Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Time | Event | Speakers | Location |
---|---|---|---|
7:00 am - 5:30 pm | Sponsor and Attendee Check-In | Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration | |
7:45 am - 9:00 am | 12 Step/Recovery Meeting | Floor 3, Echo Park | |
7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Parents' Room | Floor 3, Hancock Park | |
9:00 am - 10:30 am | VIP/Top Sponsor Brunch By invitation to Corporate Counsel and Patron level and above law firm sponsors. | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
The Intrapreneurial GC: Outside-the-Box Thinking and Strategically Leveraging Outside Counsel for In-House Success The role of in-house counsel is ever-evolving. Chief legal officers today are tasked with providing far more than legal counsel on employment, high-level transactions, and litigation. They are routinely called upon to provide crisis management, review strategic communications, and lead the company into uncharted waters, both internally in terms of new company initiatives and externally, often guiding company engagement in local, national, and international issues. From spearheading policy revisions to support a commitment to climate change to identifying and supporting strategic acquisitions (and advising against possibly problematic partnerships) in connection with elevating the company’s profile or highlighting the company’s products/services, there has never been a greater need – and thereby opportunity – for in-house attorneys to expand outside “their legal lane.” We’ve never seen this more than in the past few years as GCs have taken lead roles in responding to COVID-19, and the seismic industry and workforce shifts that have resulted from the pandemic. Strong relationships with outside counsel have always been a pillar for successful in-house operations. Those relationships now must expand and adapt to meet the needs of this next generation of GCs. At the same time, the intrapreneurial GC can be a vital asset to outside counsel looking for allies in supporting important firm initiatives like championing diverse teams and providing unique secondment, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities. This panel will feature top in-house attorneys from a wide-range of industries discussing non-traditional initiatives undertaken in their companies, and how outside counsel played a key role in their success.
Download CLE materials here. | Jason Beekman (Moderator) (RadicalMedia LLC) Jason Burch (Uber) Nicole Guintoli (CBS Studios) Justin Haddock (Indeed) | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
9:00 am - 10:30 am | Concurrent Session A | ||
Aging & End-of-Life Legal Issues in the Transgender Community The population of the US is rapidly aging, at the same time as more people understand themselves to be transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming. Are our legal systems and long-term care systems prepared to welcome and provide person-centered care to transgender and nonbinary people as we age? This workshop shares knowledge about aging in the transgender and nonbinary community, and surfaces questions about transgender and nonbinary people’s lived experience that may not be reflected in the way legal services are currently provided across the lifespan.
We will have a transgender attorney of color ground our discussion by speaking about his lived experience as a formative lawyer in the movement for transgender justice. In thinking about planning for aging and anticipating some of these challenges, a transgender trusts and estates attorney will share her legal approach to providing legal advice to transgender and nonbinary people. We will then highlight a new resource with specific durable healthcare power of attorney provisions to protect trans and nonbinary people's access to hormone replacement therapy and use of affirmed name, gender, and pronouns. We will look at new research about health disparities for transgender people of color related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and offer a new tool for transgender and nonbinary people to evaluate the policies of long-term residential care facilities toward transgender people.
We will close with a cautionary look ahead at efforts to use free speech arguments to limit protections for transgender people in residential care, such as the right to be addressed by their name and gender. Workshop participants will have a deeper understanding of how traditional aging supports, including the law, may be problematized for people of transgender and nonbinary experience, and how dementia may compound those barriers, particularly for Black and brown people who are gender minorities. Through interactive discussion, participants will be encouraged to surface questions that they may have about trans and nonbinary people’s experiences in long-term care. Trans and nonbinary participants will be encouraged to share concerns raised by their lived experience, in order to help all lawyers provide advice to help trans and nonbinary clients make the best and safest choices possible.
Download CLE materials here. | Ames Simmons (Moderator) (Duke University School of Law) Ian Anderson (Transgender Law Center) Kylar Broadus (Trans People of Color Coalition) Paula Kohut (Kohut, Adams & Randall, P.A.) Shannon Minter (National Center for Lesbian Rights) | Floor 3, Franklin Hills | |
Building Broader Coalitions for Reforming HIV Criminal Laws Thirty states criminalize people living with HIV, however the legal landscape is rapidly changing. In 2021 alone four states reformed or modernized their HIV-related criminal laws. In this workshop, panelists discuss the state of HIV criminal reform efforts, with a special emphasis on strategies for: 1) reaching across social movements--including with Black Lives Matter and others working against mass incarceration, sex workers, hepatitis advocates, etc., and 2) diversifying legal reforms beyond state legislative efforts. Coalitions are broader and stronger when they work across social movements,and when they adopt diverse approaches to reform that include roles for public health officials, judges, prosecutors, and public defenders. Legislative reforms are critical, but lasting change can only be achieved by placing HIV criminalization in in the context of broader social movements, and must provide real relief to those arrested, incarcerated, and put on sex offender registries because of HIV criminal laws. Panelists will discuss litigation strategies, the role of lobbyists and national organizations, alliances with prosecutors and public health officials, and coalition building with civil society groups in state efforts to reform HIV criminal laws.
Download CLE materials here. | Brad Sears (Moderator) (Williams Institute) Taylor Brown (ACLU) Nathan Cisneros (UCLA School of Law) Tami Martin (Equality California) Eric Paulk (Georgia Equality) | Floor 3, Trousdale Estates | |
Fostering LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurship - Sponsored by Nationwide As the economy continues to transform in response to the pandemic, entrepreneurship is emerging as an important driver of growth and innovation. This is particularly true for historically marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ communities, which continue to experience vulnerability surrounding our rights in the workplace. As many LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination at work and pandemic hardship, entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to create safe and welcoming spaces. This panel will explore the legal issues that diverse and intersectional populations face in exploring entrepreneurship. We will also discuss practical legal solutions, including the unique role that the private bar can play through pro bono support to help launch small businesses. The panel will feature attorneys across a wide-range of practice areas and industries who are working with existing and inspiring small business owners to close the wealth and opportunity gap. We will pay special attention to the legal and business needs of LGBTQ+ people of color, immigrants, and formerly incarcerated people.
Download CLE materials here. | Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights) Alfred Fraijo, Jr. (Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP) Priya Lane (Lawyers for Civil Rights, BizGrow Director) Frank Lindh (Former General Counsel, California Public Utilities Commission) Carla Reeves (Goulston & Storrs) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
Legal Landscape for LGBTQ Asylum Seekers at the Border and Within the U.S. Many LGBTQ asylum seekers enter the United States via the southern US/Mexico border. This Workshop will discuss the different ways that the U.S. government has excluded LGBTQ asylum seekers in recent years at the border, including: expedited removal, reinstated removal, MPP, and Title 42 expulsions. We will be discussing the potentially fatal asylum bar of “firm resettlement,” as many LGBTQ asylum seekers entering through the US/Mexico Border will be entering after significant time in Mexico and often residency. The workshop will briefly provide updates about what is happening now at the border, and how those policies affect LGBTQ people trying to access the US asylum system. The speakers will then explain how to support LGBTQ migrants including, how to evaluate paperwork a client has, how to identify the policy that affected your potential client encountered, screening for all immigration options outside of asylum and tips on how to prepare your case with care to avoid any unintentional consequences. As many LGBTQ asylum seekers are sent from the border to detention we will discuss how to advocate for LGBTQ clients in detention. Finally, the workshop will discuss how these policies disproportionately affect Black-identified asylum seekers. [If applicable] The workshop will discuss the recent “streamlining” rule, and the huge impacts on asylum seekers entering through the US/Mexico border.
Download CLE materials here. | charlene d'cruz (Immigration lawyer, US/Mexico border RGV) Emem Maurus (Transgender Law Center) Zack Mohamed (Deportation Defense Organizer, Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project (BLMP)) Héctor Ruiz (International Rescue Committee) | Floor M2, Studio A | |
LGBTQ Sex Workers and the Law This workshop will discuss laws and policies that harm LGBTQ sex workers, with a focus on transgender individuals, LGBTQ people of color, and LGBTQ homeless youth. LGBTQ communities are disproportionately impacted by the criminalization of sex work. Criminalization takes many forms, including street-based policing, crackdowns on online platforms, and targeting sex work as part of anti-trafficking legislation. The workshop will also explore actions taken by private companies to exclude sex workers from safer sex trade spaces. For example, Mastercard adopted a new policy in 2021 that requires adult content websites and merchants to implement stricter documentation requirements, content review processes, and identification verification. The policy makes it harder for sex workers to earn money online and makes them more vulnerable, especially those who are transgender women of color. The panel will discuss state and federal advocacy efforts for and by sex workers. This includes the reintroduction of the Safe Sex Workers Study Act that examines the impact of SESTA/FOSTA on the safety of sex workers and activities of the Sex Worker Advocates Coalition in DC and advocates in other jurisdictions focused on promoting sex work decriminalization and supporting sex workers to share their stories and engage in policy advocacy. Additionally, the panel will highlight a policy agenda released in 2021 by networks of people living with HIV, which calls for making sex workers a priority population in the federal HIV response and eliminating structural barriers to sex workers protecting their health. Intersectional policy work related to sex work, HIV, and LGBTQ issues is needed and must address HIV criminalization laws and law enforcement regarding condoms as evidence of sex work.
Download CLE materials here. | Sean Bland (Moderator) (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law) Benjamin Brooks (Whitman-Walker Institute) Jessica Parral (Parral) Maria Roman-Taylorson (TransLatin@ Coalition) | Floor M2, Runyon Laurel | |
Parenting Trans Children - CANCELED Whether you are LGBTQ+ or cisgender and straight, you may find that you are not as well-prepared as you hoped to support your child when they come out to you as trans and/or nonbinary. This workshop is designed to cover a wide swath of issues to help you be the most supportive parent you can be for your trans child/young adult through their early stages of transition. Our panel of speakers are all lawyers who are also parents of trans and nonbinary children; we'll discuss practical tips for helping your child navigate school, social interactions, and extended family dynamics; legal issues you'll want to be prepared for (including the "order of operations" for a smooth experience with legal name changes); and resources to support your whole family. The workshop is intended both for parents and for lawyers who work with families of trans and nonbinary children.
Download CLE materials here. | TBA | Floor M2, Studio D | |
Representing the People: Misconceptions and Changes to the Lives of Prosecutors This panel addresses the evolving role and attitudes of prosecutors in 2022. The aim of this Program is to address misconceptions and the challenges LGBTQ prosecutors face when existing in that role and carrying with them an identity that has a complicated relationship with criminal justice. Change is a powerful thing and critiques of the criminal justice system from LGBTQ populations have made the pursuit of justice fairer and more representative of how different communities define justice.
This panel will discuss how the addition of specialty courts, including Drug Treatment Courts, Mental Health Courts, and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, were created to take into account that solutions in cases like these look different from traditional sentencing and gave prosecutors tools toward rehabilitation. Doing the right thing, must include an understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion so that the rights and treatment of ALL: victims, defendants and members of the community are taken into consideration in a prosecutor’s efforts to achieve fair justice and a safer community.
The LGBTQ community has been overly criminalized, and as such worked to voice new opinions and solutions to the issues of inequity in the criminal justice system, leading to reform. The impact of the Criminal Justice Reform movement on Prosecution, which includes Bail Reform, Early Mandated Discovery and Raising the Age of those who should be criminally prosecuted as adults, will be examined. Ultimately, this panel will be centered around how voices of the LGBTQ community working from inside prosecutors’ offices is a feature that makes the aim of making communities healthier and safer and how LGBTQ voices outside those offices being heard works in tandem to achieve that goal.
Download CLE materials here. | Gavin Quinn (Moderator) (Cook County State's Attorney's Office) Jessie McGrath (Los Angeles County DA's Office) Joseph Muroff (Bronx District Attorney's Office) Mariano Reyna (Cook County State's Attorney's Office) | Floor M2, Studio E | |
10:30 am - 10:45 am | Break | TBA | |
10:45 am - 12:15 pm | Concurrent Session B | ||
Attorneys and Mental Health: Let’s Talk About It - Sponsored by 3M This workshop will take a deep look at the stigmatization that attorneys experience when they struggle with mental illness, and work toward a better understanding of how members of the legal community - including law students - can address their mental health appropriately without being stigmatized for doing so. Members of the LGBTQ+ legal community who face mental health challenges know that it can be even harder to "come out" as having mental illness as it is to come out as LGBTQ+. The panel will explore how the lessons that this community has learned about bias - both unconscious and intentional - and about micro- and macro-aggressions can also be applied to the mental health arena; we will also discuss the ways in which LGBTQ+ attorneys with intersectional identities are at higher risk of not having the support they need for mental health challenges, and also face higher penalties for admitting those challenges. We will discuss the vicarious trauma that so many lawyers suffer, and how that particularly impacts members of the LGBTQ+ community who advocate full-time for other LGBTQ+ people. The panel will address both the practical and the ethical issues that arise when attorneys sublimate their mental health issues, and will suggest ways that everyone can work toward destigmatizing mental health challenges for the end goals of being healthier, happier, and better advocates for our clients.
