She has become a trusted resource within her firm for colleagues taking on reentry cases.

“Sam’s leadership and dedication to Legal Aid’s reentry work has both enhanced our pro bono program, especially in the Washington DC office, and inspired her colleagues. We are so proud of her,” said Harlene Katzman, Simpson Thacher’s Chief Pro Bono Counsel.

While the number of matters Ms. Sergent has handled is remarkable, it is the quality of her advocacy that stands out most and makes a clear difference for her clients. Not a single client has been denied record sealing relief; nine have had their motions granted, and three remain pending. This work has allowed clients to pursue jobs, housing, and education opportunities that were previously out of reach.  

At Simpson Thacher, Ms. Sergent focuses her practice on capital markets and corporate matters. She earned her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and her B.A. from Boston University.

The Klepper Prize for Volunteer Excellence recognizes pro bono attorneys whose dedication, skill, and compassion have made an extraordinary impact on Legal Aid’s clients and mission. Ms. Sergent’s work embodies the spirit of the award, and we are deeply grateful for her partnership and commitment to expanding access to justice. 

We will celebrate Ms. Sergent, alongside our Servant of Justice Award honorees Elizabeth Prelogar and Grace Speights, at the Servant of Justice Awards Dinner on April 28.