LieAnn Van-Tull, an associate with the Food and Drug Packaging and Tobacco and E-Vapor practice groups at Keller and Heckman LLP, was sworn in as President-Elect of the Washington Bar Association, Inc. (WBA) on June 1, 2022, during its Annual Meeting and Conference at American University’s Washington College of Law.
“I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve an organization that provides an avenue for attorneys to excel,” LieAnn said. “I am eager to continue to broaden the organization’s membership base, create new mentorship and leadership opportunities, and further WBA’s advocacy efforts for underrepresented members of the legal community.”
LieAnn has been an active member of the WBA since 2016. Prior to being sworn in as President-Elect, she served as Secretary and Membership Chair. LieAnn will assume the role of President in June 2023 for the 2023-24 term.
LieAnn has a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law and has a Master of Laws degree from the George Washington University Law School. She previously served as regulatory counsel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Center for Tobacco Products, providing an excellent foundation for her food, drug, and tobacco legal career in private practice. At Keller and Heckman, LieAnn counsels domestic and international clients regarding compliance with food and drug packaging requirements in jurisdictions around the world, including the U.S., the European Union, Canada, China, and South America. She also advises domestic and foreign clients—including suppliers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers--on U.S. tobacco and e-vapor regulations.
Outside of her commitment to law at Keller and Heckman, LieAnn is dedicated to community service. She founded the Robinwood Community Mentorship Program via the Lambda Delta Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. which served underprivileged girls in Annapolis, Maryland. That program teaches life skills, provides nutritious meals, provides homework assistance, and connects participants with female role models and other mentorship programs. Her commitment to service extends to her legal career where she frequently participates in the District of Columbia Bar’s Pro Bono Program Advice and Referral Clinic.
The WBA is the oldest and largest predominantly Black bar association in Washington, D.C., and follows the philosophy of Houstonian Jurisprudence, which guides social change through application of laws governing equal rights, due process, and other legal principles.
Founded in 1925, the WBA is dedicated to improving and protecting the well-being of the legal profession and its members, advancing the science of jurisprudence and the administration of justice, and promoting diversity while preventing discrimination within the legal field. The WBA provides advocacy, continuing legal education and professional development for its members, public service and community outreach, as well as scholarships awarded annually to local law students through the WBA Educational Foundation.