Download CLE materials here. | Jennifer (Kibbe) Day (Moderator) (San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office) Gavin Alexander (Jackson Lewis P.C.) Alejandra Caraballo (Harvard Cyberlaw Clinic) Andy Izenson (Diana Adams Law & Mediation, PLLC) | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
DEI in Health Care: Turning a Heavy Topic into a Manageable Lift Corporations are starting to include diversity, equity and inclusion as key components of their mission statements, and some states are imposing diverse representation on boards; however, recent reports show that only 3% of health systems have a health equity expert as a member of their board. More than two years into a devastating global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted minority communities, the importance of health equity cannot be overstated and deserves more than lip service. How does your organization acknowledge the connections between structural racism, classism, sexism, homophobia and health? What does your organization do to stop the drivers of health inequality and start to improve health outcomes? What does it mean for an organization to have the will to create such change? These are some of the topics that we plan to discuss among the panel and with attendees.
Download CLE materials here. | Greg Fosheim (Moderator) (McDermott Will & Emery LLP) Neville Bilimoria (Duane Morris LLP) Abbi Coursolle (National Health Law Program) Carly Helman (Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath) | Floor M2, Studio A | |
Legal Empowerment Strategies to Expand Military Opportunities for People Living with HIV Despite momentous medical advancements in the treatment of HIV, outdated and illogical military policies still prohibit people living with HIV from enlisting in the military, serving as a commissioned officer, and deploying. These policies serve only to further perpetuate harmful HIV stigma, particularly targeting LGBTQ communities and communities of color, and to erase a professional career opportunity that leads to lifelong educational and employment advancement for communities that suffer from less access than their white peers. This panel will be comprised of diverse attorneys from legal organizations and law firms with professional expertise in complex federal litigation, including HIV discrimination cases. The panel will address legal and extralegal challenges to abolishing discriminatory military policies. We will discuss the power of legal and medical advocacy in this arena and the efforts to enhance community empowerment centered on the richness of identity. The workshop will also discuss recent legal cases and examine the public pressure points that support policy advocacy around this issue.
Download CLE materials here. | Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights) Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal) Sophia Hall (Lawyers for Civil Rights) Peter Perkowski (Perkowski Legal PC) Christopher Queenin (Nixon Peabody) | Floor M2, Studio B | |
Progress and Barriers Toward Visibility and Inclusion of Bisexual+ People in the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Learning from Movement Leaders One year after the 2021 Lavender Law historic panel on bi+ inclusion, “Bridging the Gap in LGBTQ+ Rights Litigation: A Community Discussion on Bisexual Visibility in the Law,” this panel brings last year’s speakers back together to reflect on tangible work that has been done in the past year to further intersectional bi+ visibility and representation in the movement for LGBTQ+ equity. In 2021, this panel of speakers addressed bi+ erasure in the larger LGBTQ+ rights movement in a historic roundtable discussion that addressed ways in which the LGBTQ+ rights movement can begin a new, more bi-inclusive chapter in impact litigation and other advocacy work. In 2022, the panelists will report on the advances they have made and the barriers they and their organizations have encountered while working to further bi+ inclusion, while continuing the discussion about the importance of meaningful inclusion of bisexual+ people in our work and lives.
Download CLE materials here. | Hon. Mike Jacobs (Moderator) (State Court of DeKalb County) Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic) Nesta Johnson (National Center for Lesbian Rights) Bendita Cynthia Malakia (O’Melveny & Myers) Sarah Warbelow (Human Rights Campaign) Ezra Young (Law Office of Ezra Young) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
Trans Lawyering: An Introduction to Respectful Representation of Transgender Clients Transgender people have legal needs, just like anyone else -- but often, they are reluctant to speak with an attorney when they need one out of a fear that they will be misunderstood or mistreated. This workshop will give you the terminology and tools you need to interact with transgender clients respectfully and professionally, to understand the unique problems and issues that may come up in your representation of them, and to ensure that you won't be exactly the kind of attorney that trans people are afraid they'll run into. This workshop will consist of a "Trans 101" session covering common concepts and terminology used to describe transgender people's lives, and guidelines for how to interact with them in a way that they will not find disrespectful and dehumanizing. In addition, attorneys with extensive experiencing working with transgender clients will discuss the sorts of unusual problems that can occur when representing a trans person in a variety of fields such as employment law, healthcare access, immigration and asylum, and contract law.
Download CLE materials here. | Olivia Hunt (Moderator) (National Center for Transgender Equality) Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services) Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal) C.P. Hoffman (National Center for Transgender Equality) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
Unsafe and Uncertain: The GOP's Attacks on LGBTQ+ Youth in Schools 2022 has witnessed an unprecedented number of GOP-driven state legislative attacks as well as other forms of political pressure against LGBTQ+ people, particularly those impacting LGBTQ+ youth and focused on the K-12 school environment. These attacks - including Florida's "Don't Say LGBTQ+" bill, numerous attacks on transgender girls and women athletes, and censorship of LGBTQ+ materials in school libraries - are grounded in long-debunked myths and stereotypes, brought back by Republicans from the pre-Lawrence era to generate heat for political gain. This workshop will elucidate the harms these attacks are causing to LGBTQ+ and particularly trans youth, will discuss how they are related to other political attacks brought by the right such as those involving critical race theory, and offer suggestions as to how members of the Lavender Law community can help push back and support our youth and educators.
Download CLE materials here. | Shannon Minter (Moderator) (National Center for Lesbian Rights) Kell Olson (Lambda Legal) Clifford Rosky (University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law) | Floor 3, Mt. Olympus | |
You Can’t Spell LGBTQ+ Aging Safety Net Without LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ older people are in greater need of social services and healthcare than the population at large. Yet they are less likely to access these programs and services because of fear of discrimination or actual discrimination. We’ll dive into an array of critical social service and healthcare benefits, explore the history of why LGBTQ+ older people are not accessing or have not been able to access those programs, especially in the context of COVID-19, and how we are trying to remedy that situation through litigation and policy advocacy. For example, we’ll examine Lambda Legal’s ground-breaking cases that have swung the door open for certain same-sex married couples to finally receive Social Security benefits. We’ll explore the state of long-term care and the challenges of data collection and reporting during COVID-19. We’ll explore the ever-expanding threat of religious exemptions. And we’ll dive into the Older Americans Act and how we are ensuring that more LGBTQ+ older people and older people living with HIV have access to the critical aging services and supports that it funds.
Download CLE materials here | Aaron Tax (Moderator) (SAGE) Denny Chan (Justice in Aging) Malita Picasso (ACLU LGBT & HIV Project) Shelly L. Skeen (Lambda Legal) Hillary Williams Thomas (AARP Georgia) | Floor M2, Studio D | |
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm | Break | TBA | |
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm | Awards Luncheon - Aegon Transamerica Foundation℠ Presentation of the 2022 Dan Bradley Award, Frank Kameny Award, Leading Family Law Practitioner Award, and Legal Services Justice Award. | Dolby Ballroom | |
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm | Break | TBA | |
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm | Concurrent Session C | ||
BiLaw Caucus BiLaw is an informal group of bisexual-identified and bi-allied attorneys, academics, and law students. The BiLaw Caucus is an opportunity to network with other bi-identified lawyers and discuss areas of the law relevant to bisexual people. All bi-identified and bi-allied attorneys, academics, and law students are encouraged to attend. Following a brief meet-and-greet, the organizers will provide a structured discussion based on attendees' priorities. Not for CLE credit. | Bendita Cynthia Malakia (Co-Moderator) (O’Melveny & Myers) Nancy Marcus (Co-Moderator) (California Western School of Law) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
Creating LGBTQ+ Trainings for Judges Educating the judiciary on LGBTQ issues often falls to LGBTQ bar associations or attorneys, especially in states that are less than friendly to the LGBTQ community. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to create interest in and develop LGBTQ education programming for judges, and/or how to integrate LGBTQ issues into existing judicial education. Topics to be addressed include drumming up interest in LGBTQ trainings, selecting effective presenters and crafting programming that will attract judicial officers and best benefit LGBTQ people and communities in your state or local area.
Download CLE materials here. | Hon. Shawna S. Baker (Cherokee Nation Supreme Court) Todd Brower (UCLA School of Law Williams Institute) Hon. Robert W. Lee (Broward County Court) Hon. D. Zeke Zeidler (Los Angeles County Superior Court) | Floor M2, Runyon Laurel | |
Federal HIV Policy: Recent Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Directions In December 2021, President Biden released the latest National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States, which has been applauded for its commitment to addressing structural barriers that have fueled the HIV epidemic and its commitment to ensuring resources go to communities where the need is greatest, especially communities of color and LGBTQ communities. More than ever before, the Strategy focuses attention on increasing LGBTQ-supportive school policies and practices and improving the quality of life of people living with HIV across the lifespan, including encouraging states to modernize their HIV criminalization statutes. The Strategy also highlights opportunities to prevent new infections with more options for people who wish to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Multiple PrEP options are available, including not only brand-name daily oral medications but also significantly cheaper generic versions of PrEP and the first long-acting injectable PrEP formation. Generic PrEP exposes challenges related to HIV public health messaging and financing, whereas long-acting PrEP faces questions related to issuance coverage and real-world implementation. The PrEP landscape has also changed with the 2019 PrEP recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force. This recommendation triggered statutory coverage requirements for most health plans to cover PREP without cost-sharing as a result of preventative care provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the ACA’s preventative care provisions (Kelley v. Becerra) is pending in federal court and could undermine PrEP access. In this workshop, panelists will present the latest policy and legal developments in the federal HIV landscape and discuss opportunities for strategic responses.
Download CLE materials here. | Sean Bland (Moderator) (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law) Benjamin Brooks (Whitman-Walker Institute) Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal) Eric Paulk (Georgia Equality) | Floor M2, Studio A | |
Meeting the Needs of LGBTQ Adults, Service Providers, and Caregivers LGBTQ older adults and their heterosexual, cisgender peers face many common aging-related challenges that have significant implications for professional service providers and caregivers. For example, older adults can experience cognitive impairment that affects their relationships with lawyers, health care providers, loved ones, and caregivers. Many older adults, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity, experience heightened vulnerability to financial exploitation, abusive guardianships, and physical abuse even in the absence of cognitive impairment. And older adults, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, must negotiate the practical challenges associated with maintaining their dignity and autonomy as their need for long-term supportive services grows. These shared challenges require lawyers, service providers, and caregivers to interact with older adults in dynamic ways. Yet for LGBTQ older adults who have experienced historical and or compound discrimination, the challenges associated with aging can present unique ethical, legal, and practical challenges for professional service providers and caregivers. Older LGBT adults, depending on their status as out or closeted, membership in other minority groups, employment history and financial circumstances, access to housing and relevant healthcare supports, estrangement from their families of origin and other social connectedness, and geographic location, need lawyers, health care and support providers to account for their unique circumstances. For example, older LGBTQ adults might need to delegate powers to partners that circumvent legal restrictions or family rejection of partners, identify people to exercise powers when family members and close friends are unavailable, plan for health care and long-term care arrangements that do not require them to re-closet, and plan for long-term care and support when they – after years of underemployment and employment discrimination – lack substantial savings. LGBTQ caregivers also face many challenges shared by heterosexual and cisgender peers, but they too face unique caregiving challenges as a result of their own experiences of discrimination, single and compound, which can include fewer social supports and financial resources. For example, LGBTQ caregivers may struggle to care for parents and other loved ones when there is friction between parents and partners, or, alternatively, when there are warm relationships between parents and partners, but no children to assist with caregiving. Closeted LGBTQ caregivers can face increased psychological strain when trying to reconcile caregiving responsibilities with the maintenance of other relationships. LGBTQ caregivers, like heterosexual and cisgender peers, often struggle with their dual roles as members of the “sandwich generation.” During this panel discussion, we will explore the unique legal and support needs of LGBTQ older adults, the ethical issues that arise for lawyers, health care providers, and other supportive service providers as they seek to meet the needs of older LGBTQ adults. This discussion will also explore the needs of LGBTQ caregivers as they attempt to support older adults. By reviewing relevant legal and ethical rules, legal options, a range of supportive services, and hypotheticals that help to illuminate the challenges faced by LGBTQ older adults and caregivers and potential resources to meet those challenges, we will explore ways to assist both LGBTQ older adults and those who love them meet their respective needs.
