We
have
some
incredibly
unfortunate
news
to
report
out
of
the
Washington,
D.C.,
legal
community,
where
a
two
boutique
law
firm
associates
and
a
law
school
professor
recently
passed
away.
According
to
news
reports,
Sarah
Lee
Best,
33,
and
Elizabeth
Keys,
33,
both
associates
of
Wilkinson
Stekloff,
and
Kiah
Duggins,
30,
an
aspiring
professor
at
Howard
University
School
of
Law,
are
among
the
victims
of
the
American
Airlines
flight
that
collided
midair
with
an
Army
helicopter
in
Washington,
D.C.,
on
Wednesday
evening.
Best
and
Keys
were
returning
home
from
a
work
trip.
Best,
a
summa
cum
laude
graduate
of
the
University
of
Pennsylvania
Law
School,
clerked
for
three
federal
judges
(Judge
Eugene
E.
Siler
Jr.
on
the
U.S.
Court
of
Appeals
for
the
Sixth
Circuit;
U.S.
District
Judge
Paul
S.
Diamond
of
the
Eastern
District
of
Pennsylvania;
and
U.S.
District
Judge
John
P.
Cronan
of
the
Southern
District
of
New
York)
prior
to
joining
Wilkinson
Stekloff.
Keys,
a
graduate
of
the
Georgetown
University
Law
Center,
clerked
for
one
federal
judge
(U.S.
District
Judge
Amy
Berman
Jackson
of
the
District
of
Columbia)
before
joining
Wilkinson
Stekloff.
Keys
tragically
died
on
her
birthday.
As
noted
by
the
National
Law
Journal,
founder
Beth
Wilkinson
offered
a
statement
on
behalf
of
the
firm:
“We
are
heartbroken
by
this
terrible
tragedy.
Liz
and
Sarah
were
cherished
members
of
our
firm—wonderful
attorneys,
colleagues,
and
friends.
Beyond
being
an
excellent
lawyer,
Liz
brought
fearlessness,
humor,
and
sharp
wit
to
work
every
day
no
matter
the
setting
or
circumstances.
Sarah
joined
us
just
last
fall
and
quickly
energized
us
all
with
her
boundless
curiosity,
kindness,
and
intelligence.
It
is
hard
to
imagine
the
firm
without
them.
We
are
keeping
them
in
our
memories
and
their
families
in
our
thoughts
and
prayers.”
Duggins,
a
graduate
of
Harvard
Law
School,
worked
as
a
civil
rights
attorney
with
the
non-profit
Civil
Rights
Corps
where
she
challenged
unconstitutional
policing
and
bail
practices,
and
was
preparing
to
join
the
Howard
University
School
of
Law
in
the
fall
as
a
professor.
University
President
Ben
Vison
III
issued
a
statement
on
her
untimely
death,
per
CBS
News:
It
is
with
profound
sadness
that
the
Howard
University
community
and
the
Howard
University
School
of
Law
have
learned
of
the
passing
of
Professor
Kiah
Duggins,
who
was
among
those
lost
in
the
mid-air
plane
collision
at
Reagan
National
Airport.
We
ask
for
privacy
and
respect
for
Professor
Duggins’
family,
students,
and
colleagues
during
this
difficult
time.
We
here
at
Above
the
Law
would
like
to
extend
our
condolences
to
the
family,
friends,
and
colleagues
of
Sarah
Lee
Best,
Elizabeth
Keys,
and
Kiah
Duggins
during
this
incredibly
difficult
time.
Two
Wilkinson
Stekloff
Associates
Among
Victims
of
DC
Plane
Crash
[National
Law
Journal]
Howard
University
Law
professor
among
victims
of
D.C.
plane
crash
[CBS
News]
Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to
email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on Bluesky, X/Twitter,
and Threads, or
connect
with
her
on LinkedIn.