Download CLE materials here. | M. Geron Gadd (Moderator) (National Health Law Program) Valentina D'Allesandro Dan Diaz Ames Simmons (Duke University School of Law) Shelly L. Skeen (Lambda Legal) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
Out In The Private Sector: Lesbian Attorneys in Big Law The panelists will discuss what it is like to be out as a lesbian attorney in the private sector, in large and medium-sized law firms, and in-house positions. The panelists will discuss their experiences in law school, what led them to work in the private sector, and barriers they faced in the private sector legal world due to their various identities, including sexual orientation, gender identity/presentation, race and ethnicity, economic background, and other identities that shape how they are perceived in what is still a white and male dominated field. The panelists will speak to strategies that are helpful to law students, such as finding mentors, preparation for job interviews, and skills to succeed in the private sector environment.
Download CLE materials here. | Najwa Alsheikh (Moderator) (Foley & Lardner) Nicole Bashor (Husch Blackwell) Marla Butler (Thompson Hine) Ashianna Esmail (Flexport) Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw) Emily Walpole (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius) | Floor 3, Mt. Olympus | |
Reflections on How to Stop Queer and Trans Asian Hate Anti-Asian bias is not new. It has a long history in America, since before its founding, but recent events have brought a spotlight on our community. The speakers will each share their lived experience of anti-Asian bias, in the streets and in the courtroom. We bring decades of activism, advocacy, and organizing work to educate the LGBTQ+ legal community on how to stand in solidarity with the Asian community, how to be more inclusive of Queer and Trans Asian lawyers and legal professionals, how excluding Asian perspectives in the ongoing fights against our community endangers our objectives for LGBTQ+ equality, and a call to create more spaces for intersectional organizing, whether that’s in the LGBTQ+, Asian, legal, or corporate communities.
Download Part 1 of CLE materials here.
Download Part 2 of CLE materials here | Michael Nguyen (Moderator) (Patent Law Works LLP) Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic) Stephen Kulp (Tucker Law Group) Ming Wong (National Center for Lesbian Rights) Mia Yamamoto (Law Office of Mia Yamamoto) | Floor 2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
The Protected Status of Sexual Orientation and Gender Assignment Under Data Protection Laws in the World Some countries deny the existence of different sexual orientations; therefore, under their data protection laws, personal information related to an individual’s sexual orientation or gender reassignment does not have any protected status. However, countries with more advanced legal regimes recognize that those data merit a reinforced level of protection, and that the concept of data related to sexual orientation shall encompass data related to an individual’s sex life or gender reassignment as well. This workshop aims to provide a global overview of the level of protection granted to these categories of personal information in different jurisdictions all over the world, together with a practical explanation of the challenges and legal requirements for organizations handling personal information related to their customers’, users’, or employees’ sexual orientation and gender/gender identity. Furthermore, this workshop aims to present the different possible interpretations of the notion of “personal information related to sexual orientation and gender/gender identity” and the unwanted consequences of a broad interpretation for companies handling those data when providing services to their customers.
Download CLE materials here. | Enrique Gallego Capdevila (Cooley) Ron De Jesus (Grindr) Kathleen Hartnett (Cooley LLP) Kelly Miranda (Grindr) Bill Shafton (Grindr) | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
Trauma-Informed Practice: A Holistic Approach to Working with Vulnerable Communities and Meeting the Individual Needs of the Client Trauma and other mental health issues often create challenges for attorneys in providing representation to LGBTQ+ immigrants and vulnerable communities in general. To be able to provide effective, zealous representation for clients who have experienced trauma, it is essential to first understand what trauma is and what it means to have a trauma-informed practice. This workshop will provide attorneys with a fundamental explanation of the framework of trauma and the experiences that can create it. This can include systematic barriers that prevent meaningful access to services, including employment, housing, legal services, medical care, and other social services. We will discuss why having a trauma-informed practice matters in various areas of law, including how representation can ensure that vulnerable communities are afforded due process, and will provide guidance on how to create safe spaces and establish trust with clients. Finally, we will share opportunities for attendees to get involved with serving vulnerable communities, including through volunteer work and pro bono partnerships.
Download CLE materials here. | Elizabeth Pinolini (Moderator) (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services) Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services) Denise Hunter (California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.) Carla Lopez (California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.) | Floor M2, Studio E | |
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm | Break | TBA | |
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | General Session I | ||
Returning to Our Roots: The Renewed Importance of State Constitutional Law for LGBTQ+ Equality State constitutional litigation can be a powerful tool to advance a proactive civil rights agenda at a time when opportunities for creating progressive change in federal courts are imperiled. Today’s U.S. Supreme Court is widely regarded to be one of the most conservative in the last century, and appears prepared to roll back individual rights (such as reproductive choice) while simultaneously strengthening protections for religious actors who wish to discriminate freely against LGBTQ people.
Due to the increased hostility of the federal litigation landscape, it is more important than ever for attorneys working for advancement in the rights of LGBTQ+ people to understand the opportunities for progress that state constitutions can provide. The speakers on this panel will discuss the potential of state constitutional law in the context of creating progressive change, including 1) differences between state constitutions and the federal Constitution, 2) ways in which state court judges interpret their constitutions differently or the same as the federal Constitution, and 3) a discussion of how state constitutional litigation paved the way for overturning anti-LGBTQ+ sodomy laws, and later establishing national marriage equality.
Download CLE materials here. | Prof. Lee Carpenter (Rutgers Law School) (Moderator) Taylor Brown (ACLU) Hon. Monica M. Márquez (Colorado Supreme Court) Shannon Minter (National Center for Lesbian Rights) | Dolby Ballroom | |
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm | Welcome Reception (Sponsored by Seyfarth Shaw LLP) | Poolside | |
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm | Justice Council Reception: By invitation to members of the LGBTQ+ Bar's Justice Council | Floor 19, Hollywood Hills | |
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm | Black LGBTQ+ Legal Professionals' Caucus Dinner Members of the Black LGBTQ+ Legal Professionals' Caucus (a joint endeavor of the National LGBTQ+ Bar and the National Bar Association's LGBTQ+ Division) are invited to an informal, get-to-know-you dinner. All Legal and Legal Support Professionals and Law Students who are both Black-identifying and LGBTQ+-identifying are welcome. Please meet in the lobby of the Loews Hollywood Hotel (Lavender Law host hotel) at 7:30pm if you would like to join in carpools/Lyft rides to dinner. RSVP by Monday, July 25 here. For questions, please write programs@lgbtqbar.org. | TBA |
Thursday, July 28, 2022
Time | Event | Speakers | Location |
---|---|---|---|
6:00 am - 11:00 pm | Parents' Room | Floor 3, Hancock Park | |
7:30 am - 5:30 pm | Sponsor and Attendee Check-In | Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration | |
7:45 am - 9:00 am | 12 Step/Recovery Meeting | Floor 3, Echo Park | |
9:00 am - 10:30 am | General Session II | ||
History In The Making: A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Members of the Federal Judiciary The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges are proud to present our first Lavender Law® plenary session featuring several of our trailblazing LGBTQ+ federal judges. Our panelists will discuss their unique backgrounds, their pathways to the bench, and how they managed barriers faced along the way. The judges will each touch upon the challenges they still face as LGBTQ+ judges, their confirmation process, and why being out and being visible matters more than ever on the federal bench. Following the panel discussion, the judges will address audience questions about how we can best continue to build an LGBTQ+ pipeline for the legal profession, including the judiciary.
Not for CLE credit. | Dean Anthony E. Varona (Moderator) (Seattle University School of Law) Hon. Michael W. Fitzgerald (United States District Court, Central District of California) Hon. Darrin Gayles (Southern District of Florida) | Dolby Ballroom | |
10:30 am - 10:45 am | Break | TBA | |
10:45 am - 12:15 pm | Concurrent Session D | ||
Equal Protection of Modern Families – Legal Challenges To Full Rights & Basic Dignity of Adoptees Adoption is a difficult and highly emotionally charged subject for any family. Many LGBTQ+ individuals and families have had first-hand experience either as adopted children or as adoptive parents. The first part of this program explores the issues and concepts of family, adoption, and the experiences on both sides of the adoption story.
The second part of this program explores the tension between civil rights and religious liberties and the legal challenges adoptees face to full recognition and acceptance. The panel will discuss the legal issues presented in Fulton and Marouf and provide an overview of The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2022 (“ACA”). The panel will further discuss its importance for transnational adoptees (the ACA, if passed, would confer automatic citizenship on an estimated 35,000 international adoptees excluded from the automatic citizenship provision of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (“CCA”) for being 18 years of age and older as of the CCA’s effective date.).
This panel will be of interest to lawyers and law students focusing on general Civil Rights, Diversity & Equity Inclusion, Family Law, Human Rights, Immigration, International Law, Military, Public Interest/Public Sector, Pro Bono, Trusts and Estates, and Solo and Small Firm law.
Download CLE materials here. | Stephen Kulp (Moderator) (Tucker Law Group) Emily Howe (Law Offices of Emily E. Howe) Liani Reeves (Bullard Law) | Floor M2, Studio E | |
Estate Planning 101: Everything You Need to Know But Didn’t Think to Ask! You skipped “Wills, Trusts & Estates” in law school, but are getting a queasy feeling that your work for your client may have an impact on your client’s estate planning issues—but are not sure how, or what to do about it. Or, you’re just plain concerned about your own future and the future of key people in your life. Either way, this session is for you! It will provide an overview of basic and more advanced estate planning issues to highlight the things you or your client need to consider and do, and the impact marriage may have. It will review in particular the basic document tools for estate planning: Healthcare Power of Attorney & Advance Directive; Durable General Power of Attorney; Last Will and Testament; Disposition of Bodily Remains. It will touch on issues relating to the children of LGBT couples, and addresses the impact the SECURE Act has on non-married LGBT couples. It will provide an overview and update of current tax law affecting estate planning. It will also address pitfalls and how to avoid them: prenuptial agreements; proper execution of documents; litigation regarding the validity of estate planning documents; guardianship options. Finally, the session will provide a brief overview of public benefits to which your client or client’s family members may be entitled (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, et al.), and the eligibility requirements for those benefits. The session will provide guidance on how to avoid inadvertently jeopardizing eligibility for public benefits, and provide some alternatives for simple estate planning for low-income individuals and couples.
Download CLE materials here. | Paula Kohut (Kohut, Adams & Randall, P.A.) Dale Noll (Akerman LLP) Crystal M. Richardson (The Law Office of Crystal M. Richardson) Brad Richter (Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP) Murray Scheel (Whitman-Walker Legal Services) | Floor 3, Echo Park | |
In House Counsel’s Impact on Institutional Change - Sponsored by Microsoft After transitioning to an In House position, it can sometimes feel difficult for an attorney to support social justice issues that matter to them. Fortunately, by working inside our companies, it’s possible for us to leverage their institutional might to have a huge impact on public policy favorable to the LGBTQ+ community (beyond updating the company logo in June). Recent examples include the business community (including Microsoft) in Chile coming out in support of the recently passed Marriage Equality law, North Carolina losing billions in business over their anti-transgender bathroom bills, and, of course, working with our partners in law firms and advocacy groups to file amicus briefs in important cases. Our panel will discuss how you can get involved at your company, whether they are early on in their inclusion journey or have a long track record of supporting our community globally.
Download CLE materials here. | Andrew Gammill (Moderator) (Dinsmore) Jason Barnwell (Microsoft) Rebecca H. Benavides (Microsoft) Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal) Mike Jackson (Microsoft) Nona Lee (Truth DEI Consulting ) Tricia Prettypaul (The Travelers Companies) | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
Leveraging Legal Skills, Limited Time, and Bar Associations to Help LGBTQ+ Youth at the Local Level Attorneys often hesitate to volunteer not due to lack of passion or commitment, but due to lack of time–I can’t commit to a board position, I can’t commit to a leadership role, I can’t commit to bringing a lawsuit. Can you commit to an hour a month? Meanwhile, anti-LGBTQ+ groups are proclaiming “Won’t somebody think of the children?!” as they strip young people of their privacy, autonomy, and education. Many of these battles are fought at the local county or city level between school boards, city councils, and special interest groups, with an attorney for either side nowhere in sight. But progress at the community level doesn't always need a lawsuit, or a specialist, or even an attorney–just someone who can think like one. In this workshop, we will discuss the skills every lawyer has regardless of practice area. We will then hear directly from community youth group leaders on how attorneys can utilize those abstract skills, in anything from an hour a month to an hour a day of their time, to support their causes. Finally, we will have an open discussion on how local LGBTQ+ bar associations and these advocacy groups can work together to better their community.
Download CLE materials here. | Catherine (Cat) Kozlowski (Moderator) (Polsinelli PC) Yemi Adeyanju (Providence) Simone Chriss (Southern Legal Counsel) Laura Kanter (University of Houston - Clear Lake) Fauzia Zaman-Malik (Accenture ) | Floor M2, Studio A | |
The Criminal Legal System and LGBTQ Communities – Litigation and Civil Remedies This workshop will explore the discrimination to incarceration pipeline that has impacted the LGBTQ community. We will discuss ongoing litigation against various government actors in the criminal legal system including police departments, the courts, and prisons from a civil litigation perspective. This workshop will discuss constitutional and statutory claims that we have used in our advocacy in addition to other tools such as policy advocacy and community organizing. We will discuss efforts to root out bias in the legal system including juror and judicial bias, jury selection, and banning the use of the LGBTQ panic defense. Panelists will also discuss practical tips on how to represent LGBTQ individuals based on their experiences in civil cases and federal and military criminal cases. Panelists are experts in the field and have led groundbreaking litigation on behalf of LGBTQ people.
Download CLE materials here. | Richard Saenz (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) Josh Blecher-Cohen (ACLU of Illinois) Chinyere Ezie (Center for Constitutional Rights) Mik Kinkead (The Legal Aid Society (NYC)) | Floor M2, Studio D | |
The Dangers of Dobbs: How the Supreme Court’s Treatment of Abortion Rights Might Affect All LGBTQ+ Liberty and Equality Rights, Including Reproductive and Other Health Rights This panel will analyze the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, expected to be issued by the end of the current term. The case came to the Supreme Court as a challenge to Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Fifth Circuit’s decision invalidated the ban as inconsistent with longstanding Supreme Court precedent, specifically including Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), and Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, 136 S. Ct. 2292 (2016). A draft of an opinion in Dobbs identified as authored by Justice Alito in February of this year, as leaked to and published by Politico on May 2, 2022, overrules Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992). It characterizes Roe as “egregiously wrong,” and not supported either by enumerated rights or by principles “‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition’ and ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty’” (citing Washington v. Glucksberg, 521 U.S. 702, 721 (1997). The leaked draft states that it should not be taken as undermining other landmark individual liberty precedents such as Lawrence v. Texas (invalidating state criminal “sodomy” laws) and Obergefell v. Hodges (recognizing same-sex couples’ fundamental right to marry). But at least some of the leaked draft’s reasoning obviously could be used to reverse those decisions, as well as the longstanding precedents recognizing individual privacy and bodily autonomy rights to access contraceptives, make one’s own medical decisions, and make other decisions that determine the course of one’s sexual and family life. This panel will explore the reasoning and implications of the Court’s actual decision(s), which are expected by the end of the Court’s term.
Download CLE materials here. | Jennifer (Jenny) Pizer (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) Fabiola Carrión (National Health Law Program) Julianna (Julie) Gonen (National Center for Lesbian Rights) Kristine Kippins (Lambda Legal) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
The ID Tipping Point: A New Era of Access to Accurate IDs Not long ago, government agencies requesting private medical documents to update a gender marker on an ID or record was the norm. But these days in almost half the states, trans, intersex and non-binary folks can get an accurate marker on a license or state ID simply by checking the appropriate box of M, F, or X. And across the country anyone eligible for a passport can obtain a federal ID with an accurate marker, no medical documentation required. Court cases across the country have struck down barriers to updating gender markers on official documents as unconstitutional. The norm has shifted, yet court orders and legal services can still be difficult to access, and financial barriers, criminal history restrictions, privacy concerns, and overall confusion of these processes prevent so many from obtaining the accurate IDs they need to survive and thrive. Our panel of advocates will share the latest news and trends of gender change laws in courts, legislatures, and legal clinics across the country and engage the audience in a conversation about next steps in the journey toward access to accurate identification for all.
Download CLE materials here. | Charlie Arrowood (Arrowood Law) Arli Christian (ACLU) Elliott Hinkle (Unicorn Solutions) Bryanna Jenkins (TLDEF) | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
Unintended Consequences: Bostock's Likely Impact on Sexual Harassment Claims Against Members of the LGBTQ+ Community On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in a 6–3 decision that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is also discrimination "because of sex" as prohibited by Title VII. Prior to this decision, 29 states provided no employment protections to the LGBTQ+ community within their state laws. Unfortunately, it is likely only a matter of time before Bostock's judicial interpretation of the Civil Rights Act is used as a sword against members of the LGBTQ+ community in cases pitting heterosexual/cisgender plaintiffs against LGBTQ+ people. This session will provide LGBTQ+ legal practitioners wth the facts and data necessary to educate, train, and forewarn their clients, family and friends about the unique exposure being your "true and authentic self" can create when it runs afoul with state/federal sexual harassment laws.
Download CLE materials here. | Zaylore Stout (Moderator) (Zaylore Stout & Associates LLC) Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw) Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)) Denise M. Visconti (Littler Mendelson) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm | Break | TBA | |
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm | Awards Luncheon Presentation of the 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 Awards and Law Student Awards. | Dolby Ballroom | |
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm | Break | TBA | |
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm | Concurrent Session E | ||
Artificial Intelligence and Employment Discrimination: A Civil Rights and Risk Mitigation Primer for Counsel and Advocates Artificial intelligence and other technology is already being used by corporations of every size to screen resumes, make hiring recommendations, and to identify existing employees for redeployment or reskilling. AI can even suggest which employees should be fired. Regulators at the local, state, federal and global levels have initiated overlapping regulatory efforts that create significant global compliance complexities for corporations using or seeking to use AI. In-house and outside counsel are increasingly being called upon to help their clients navigate through this complex technical and legal landscape. This panel will provide an overview of current regulatory efforts as well as provide a diverse perspective from advocates concerned about the potential discriminatory impact of artificial intelligence in employment decisions. The panel will provide examples and suggestions of ways to identify and avoid the use of unlawfully biased AI, as well as other ways in which counsel can help identify and mitigate risk in this uncertain regulatory environment.
Download CLE materials here. | Rachel See (Moderator) (U.S. EEOC) Masheika Allgood (AllAI Consulting, LLC) Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw) | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
Beyond the Binary: Identity, Inclusion, and Legal Issues Please join a panel of nonbinary/genderqueer identified lawyers from a wide variety of legal backgrounds in exploring issues facing the nonbinary community in the context of (1) workplace culture; (2) workplace policies and procedures; and (3) the general legal landscape. This panel will provide a brief primer on nonbinary and genderqueer identities, as well as an understanding of challenges facing the nonbinary community in legal workplaces along with practical tools for navigating those challenges. Attendees will also gain an overview of the unique legal issues facing the nonbinary community.
Download CLE materials here. | Nikki Hatza (Moderator) (Ballard Spahr LLP) Anneke Dunbar-Gronke ( Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) Ren Gaffney (Convergent Energy + Power) Betton(BK) Katzmann (Temple Law School) Rafael M. Langer-Osuna (Squire Patton Boggs) | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
Legal Aid/Legal Services Caucus This interactive caucus provides attorneys an opportunity to network with other legal services advocates, and discuss emerging issues that impact low-income LGBTQ+ clients. Topics may include challenges to outreach, successful community partnerships, best intake practices, special needs of the transgender community, increasing cultural competency, and strategies for navigating the changing socio-political climate. All advocates who provide services to low-income clients are invited to participate.
Not for CLE credit. | Ming Wong (Moderator) (National Center for Lesbian Rights) | Floor M2, Studio D | |
LGBTQ+ State & Local Bar Affiliate Congress Caucus All representatives of LGBTQ+ state and local Bar Association affiliate groups are invited to attend this annual caucus meeting. The first few minutes will address Bar business; we will then welcome 2022 Dan Bradley Award Winner Jenny Pizer as a guest speaker, after which we will have a group conversation with guest representatives from the Family Law Institute to discuss how affiliates might respond in their local area to upcoming threats to Obergefell. Not for CLE credit.
| Stephen Kulp (Moderator) (LGBTQ+ Bar Association Board) | Floor 3, Trousdale Estates | |
Litigation and "Changing Hearts & Minds": Strategies for Responding to Attacks on Trans Youths’ Access to Health Care 2022 has seen a record number of bills and Executive branch action specifically targeting trans and nonbinary youth's access to necessary health care, including attacks on the systems and adults who support those youth. Texas’s Governor Abbott has declared affirming health care to be "child abuse" and ordered investigations of loving parents assisting their children to access medically necessary care; the Florida Department of Health is issuing false information about gender-affirming care; the Alabama legislature has declared it a felony for medical providers to provide such necessary health care to trans youth; and other attacks continue. While litigation challenging those bans is necessary and has so far been successful, it is clear that even more public education and engagement is necessary to turn the tide for the long term. Hear from LGBTQ+ movement litigators, firm pro bono partners, and nonbinary young adult activists with lived experience in foster care about efforts to fight in the courts, address ongoing systemic issues, and change hearts and minds.
Download CLE materials here. | Currey Cook (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) Shéár Avory (XChangeforChange) Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal) Elliott Hinkle (Unicorn Solutions) Jaclyn Pampel (Baker McKenzie) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
Litigation and Advocacy Surrounding Gender-Affirming and Reproductive Health Care: An Intersectional Update The last few years have brought about significant political and legal changes that have affected access to gender-affirming and reproductive health care across the United States. This panel will explore and discuss legal developments that have diminished access to care to these necessary forms of health care as well as the various victories, defeats, obstacles, and opportunities that transgender and gender nonconforming people, including pregnant people and people of color, face. We will address developments in privacy, liberty, and personal autonomy jurisprudence affecting these forms of care, including the Supreme Court’s decisions in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson. We will discuss the litigation and other efforts to eliminate barriers to coverage as well as regulatory changes that have taken place since the Biden administration came into office. Finally, we will discuss the intersections of the advocacy and litigation surrounding these forms of essential health care.
Download CLE materials here. | Omar Gonzalez-Pagan (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) David Brown (Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund) Anya Marino (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic) Caroline Sacerdote (Center for Reproductive Rights) | Floor M2, Studio B | |
Pathways to the Judiciary Each year, members of the judiciary come together to discuss their career trajectory and provide advice to young professionals interested in ascending the bench. Representing a diverse array of judges, panelists will discuss both the appointed and elected processes for judges in different jurisdictions as well as ethical guidelines or standards associated with panelists’ paths to becoming judges or retaining their positions. Additionally, the challenges of being an openly LGBTQ+ judge, especially in relation to judicial ethics codes, will also be a focus. Members of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges will be available during and after the session to talk further with attendees.
Download CLE materials here. | Hon. Kristin Rosi (Moderator) (Chief ALJ, Ca Dept. of Insurance) Hon. Christopher Costa (ALJ, D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings) Hon. Jessica M. Delgado (Santa Clara County Superior Court) Hon. Andi Mudryk (Sacramento County Superior Court) Hon. Sherry Powell (Superior Court of Los Angeles County) Hon. Gregory O. Yorgey-Girdy (Philadelphia Municipal Court) | Floor M2, Runyon Laurel | |
Supreme Court Review: Key Decisions of the 2021-22 Term and What’s on Deck for 2022-23 Panelists will present an analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions from its 2021-22 term that are of most interest to Lavender Law attendees and will preview the cases in which review has been granted for the 2022-23 term that are of most interest to attendees. Panelists will engage in interactive discussion about what the Court's term reveals about the Court as the conservative majority has taken full hold of the Court and as a new justice joins the Court, with a particular emphasis on how rulings from this term may affect future decisions impacting the rights of LGBTQ people.
Download CLE materials here. | Jon Davidson (Moderator) (American Civil Liberties Union) Laura W. Brill (Kendall Brill & Kelly) Sunu Chandy (National Women's Law Center) Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic) Paul Smith (Campaign Legal Center) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
Talking about Race in Courses on Gender, Sexuality, & Law - CANCELED Why and how can law courses on gender and sexuality engage issues of race and racial justice? Our diverse panel of experienced law professors address this question and assess the ways that race does--and does not--figure in conventional courses in this area.
The objectives of this workshop are threefold: to make a strong case for incorporating issues of race and racial justice into courses on the law of gender and sexuality (broadly construed); to offer professors practical tips and resources for achieving this end; and to embolden law students to press for greater emphasis on race and racial justice in their schools' curricular offerings in this field.
Not for CLE credit. | Michael Boucai (Moderator) (SUNY at Buffalo School of Law) Aziza Ahmed (UC Irvine School of Law) Russell Robinson (UC Berkeley School of Law) Ezra Young (Columbia Law School) | Floor M2, Studio E | |
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm | Speed Networking By invitation to Corporate Counsel and Patron level and above law firm sponsors. | Floor 3, Mt. Olympus | |
2:15 pm - 5:30 pm | Judicial Nuts & Bolts Academy (Advance application is required) | Elysian Park | |
The LGBTQ+ Bar’s “Nuts & Bolts Academy for Judicial Candidates” seeks to provide interested legal professionals with the tools they need to end up on the other side of the bench. This intensive workshop welcomes legal professionals from all backgrounds and parts of the country, as the LGBTQ+ Bar believes diverse perspectives bring diverse experiences to the bench – and diverse experiences lead to better judgments. Invitation is required. Please see the Judicial Nuts & Bolts page for more information and to apply to attend (applications close July 20, 2022). | Hon. Mike Jacobs (Moderator) (State Court of DeKalb County) Hon. Linda H. Colfax (Superior Court of San Francisco County) Hon. Darrin Gayles (Southern District of Florida) Hon. Monica M. Márquez (Colorado Supreme Court) Hon. Jill Rose Quinn (Jill Rose ) | Elysian Park | |
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm | Break | TBA | |
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm | Concurrent Session F | ||
Intersectional Allyship - Sponsored by Shell The term "ally" is generally understood in the LGBTQ+ context to refer to a cisgender and straight person who believes in LGBTQ+ equality. This workshop will push that definition further by asking both "How can LGBTQ+ people be better allies to LGBTQ+ people?" and "What does allyship really look like in a post-Obergefell country?" Our panel of LGBTQ+ and straight/cis people will discuss "ally as a verb" action-oriented ways that everyone can help advance equality for all LGBTQ+ people - considering all letters of the acronym and the "plus" as well as considering race, disability, and more; we will also specifically talk about ways to lift up LGBTQ+ people within legal education and the legal profession. Not for CLE credit. | Travis Torrence (Moderator) (Shell Oil Company) Gavin Alexander (Jackson Lewis P.C.) Courtney Bryson (2L, Gonzaga University School of Law) Bendita Cynthia Malakia (O’Melveny & Myers) Robert A. Marchman (U.S Securities and Exchange Commission; PFLAG Board of Directors) | Floor M2, Studio A | |
Law Student Congress and Law School Affiliate Caucus Come meet and collaborate with fellow law students in a session specifically designed for and about law school LGBTQ+ related issues and LGBTQ+ law students. This is an opportunity to interact and communicate directly with the 2022-2023 Law Student Congress board leadership. In this session, you will be able to interact and discuss substantive issues amongst peers from across the country, address challenges unique to law students in the LGBTQ+ community, and discuss in-person how to effect positive change within your law school campuses and greater communities. Not for CLE credit. | Will Lanier (Co-Moderator) (Fordham University School of Law) Dean Anthony E. Varona (Co-Moderator) (Seattle University School of Law) | Floor M2, Studio E | |
Prosecutor Caucus The Prosecutor’s Caucus is an informal community of LGBTQ+ prosecutors. It provides an opportunity to network and discuss LGBTQ+ issues in the criminal justice system. Not for CLE credit. | Gavin Quinn (Moderator) (Cook County State's Attorney's Office) | Floor 3, Trousdale Estates | |
Religiosity in Public Life: The Far Reaching Implications of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis The Supreme Court has developed a track record in recent years of ruling in favor of claimants seeking freedom to defy religiously neutral laws of general applicability for religious reasons, sometimes together with free speech reasons. In addition to the religious claimants’ notable winning streak, the pattern of decisions also is characterized by rejection of those claimants’ requests to overrule longstanding doctrine in favor of decisions turning on case-specific facts while purporting to apply the familiar rule, notwithstanding that the religious claim would have failed under the usual understanding of that rule. These cases have included Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and Fulton v. Philadelphia. Three cases pending as of this writing seem likely to reinforce the track record, with or without reshaping the doctrines governing (i) public funding of religious education (Carson v. Makin); (ii) religious activity by public school employees acting in school leadership roles (Kennedy v. Bremerton); and free speech rights as licenses to discriminate by certain commercial businesses (303 Creative v. Elenis). The first two of these cases were argued during the 2021 term and decisions are expected by the time of the conference. Briefing in 303 Creative is taking place during the summer of 2022 and argument is expected in late 2022. This panel will analyze the likely implications of the decisions in Carson v. Makin (argued Dec. 8, 2021) and Kennedy v. Bremerton (argued April 25, 2022), and of arguments presented by both sides and various amici in 303 Creative. These analyses then will be considered in the larger global context where religion is invoked analogously in many countries to justify opposition to LGBTIQ+ equality and inclusion, and too-often to justify SOGI change efforts. Some reactionary religious organizations and leaders have explained their religion-based rejection of LGBTIQ+ people as opposition to a so-called “gender ideology movement,” which is described as dangerous because it supports reproductive freedom and women’s equality as well as respect for LGBTIQ+ identity.
Download CLE materials here. | Jennifer (Jenny) Pizer (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)) Kenneth Upton (Americans United for Separation of Church and State) Luiza Veado (OutRight Action International) | Floor M2, Studio C | |
What a Latinx Attorney Looks Like The LGBTQ+ Community is diverse in our identities, our experiences, and beliefs. As we think about legal issues that impact our communities, it is important to discuss how few attorneys are Latinx or LGBTQ – what does this mean for our profession? And the legal system? As Latino/Latina/Latinx attorneys we represent a rich and unique experience as we advocate for the rights of our multiple communities. Latinx LGBTQ people face disproportionate rates of discrimination, racism, and xenophobia. As advocates, we are fighting for our communities in a field that has often silenced or left out our stories and our expertise. This panel will discuss legal issues impacting our communities including civil rights, criminalization, immigration, and family law. In addition to substantive legal issues, we will discuss our experiences as academics, direct service providers, impact litigators, and leaders, our practices, and ways in which allies could help Latinx LGBTQ attorneys. We will also discuss what the broader, often white-led, movement most due to address the specific needs that impact our communities.
Download CLE materials here. | Richard Saenz (Moderator) (Lambda Legal) Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Lawyers for Civil Rights) Anya Marino (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic) Josefina Valdez (JL Valdez Law) Ezra Young (Law Office of Ezra Young) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
What Practitioners Need to Know: Securing Identity Documents for Your Transgender Clients Identity document policies have progressed significantly over recent years, and transgender people have better access than ever to accurate IDs without excessive legal or medical gatekeeping. However, judges and the courts are still instrumental to the process of updating identity documents in several important ways: name changes almost invariably have to go through the court system, and in many states trans people are forced to get a court-ordered change of gender to correct a particular document. Hear from lawyers on the front lines of ID document work about the considerations for representing transgender clients in obtaining a court order for name or gender change and the challenges of accessing them in different states, as well as counseling them in the process for updating their identity documents at both the state and federal level. Join our conversation highlighting the scope and history of gender marker change cases, exploring compelling legal arguments, and discussing when and when not to bring gender change cases to the courts.
Download CLE materials here. | Olivia Hunt (Moderator) (National Center for Transgender Equality) Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services) Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal) C.P. Hoffman (National Center for Transgender Equality) | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Considerations from Across Organizational, Employment, and Data Privacy and Security Perspectives - Sponsored by Intel Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a top priority for companies and organizations of all sizes. In 2020 many employers grappled with DEI efforts, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront organizational challenges in meeting DEI goals while balancing the racial and social justice movements alongside changes in international, federal, state, and local laws. Now more than ever, individuals are looking to align with companies and organizations that share values, including in relation to the implementation of meaningful DEI programs. DEI has become a business-critical item that requires not only organizational resources, but also thoughtful consideration in connection with how DEI programs align with the company’s core values, and the potential legal and compliance implications of such programs. The panel will address how DEI efforts can create new risks, and will discuss key considerations and risk mitigation strategies for building out international DEI initiatives from organizational, employment, and privacy perspectives. Among other topics, our panel will specifically address:
| Kyle Kessler (Moderator) (Orrick) Joshua Sliker (Moderator) (Jackson Lewis ) Rose Deggendorf (Intel) Michael Thomas (Jackson Lewis ) | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm | Finance Institute Reception (For Registered Attendees of the Finance Institute only) - Sponsored by Bank of America | Floor 3, Whitley Heights | |
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm | Conference Reception - Sponsored by BMW | Poolside | |
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Women of Color Dinner The Women of Color Dinner is at capacity, and registration has closed. Our apologies for the disappointment! We look forward to seeing you at the Conference and the evening receptions.
All Women-identified and Nonbinary-identified Legal and Legal Support Professionals and Law Students of Color are invited to gather at the Welcome Reception by 7 pm to go to an informal, get-to-know-you dinner. For questions, please write programs@lgbtqbar.org. | TBA |
Friday, July 29, 2022
Time | Event | Speakers | Location |
---|---|---|---|
6:00 am - 11:00 pm | Parents' Room | Floor 3, Hancock Park | |
7:30 am - 3:00 pm | Sponsor and Attendee Check-In | Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration | |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | 12 Step/Recovery Meeting | Floor 3, Echo Park | |
8:00 am - 9:00 am | IALGBTQ+J Leadership Meeting (Judges only) | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
8:00 am - 10:00 am | Law Student Career Planning Programming (NALP) and Continental Breakfast | ||
Career Services and Job Search Strategies for Law Students Law students and career development professionals only. Not for CLE credit. | Grover Cleveland (Moderator) (Lessons for Sharks LLC) Marla Butler (Thompson Hine) Ari Jones (Oasis Legal Services) Mariano Reyna (Cook County State's Attorney's Office) Fred Thrasher (National Association of Law Placement) | Floor M2, Studio D & E | |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Programming for Lateral Attorneys | ||
So You're Ready for the Next Step: Alternative Legal Career Options for Associate-Level Attorneys Considering a move in the next few years, and wondering whether it’s time to switch legal sectors? This panel of experts will address the unique needs of associate-level attorneys considering a lateral move to a different area of law or type of practice – whether to an in-house position, within a firm but to a whole new legal field, from big firm to government or vice versa, going to a boutique, potentially hanging out your own shingle, or going into a job in legal education. You won’t want to miss this dynamic panel of lawyers sharing their paths and experiences to help you think about your next step. Not for CLE credit. | Prof. Lee Carpenter (Rutgers Law School) Natasha Hsieh (Silicon Legal Strategy) Jay Larry ( Paramount Global) Dana Savage (WA Attorney General's Office) | Floor M2, Studio B | |
8:30 am - 5:30 pm | Practice Area Institutes | ||
8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Employment Law Institute Keynote Speaker: Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (EEOC)
Please see the Institute's page for more information.
CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute.
Law students not eligible to attend. | Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood | |
8:00 am - 12:30 pm | Finance Law Institute | Floor 3, Mt. Olympus | |
8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Intellectual Property Law Institute - CANCELED Please see the Institute's page for more information.
CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute. | Floor 3, Silver Lake | |
8:30 am - 12:30 pm | Family Law Institute (LGBT Family Law Institute members only) Please see the Institute's page for more information.
CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute. | Floor M2, Runyon Laurel | |
8:30 am - 5:00 pm | Transgender Law Institute: Resilient The Transgender Law Institute is a participatory space where lawyers, law students, and activists invested in or interested in learning more about the issues facing the trans community can build community and make commitments for collective action. We have chosen “Resilient” as this year’s theme given the immense backlash the trans community is experiencing in response to recent progress. The Institute will be a space for everyone affected to discuss the state of affairs, ideate best next steps as a movement, and cultivate trans resiliency. The Institute will take an equitable approach to centering trans lived experiences. With that in mind, we welcome everyone to join for any part of the Institute or for the entire day. Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute. | Floor M2, Studio C | |
9:00 am - 10:30 am | Lawyering En Español | ||
Lawyering En Español All Spanish-speaking attorneys and attorneys serving Spanish-speaking clients are welcome for this collaborative session. Not for CLE credit. | Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights) | Floor 3, Trousdale Estates | |
9:00 am - 2:30 pm | IALGBTQ+J Judicial Institute (Judges only) | ||
*Judicial Institute 9:00 am - 12:30 pm. Not for CLE credit. | TBA | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
Annual Meeting and Luncheon 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm. Not for CLE credit. | TBA | Floor 3, Los Feliz | |
10:15 am - 11:45 am | JD Advantage Careers for New and Seasoned Attorneys | ||
I’ve got my JD, but what should I do for my JOB?
Are you a lawyer, but finding that the full-time practice of law isn't the right fit for you? Are you a current law student seeking to translate your passion for law into a legal or legal-adjacent career, without practicing in a traditional sense? Join our panel of expert lawyers who have successfully leveraged their Juris Doctorate degrees into rich and fulfilling careers that don't focus primarily upon the practice of law, but for which the JD provides a significant advantage. This workshop will be facilitated by Andrew Teig (he/him/his), a Managing Director / Recruiter at Major, Lindsey & Africa, who will lead our esteemed panelists as they break down alternate career paths, share their experiences, discuss compensation, and help you to get concrete about the many options for what you can do with your legal degree. Not for CLE credit. | Andrew Teig (Moderator) (Major, Lindsey & Africa) Shedrick (Rick) Davis (Lambda Legal) David M. Dixon (Major, Lindsey & Africa) Nancy Kallusch (Meta) | Floor M2, Studio B | |
10:30 am - 2:00 pm | 1-on-1 Law Student and Lateral Career Counseling & Resume Workshop Not for CLE credit. | Elysian Park | |
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Recruiter & Student Lunch | Floor M2, Studio D & E, Overflow to Foyer | |
12:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Corporate Counsel Institute - Sponsored by Allen & Overy | ||
Lunch & Fireside Chat 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm | TBA | Floor M2, Studio A | |
Program 1:45 pm - 5:00 pm | TBA | Floor M2, Studio A | |
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm | Trusts & Estates Law Institute Please see the Institute's page for more information.
CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute.
Law students not eligible to attend. | ||
Joint Luncheon with Family Law Institute 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm | TBA | Preston's Restaurant | |
Program 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | TBA | Floor 3, Whitley Heights | |
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm | Career Fair | ||
Career Fair The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s annual Lavender Law® Career Fair is designed to achieve a sense of community and inclusion for LGBTQ+ candidates within the legal profession’s recruiting efforts. By participating in this career fair, candidates will talk directly to LGBTQ+ friendly recruiters from law firms, government agencies, LGBTQ+ rights groups, and corporate legal departments. Candidates are encouraged to discuss their identity and aspirations to become part of a bias-free work environment. Keep a copy of your resume handy to share! Sponsors are encouraged to take this opportunity to showcase their diversity efforts to top level law students and lateral candidates from around the country. Our 2022 Recruiters are listed here - join us! | TBA | Dolby Ballroom | |
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm | "Til Next Year" Champagne Toast | Dolby Terrace |
- Wednesday, July 27
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Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Time Event Speakers Location 7:00 am - 5:30 pm Sponsor and Attendee Check-In Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration 7:45 am - 9:00 am 12 Step/Recovery Meeting Floor 3, Echo Park 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Parents' Room Floor 3, Hancock Park 9:00 am - 10:30 am VIP/Top Sponsor Brunch By invitation to Corporate Counsel and Patron level and above law firm sponsors.Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood The Intrapreneurial GC: Outside-the-Box Thinking and Strategically Leveraging Outside Counsel for In-House Success The role of in-house counsel is ever-evolving. Chief legal officers today are tasked with providing far more than legal counsel on employment, high-level transactions, and litigation. They are routinely called upon to provide crisis management, review strategic communications, and lead the company into uncharted waters, both internally in terms of new company initiatives and externally, often guiding company engagement in local, national, and international issues. From spearheading policy revisions to support a commitment to climate change to identifying and supporting strategic acquisitions (and advising against possibly problematic partnerships) in connection with elevating the company’s profile or highlighting the company’s products/services, there has never been a greater need – and thereby opportunity – for in-house attorneys to expand outside “their legal lane.” We’ve never seen this more than in the past few years as GCs have taken lead roles in responding to COVID-19, and the seismic industry and workforce shifts that have resulted from the pandemic. Strong relationships with outside counsel have always been a pillar for successful in-house operations. Those relationships now must expand and adapt to meet the needs of this next generation of GCs. At the same time, the intrapreneurial GC can be a vital asset to outside counsel looking for allies in supporting important firm initiatives like championing diverse teams and providing unique secondment, mentorship, and sponsorship opportunities. This panel will feature top in-house attorneys from a wide-range of industries discussing non-traditional initiatives undertaken in their companies, and how outside counsel played a key role in their success. Download CLE materials here.Jason Beekman (Moderator) (RadicalMedia LLC)
Jason Burch (Uber)
Nicole Guintoli (CBS Studios)
Justin Haddock (Indeed)Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood 9:00 am - 10:30 am Concurrent Session A Aging & End-of-Life Legal Issues in the Transgender Community The population of the US is rapidly aging, at the same time as more people understand themselves to be transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming. Are our legal systems and long-term care systems prepared to welcome and provide person-centered care to transgender and nonbinary people as we age? This workshop shares knowledge about aging in the transgender and nonbinary community, and surfaces questions about transgender and nonbinary people’s lived experience that may not be reflected in the way legal services are currently provided across the lifespan. We will have a transgender attorney of color ground our discussion by speaking about his lived experience as a formative lawyer in the movement for transgender justice. In thinking about planning for aging and anticipating some of these challenges, a transgender trusts and estates attorney will share her legal approach to providing legal advice to transgender and nonbinary people. We will then highlight a new resource with specific durable healthcare power of attorney provisions to protect trans and nonbinary people's access to hormone replacement therapy and use of affirmed name, gender, and pronouns. We will look at new research about health disparities for transgender people of color related to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) and offer a new tool for transgender and nonbinary people to evaluate the policies of long-term residential care facilities toward transgender people. We will close with a cautionary look ahead at efforts to use free speech arguments to limit protections for transgender people in residential care, such as the right to be addressed by their name and gender. Workshop participants will have a deeper understanding of how traditional aging supports, including the law, may be problematized for people of transgender and nonbinary experience, and how dementia may compound those barriers, particularly for Black and brown people who are gender minorities. Through interactive discussion, participants will be encouraged to surface questions that they may have about trans and nonbinary people’s experiences in long-term care. Trans and nonbinary participants will be encouraged to share concerns raised by their lived experience, in order to help all lawyers provide advice to help trans and nonbinary clients make the best and safest choices possible. Download CLE materials here.Ames Simmons (Moderator) (Duke University School of Law)
Ian Anderson (Transgender Law Center)
Kylar Broadus (Trans People of Color Coalition)
Paula Kohut (Kohut, Adams & Randall, P.A.)
Shannon Minter (National Center for Lesbian Rights)Floor 3, Franklin Hills Building Broader Coalitions for Reforming HIV Criminal Laws Thirty states criminalize people living with HIV, however the legal landscape is rapidly changing. In 2021 alone four states reformed or modernized their HIV-related criminal laws. In this workshop, panelists discuss the state of HIV criminal reform efforts, with a special emphasis on strategies for: 1) reaching across social movements--including with Black Lives Matter and others working against mass incarceration, sex workers, hepatitis advocates, etc., and 2) diversifying legal reforms beyond state legislative efforts. Coalitions are broader and stronger when they work across social movements,and when they adopt diverse approaches to reform that include roles for public health officials, judges, prosecutors, and public defenders. Legislative reforms are critical, but lasting change can only be achieved by placing HIV criminalization in in the context of broader social movements, and must provide real relief to those arrested, incarcerated, and put on sex offender registries because of HIV criminal laws. Panelists will discuss litigation strategies, the role of lobbyists and national organizations, alliances with prosecutors and public health officials, and coalition building with civil society groups in state efforts to reform HIV criminal laws. Download CLE materials here.Brad Sears (Moderator) (Williams Institute)
Taylor Brown (ACLU)
Nathan Cisneros (UCLA School of Law)
Tami Martin (Equality California)
Eric Paulk (Georgia Equality)Floor 3, Trousdale Estates Fostering LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurship - Sponsored by Nationwide As the economy continues to transform in response to the pandemic, entrepreneurship is emerging as an important driver of growth and innovation. This is particularly true for historically marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ communities, which continue to experience vulnerability surrounding our rights in the workplace. As many LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination at work and pandemic hardship, entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to create safe and welcoming spaces. This panel will explore the legal issues that diverse and intersectional populations face in exploring entrepreneurship. We will also discuss practical legal solutions, including the unique role that the private bar can play through pro bono support to help launch small businesses. The panel will feature attorneys across a wide-range of practice areas and industries who are working with existing and inspiring small business owners to close the wealth and opportunity gap. We will pay special attention to the legal and business needs of LGBTQ+ people of color, immigrants, and formerly incarcerated people. Download CLE materials here.Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights)
Alfred Fraijo, Jr. (Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP)
Priya Lane (Lawyers for Civil Rights, BizGrow Director)
Frank Lindh (Former General Counsel, California Public Utilities Commission)
Carla Reeves (Goulston & Storrs)Floor M2, Studio C Legal Landscape for LGBTQ Asylum Seekers at the Border and Within the U.S. Many LGBTQ asylum seekers enter the United States via the southern US/Mexico border. This Workshop will discuss the different ways that the U.S. government has excluded LGBTQ asylum seekers in recent years at the border, including: expedited removal, reinstated removal, MPP, and Title 42 expulsions. We will be discussing the potentially fatal asylum bar of “firm resettlement,” as many LGBTQ asylum seekers entering through the US/Mexico Border will be entering after significant time in Mexico and often residency. The workshop will briefly provide updates about what is happening now at the border, and how those policies affect LGBTQ people trying to access the US asylum system. The speakers will then explain how to support LGBTQ migrants including, how to evaluate paperwork a client has, how to identify the policy that affected your potential client encountered, screening for all immigration options outside of asylum and tips on how to prepare your case with care to avoid any unintentional consequences. As many LGBTQ asylum seekers are sent from the border to detention we will discuss how to advocate for LGBTQ clients in detention. Finally, the workshop will discuss how these policies disproportionately affect Black-identified asylum seekers. [If applicable] The workshop will discuss the recent “streamlining” rule, and the huge impacts on asylum seekers entering through the US/Mexico border. Download CLE materials here.charlene d'cruz (Immigration lawyer, US/Mexico border RGV)
Emem Maurus (Transgender Law Center)
Zack Mohamed (Deportation Defense Organizer, Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project (BLMP))
Héctor Ruiz (International Rescue Committee)Floor M2, Studio A LGBTQ Sex Workers and the Law This workshop will discuss laws and policies that harm LGBTQ sex workers, with a focus on transgender individuals, LGBTQ people of color, and LGBTQ homeless youth. LGBTQ communities are disproportionately impacted by the criminalization of sex work. Criminalization takes many forms, including street-based policing, crackdowns on online platforms, and targeting sex work as part of anti-trafficking legislation. The workshop will also explore actions taken by private companies to exclude sex workers from safer sex trade spaces. For example, Mastercard adopted a new policy in 2021 that requires adult content websites and merchants to implement stricter documentation requirements, content review processes, and identification verification. The policy makes it harder for sex workers to earn money online and makes them more vulnerable, especially those who are transgender women of color. The panel will discuss state and federal advocacy efforts for and by sex workers. This includes the reintroduction of the Safe Sex Workers Study Act that examines the impact of SESTA/FOSTA on the safety of sex workers and activities of the Sex Worker Advocates Coalition in DC and advocates in other jurisdictions focused on promoting sex work decriminalization and supporting sex workers to share their stories and engage in policy advocacy. Additionally, the panel will highlight a policy agenda released in 2021 by networks of people living with HIV, which calls for making sex workers a priority population in the federal HIV response and eliminating structural barriers to sex workers protecting their health. Intersectional policy work related to sex work, HIV, and LGBTQ issues is needed and must address HIV criminalization laws and law enforcement regarding condoms as evidence of sex work. Download CLE materials here.Sean Bland (Moderator) (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law)
Benjamin Brooks (Whitman-Walker Institute)
Jessica Parral (Parral)
Maria Roman-Taylorson (TransLatin@ Coalition)Floor M2, Runyon Laurel Parenting Trans Children - CANCELED Whether you are LGBTQ+ or cisgender and straight, you may find that you are not as well-prepared as you hoped to support your child when they come out to you as trans and/or nonbinary. This workshop is designed to cover a wide swath of issues to help you be the most supportive parent you can be for your trans child/young adult through their early stages of transition. Our panel of speakers are all lawyers who are also parents of trans and nonbinary children; we'll discuss practical tips for helping your child navigate school, social interactions, and extended family dynamics; legal issues you'll want to be prepared for (including the "order of operations" for a smooth experience with legal name changes); and resources to support your whole family. The workshop is intended both for parents and for lawyers who work with families of trans and nonbinary children. Download CLE materials here.TBA Floor M2, Studio D Representing the People: Misconceptions and Changes to the Lives of Prosecutors This panel addresses the evolving role and attitudes of prosecutors in 2022. The aim of this Program is to address misconceptions and the challenges LGBTQ prosecutors face when existing in that role and carrying with them an identity that has a complicated relationship with criminal justice. Change is a powerful thing and critiques of the criminal justice system from LGBTQ populations have made the pursuit of justice fairer and more representative of how different communities define justice. This panel will discuss how the addition of specialty courts, including Drug Treatment Courts, Mental Health Courts, and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, were created to take into account that solutions in cases like these look different from traditional sentencing and gave prosecutors tools toward rehabilitation. Doing the right thing, must include an understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion so that the rights and treatment of ALL: victims, defendants and members of the community are taken into consideration in a prosecutor’s efforts to achieve fair justice and a safer community. The LGBTQ community has been overly criminalized, and as such worked to voice new opinions and solutions to the issues of inequity in the criminal justice system, leading to reform. The impact of the Criminal Justice Reform movement on Prosecution, which includes Bail Reform, Early Mandated Discovery and Raising the Age of those who should be criminally prosecuted as adults, will be examined. Ultimately, this panel will be centered around how voices of the LGBTQ community working from inside prosecutors’ offices is a feature that makes the aim of making communities healthier and safer and how LGBTQ voices outside those offices being heard works in tandem to achieve that goal. Download CLE materials here.Gavin Quinn (Moderator) (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)
Jessie McGrath (Los Angeles County DA's Office)
Joseph Muroff (Bronx District Attorney's Office)
Mariano Reyna (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)Floor M2, Studio E 10:30 am - 10:45 am Break TBA 10:45 am - 12:15 pm Concurrent Session B Attorneys and Mental Health: Let’s Talk About It - Sponsored by 3M This workshop will take a deep look at the stigmatization that attorneys experience when they struggle with mental illness, and work toward a better understanding of how members of the legal community - including law students - can address their mental health appropriately without being stigmatized for doing so. Members of the LGBTQ+ legal community who face mental health challenges know that it can be even harder to "come out" as having mental illness as it is to come out as LGBTQ+. The panel will explore how the lessons that this community has learned about bias - both unconscious and intentional - and about micro- and macro-aggressions can also be applied to the mental health arena; we will also discuss the ways in which LGBTQ+ attorneys with intersectional identities are at higher risk of not having the support they need for mental health challenges, and also face higher penalties for admitting those challenges. We will discuss the vicarious trauma that so many lawyers suffer, and how that particularly impacts members of the LGBTQ+ community who advocate full-time for other LGBTQ+ people. The panel will address both the practical and the ethical issues that arise when attorneys sublimate their mental health issues, and will suggest ways that everyone can work toward destigmatizing mental health challenges for the end goals of being healthier, happier, and better advocates for our clients. Download CLE materials here.Jennifer (Kibbe) Day (Moderator) (San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office)
Gavin Alexander (Jackson Lewis P.C.)
Alejandra Caraballo (Harvard Cyberlaw Clinic)
Andy Izenson (Diana Adams Law & Mediation, PLLC)Floor 3, Silver Lake DEI in Health Care: Turning a Heavy Topic into a Manageable Lift Corporations are starting to include diversity, equity and inclusion as key components of their mission statements, and some states are imposing diverse representation on boards; however, recent reports show that only 3% of health systems have a health equity expert as a member of their board. More than two years into a devastating global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted minority communities, the importance of health equity cannot be overstated and deserves more than lip service. How does your organization acknowledge the connections between structural racism, classism, sexism, homophobia and health? What does your organization do to stop the drivers of health inequality and start to improve health outcomes? What does it mean for an organization to have the will to create such change? These are some of the topics that we plan to discuss among the panel and with attendees. Download CLE materials here.Greg Fosheim (Moderator) (McDermott Will & Emery LLP)
Neville Bilimoria (Duane Morris LLP)
Abbi Coursolle (National Health Law Program)
Carly Helman (Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath)Floor M2, Studio A Legal Empowerment Strategies to Expand Military Opportunities for People Living with HIV Despite momentous medical advancements in the treatment of HIV, outdated and illogical military policies still prohibit people living with HIV from enlisting in the military, serving as a commissioned officer, and deploying. These policies serve only to further perpetuate harmful HIV stigma, particularly targeting LGBTQ communities and communities of color, and to erase a professional career opportunity that leads to lifelong educational and employment advancement for communities that suffer from less access than their white peers. This panel will be comprised of diverse attorneys from legal organizations and law firms with professional expertise in complex federal litigation, including HIV discrimination cases. The panel will address legal and extralegal challenges to abolishing discriminatory military policies. We will discuss the power of legal and medical advocacy in this arena and the efforts to enhance community empowerment centered on the richness of identity. The workshop will also discuss recent legal cases and examine the public pressure points that support policy advocacy around this issue. Download CLE materials here.Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights)
Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal)
Sophia Hall (Lawyers for Civil Rights)
Peter Perkowski (Perkowski Legal PC)
Christopher Queenin (Nixon Peabody)Floor M2, Studio B Progress and Barriers Toward Visibility and Inclusion of Bisexual+ People in the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Learning from Movement Leaders One year after the 2021 Lavender Law historic panel on bi+ inclusion, “Bridging the Gap in LGBTQ+ Rights Litigation: A Community Discussion on Bisexual Visibility in the Law,” this panel brings last year’s speakers back together to reflect on tangible work that has been done in the past year to further intersectional bi+ visibility and representation in the movement for LGBTQ+ equity. In 2021, this panel of speakers addressed bi+ erasure in the larger LGBTQ+ rights movement in a historic roundtable discussion that addressed ways in which the LGBTQ+ rights movement can begin a new, more bi-inclusive chapter in impact litigation and other advocacy work. In 2022, the panelists will report on the advances they have made and the barriers they and their organizations have encountered while working to further bi+ inclusion, while continuing the discussion about the importance of meaningful inclusion of bisexual+ people in our work and lives. Download CLE materials here.Hon. Mike Jacobs (Moderator) (State Court of DeKalb County)
Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic)
Nesta Johnson (National Center for Lesbian Rights)
Bendita Cynthia Malakia (O’Melveny & Myers)
Sarah Warbelow (Human Rights Campaign)
Ezra Young (Law Office of Ezra Young)Floor M2, Studio C Trans Lawyering: An Introduction to Respectful Representation of Transgender Clients Transgender people have legal needs, just like anyone else -- but often, they are reluctant to speak with an attorney when they need one out of a fear that they will be misunderstood or mistreated. This workshop will give you the terminology and tools you need to interact with transgender clients respectfully and professionally, to understand the unique problems and issues that may come up in your representation of them, and to ensure that you won't be exactly the kind of attorney that trans people are afraid they'll run into. This workshop will consist of a "Trans 101" session covering common concepts and terminology used to describe transgender people's lives, and guidelines for how to interact with them in a way that they will not find disrespectful and dehumanizing. In addition, attorneys with extensive experiencing working with transgender clients will discuss the sorts of unusual problems that can occur when representing a trans person in a variety of fields such as employment law, healthcare access, immigration and asylum, and contract law. Download CLE materials here.Olivia Hunt (Moderator) (National Center for Transgender Equality)
Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services)
Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal)
C.P. Hoffman (National Center for Transgender Equality)Floor 3, Los Feliz Unsafe and Uncertain: The GOP's Attacks on LGBTQ+ Youth in Schools 2022 has witnessed an unprecedented number of GOP-driven state legislative attacks as well as other forms of political pressure against LGBTQ+ people, particularly those impacting LGBTQ+ youth and focused on the K-12 school environment. These attacks - including Florida's "Don't Say LGBTQ+" bill, numerous attacks on transgender girls and women athletes, and censorship of LGBTQ+ materials in school libraries - are grounded in long-debunked myths and stereotypes, brought back by Republicans from the pre-Lawrence era to generate heat for political gain. This workshop will elucidate the harms these attacks are causing to LGBTQ+ and particularly trans youth, will discuss how they are related to other political attacks brought by the right such as those involving critical race theory, and offer suggestions as to how members of the Lavender Law community can help push back and support our youth and educators. Download CLE materials here.Shannon Minter (Moderator) (National Center for Lesbian Rights)
Kell Olson (Lambda Legal)
Clifford Rosky (University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law)Floor 3, Mt. Olympus You Can’t Spell LGBTQ+ Aging Safety Net Without LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ older people are in greater need of social services and healthcare than the population at large. Yet they are less likely to access these programs and services because of fear of discrimination or actual discrimination. We’ll dive into an array of critical social service and healthcare benefits, explore the history of why LGBTQ+ older people are not accessing or have not been able to access those programs, especially in the context of COVID-19, and how we are trying to remedy that situation through litigation and policy advocacy. For example, we’ll examine Lambda Legal’s ground-breaking cases that have swung the door open for certain same-sex married couples to finally receive Social Security benefits. We’ll explore the state of long-term care and the challenges of data collection and reporting during COVID-19. We’ll explore the ever-expanding threat of religious exemptions. And we’ll dive into the Older Americans Act and how we are ensuring that more LGBTQ+ older people and older people living with HIV have access to the critical aging services and supports that it funds. Download CLE materials hereAaron Tax (Moderator) (SAGE)
Denny Chan (Justice in Aging)
Malita Picasso (ACLU LGBT & HIV Project)
Shelly L. Skeen (Lambda Legal)
Hillary Williams Thomas (AARP Georgia)Floor M2, Studio D 12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Break TBA 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Awards Luncheon - Aegon Transamerica Foundation℠ Presentation of the 2022 Dan Bradley Award, Frank Kameny Award, Leading Family Law Practitioner Award, and Legal Services Justice Award.Dolby Ballroom 2:00 pm - 2:15 pm Break TBA 2:15 pm - 3:45 pm Concurrent Session C BiLaw Caucus BiLaw is an informal group of bisexual-identified and bi-allied attorneys, academics, and law students. The BiLaw Caucus is an opportunity to network with other bi-identified lawyers and discuss areas of the law relevant to bisexual people. All bi-identified and bi-allied attorneys, academics, and law students are encouraged to attend. Following a brief meet-and-greet, the organizers will provide a structured discussion based on attendees' priorities. Not for CLE credit.Bendita Cynthia Malakia (Co-Moderator) (O’Melveny & Myers)
Nancy Marcus (Co-Moderator) (California Western School of Law)Floor M2, Studio C Creating LGBTQ+ Trainings for Judges Educating the judiciary on LGBTQ issues often falls to LGBTQ bar associations or attorneys, especially in states that are less than friendly to the LGBTQ community. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to create interest in and develop LGBTQ education programming for judges, and/or how to integrate LGBTQ issues into existing judicial education. Topics to be addressed include drumming up interest in LGBTQ trainings, selecting effective presenters and crafting programming that will attract judicial officers and best benefit LGBTQ people and communities in your state or local area. Download CLE materials here.Hon. Shawna S. Baker (Cherokee Nation Supreme Court)
Todd Brower (UCLA School of Law Williams Institute)
Hon. Robert W. Lee (Broward County Court)
Hon. D. Zeke Zeidler (Los Angeles County Superior Court)Floor M2, Runyon Laurel Federal HIV Policy: Recent Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Directions In December 2021, President Biden released the latest National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States, which has been applauded for its commitment to addressing structural barriers that have fueled the HIV epidemic and its commitment to ensuring resources go to communities where the need is greatest, especially communities of color and LGBTQ communities. More than ever before, the Strategy focuses attention on increasing LGBTQ-supportive school policies and practices and improving the quality of life of people living with HIV across the lifespan, including encouraging states to modernize their HIV criminalization statutes. The Strategy also highlights opportunities to prevent new infections with more options for people who wish to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Multiple PrEP options are available, including not only brand-name daily oral medications but also significantly cheaper generic versions of PrEP and the first long-acting injectable PrEP formation. Generic PrEP exposes challenges related to HIV public health messaging and financing, whereas long-acting PrEP faces questions related to issuance coverage and real-world implementation. The PrEP landscape has also changed with the 2019 PrEP recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force. This recommendation triggered statutory coverage requirements for most health plans to cover PREP without cost-sharing as a result of preventative care provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, a legal challenge to the constitutionality of the ACA’s preventative care provisions (Kelley v. Becerra) is pending in federal court and could undermine PrEP access. In this workshop, panelists will present the latest policy and legal developments in the federal HIV landscape and discuss opportunities for strategic responses. Download CLE materials here.Sean Bland (Moderator) (O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law)
Benjamin Brooks (Whitman-Walker Institute)
Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal)
Eric Paulk (Georgia Equality)Floor M2, Studio A Meeting the Needs of LGBTQ Adults, Service Providers, and Caregivers LGBTQ older adults and their heterosexual, cisgender peers face many common aging-related challenges that have significant implications for professional service providers and caregivers. For example, older adults can experience cognitive impairment that affects their relationships with lawyers, health care providers, loved ones, and caregivers. Many older adults, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity, experience heightened vulnerability to financial exploitation, abusive guardianships, and physical abuse even in the absence of cognitive impairment. And older adults, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, must negotiate the practical challenges associated with maintaining their dignity and autonomy as their need for long-term supportive services grows. These shared challenges require lawyers, service providers, and caregivers to interact with older adults in dynamic ways. Yet for LGBTQ older adults who have experienced historical and or compound discrimination, the challenges associated with aging can present unique ethical, legal, and practical challenges for professional service providers and caregivers. Older LGBT adults, depending on their status as out or closeted, membership in other minority groups, employment history and financial circumstances, access to housing and relevant healthcare supports, estrangement from their families of origin and other social connectedness, and geographic location, need lawyers, health care and support providers to account for their unique circumstances. For example, older LGBTQ adults might need to delegate powers to partners that circumvent legal restrictions or family rejection of partners, identify people to exercise powers when family members and close friends are unavailable, plan for health care and long-term care arrangements that do not require them to re-closet, and plan for long-term care and support when they – after years of underemployment and employment discrimination – lack substantial savings. LGBTQ caregivers also face many challenges shared by heterosexual and cisgender peers, but they too face unique caregiving challenges as a result of their own experiences of discrimination, single and compound, which can include fewer social supports and financial resources. For example, LGBTQ caregivers may struggle to care for parents and other loved ones when there is friction between parents and partners, or, alternatively, when there are warm relationships between parents and partners, but no children to assist with caregiving. Closeted LGBTQ caregivers can face increased psychological strain when trying to reconcile caregiving responsibilities with the maintenance of other relationships. LGBTQ caregivers, like heterosexual and cisgender peers, often struggle with their dual roles as members of the “sandwich generation.” During this panel discussion, we will explore the unique legal and support needs of LGBTQ older adults, the ethical issues that arise for lawyers, health care providers, and other supportive service providers as they seek to meet the needs of older LGBTQ adults. This discussion will also explore the needs of LGBTQ caregivers as they attempt to support older adults. By reviewing relevant legal and ethical rules, legal options, a range of supportive services, and hypotheticals that help to illuminate the challenges faced by LGBTQ older adults and caregivers and potential resources to meet those challenges, we will explore ways to assist both LGBTQ older adults and those who love them meet their respective needs. Download CLE materials here.M. Geron Gadd (Moderator) (National Health Law Program)
Valentina D'Allesandro
Dan Diaz
Ames Simmons (Duke University School of Law)
Shelly L. Skeen (Lambda Legal)Floor 3, Los Feliz Out In The Private Sector: Lesbian Attorneys in Big Law The panelists will discuss what it is like to be out as a lesbian attorney in the private sector, in large and medium-sized law firms, and in-house positions. The panelists will discuss their experiences in law school, what led them to work in the private sector, and barriers they faced in the private sector legal world due to their various identities, including sexual orientation, gender identity/presentation, race and ethnicity, economic background, and other identities that shape how they are perceived in what is still a white and male dominated field. The panelists will speak to strategies that are helpful to law students, such as finding mentors, preparation for job interviews, and skills to succeed in the private sector environment. Download CLE materials here.Najwa Alsheikh (Moderator) (Foley & Lardner)
Nicole Bashor (Husch Blackwell)
Marla Butler (Thompson Hine)
Ashianna Esmail (Flexport)
Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw)
Emily Walpole (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius)Floor 3, Mt. Olympus Reflections on How to Stop Queer and Trans Asian Hate Anti-Asian bias is not new. It has a long history in America, since before its founding, but recent events have brought a spotlight on our community. The speakers will each share their lived experience of anti-Asian bias, in the streets and in the courtroom. We bring decades of activism, advocacy, and organizing work to educate the LGBTQ+ legal community on how to stand in solidarity with the Asian community, how to be more inclusive of Queer and Trans Asian lawyers and legal professionals, how excluding Asian perspectives in the ongoing fights against our community endangers our objectives for LGBTQ+ equality, and a call to create more spaces for intersectional organizing, whether that’s in the LGBTQ+, Asian, legal, or corporate communities. Download Part 1 of CLE materials here. Download Part 2 of CLE materials hereMichael Nguyen (Moderator) (Patent Law Works LLP)
Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic)
Stephen Kulp (Tucker Law Group)
Ming Wong (National Center for Lesbian Rights)
Mia Yamamoto (Law Office of Mia Yamamoto)Floor 2, Doheny-Beachwood The Protected Status of Sexual Orientation and Gender Assignment Under Data Protection Laws in the World Some countries deny the existence of different sexual orientations; therefore, under their data protection laws, personal information related to an individual’s sexual orientation or gender reassignment does not have any protected status. However, countries with more advanced legal regimes recognize that those data merit a reinforced level of protection, and that the concept of data related to sexual orientation shall encompass data related to an individual’s sex life or gender reassignment as well. This workshop aims to provide a global overview of the level of protection granted to these categories of personal information in different jurisdictions all over the world, together with a practical explanation of the challenges and legal requirements for organizations handling personal information related to their customers’, users’, or employees’ sexual orientation and gender/gender identity. Furthermore, this workshop aims to present the different possible interpretations of the notion of “personal information related to sexual orientation and gender/gender identity” and the unwanted consequences of a broad interpretation for companies handling those data when providing services to their customers. Download CLE materials here.Enrique Gallego Capdevila (Cooley)
Ron De Jesus (Grindr)
Kathleen Hartnett (Cooley LLP)
Kelly Miranda (Grindr)
Bill Shafton (Grindr)Floor 3, Silver Lake Trauma-Informed Practice: A Holistic Approach to Working with Vulnerable Communities and Meeting the Individual Needs of the Client Trauma and other mental health issues often create challenges for attorneys in providing representation to LGBTQ+ immigrants and vulnerable communities in general. To be able to provide effective, zealous representation for clients who have experienced trauma, it is essential to first understand what trauma is and what it means to have a trauma-informed practice. This workshop will provide attorneys with a fundamental explanation of the framework of trauma and the experiences that can create it. This can include systematic barriers that prevent meaningful access to services, including employment, housing, legal services, medical care, and other social services. We will discuss why having a trauma-informed practice matters in various areas of law, including how representation can ensure that vulnerable communities are afforded due process, and will provide guidance on how to create safe spaces and establish trust with clients. Finally, we will share opportunities for attendees to get involved with serving vulnerable communities, including through volunteer work and pro bono partnerships. Download CLE materials here.Elizabeth Pinolini (Moderator) (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services)
Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services)
Denise Hunter (California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.)
Carla Lopez (California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.)Floor M2, Studio E 3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Break TBA 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm General Session I Returning to Our Roots: The Renewed Importance of State Constitutional Law for LGBTQ+ Equality State constitutional litigation can be a powerful tool to advance a proactive civil rights agenda at a time when opportunities for creating progressive change in federal courts are imperiled. Today’s U.S. Supreme Court is widely regarded to be one of the most conservative in the last century, and appears prepared to roll back individual rights (such as reproductive choice) while simultaneously strengthening protections for religious actors who wish to discriminate freely against LGBTQ people. Due to the increased hostility of the federal litigation landscape, it is more important than ever for attorneys working for advancement in the rights of LGBTQ+ people to understand the opportunities for progress that state constitutions can provide. The speakers on this panel will discuss the potential of state constitutional law in the context of creating progressive change, including 1) differences between state constitutions and the federal Constitution, 2) ways in which state court judges interpret their constitutions differently or the same as the federal Constitution, and 3) a discussion of how state constitutional litigation paved the way for overturning anti-LGBTQ+ sodomy laws, and later establishing national marriage equality. Download CLE materials here.Prof. Lee Carpenter (Rutgers Law School) (Moderator)
Taylor Brown (ACLU)
Hon. Monica M. Márquez (Colorado Supreme Court)
Shannon Minter (National Center for Lesbian Rights)Dolby Ballroom 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Welcome Reception (Sponsored by Seyfarth Shaw LLP) Poolside 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Justice Council Reception: By invitation to members of the LGBTQ+ Bar's Justice Council Floor 19, Hollywood Hills 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Black LGBTQ+ Legal Professionals' Caucus Dinner Members of the Black LGBTQ+ Legal Professionals' Caucus (a joint endeavor of the National LGBTQ+ Bar and the National Bar Association's LGBTQ+ Division) are invited to an informal, get-to-know-you dinner. All Legal and Legal Support Professionals and Law Students who are both Black-identifying and LGBTQ+-identifying are welcome. Please meet in the lobby of the Loews Hollywood Hotel (Lavender Law host hotel) at 7:30pm if you would like to join in carpools/Lyft rides to dinner. RSVP by Monday, July 25 here. For questions, please write programs@lgbtqbar.org.TBA - Thursday, July 28
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Thursday, July 28, 2022
Time Event Speakers Location 6:00 am - 11:00 pm Parents' Room Floor 3, Hancock Park 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Sponsor and Attendee Check-In Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration 7:45 am - 9:00 am 12 Step/Recovery Meeting Floor 3, Echo Park 9:00 am - 10:30 am General Session II History In The Making: A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Members of the Federal Judiciary The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges are proud to present our first Lavender Law® plenary session featuring several of our trailblazing LGBTQ+ federal judges. Our panelists will discuss their unique backgrounds, their pathways to the bench, and how they managed barriers faced along the way. The judges will each touch upon the challenges they still face as LGBTQ+ judges, their confirmation process, and why being out and being visible matters more than ever on the federal bench. Following the panel discussion, the judges will address audience questions about how we can best continue to build an LGBTQ+ pipeline for the legal profession, including the judiciary. Not for CLE credit.Dean Anthony E. Varona (Moderator) (Seattle University School of Law)
Hon. Michael W. Fitzgerald (United States District Court, Central District of California)
Hon. Darrin Gayles (Southern District of Florida)Dolby Ballroom 10:30 am - 10:45 am Break TBA 10:45 am - 12:15 pm Concurrent Session D Equal Protection of Modern Families – Legal Challenges To Full Rights & Basic Dignity of Adoptees Adoption is a difficult and highly emotionally charged subject for any family. Many LGBTQ+ individuals and families have had first-hand experience either as adopted children or as adoptive parents. The first part of this program explores the issues and concepts of family, adoption, and the experiences on both sides of the adoption story. The second part of this program explores the tension between civil rights and religious liberties and the legal challenges adoptees face to full recognition and acceptance. The panel will discuss the legal issues presented in Fulton and Marouf and provide an overview of The Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2022 (“ACA”). The panel will further discuss its importance for transnational adoptees (the ACA, if passed, would confer automatic citizenship on an estimated 35,000 international adoptees excluded from the automatic citizenship provision of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (“CCA”) for being 18 years of age and older as of the CCA’s effective date.).This panel will be of interest to lawyers and law students focusing on general Civil Rights, Diversity & Equity Inclusion, Family Law, Human Rights, Immigration, International Law, Military, Public Interest/Public Sector, Pro Bono, Trusts and Estates, and Solo and Small Firm law.Download CLE materials here.Stephen Kulp (Moderator) (Tucker Law Group)
Emily Howe (Law Offices of Emily E. Howe)
Liani Reeves (Bullard Law)Floor M2, Studio E Estate Planning 101: Everything You Need to Know But Didn’t Think to Ask! You skipped “Wills, Trusts & Estates” in law school, but are getting a queasy feeling that your work for your client may have an impact on your client’s estate planning issues—but are not sure how, or what to do about it. Or, you’re just plain concerned about your own future and the future of key people in your life. Either way, this session is for you! It will provide an overview of basic and more advanced estate planning issues to highlight the things you or your client need to consider and do, and the impact marriage may have. It will review in particular the basic document tools for estate planning: Healthcare Power of Attorney & Advance Directive; Durable General Power of Attorney; Last Will and Testament; Disposition of Bodily Remains. It will touch on issues relating to the children of LGBT couples, and addresses the impact the SECURE Act has on non-married LGBT couples. It will provide an overview and update of current tax law affecting estate planning. It will also address pitfalls and how to avoid them: prenuptial agreements; proper execution of documents; litigation regarding the validity of estate planning documents; guardianship options. Finally, the session will provide a brief overview of public benefits to which your client or client’s family members may be entitled (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, et al.), and the eligibility requirements for those benefits. The session will provide guidance on how to avoid inadvertently jeopardizing eligibility for public benefits, and provide some alternatives for simple estate planning for low-income individuals and couples. Download CLE materials here.Paula Kohut (Kohut, Adams & Randall, P.A.)
Dale Noll (Akerman LLP)
Crystal M. Richardson (The Law Office of Crystal M. Richardson)
Brad Richter (Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP)
Murray Scheel (Whitman-Walker Legal Services)Floor 3, Echo Park In House Counsel’s Impact on Institutional Change - Sponsored by Microsoft After transitioning to an In House position, it can sometimes feel difficult for an attorney to support social justice issues that matter to them. Fortunately, by working inside our companies, it’s possible for us to leverage their institutional might to have a huge impact on public policy favorable to the LGBTQ+ community (beyond updating the company logo in June). Recent examples include the business community (including Microsoft) in Chile coming out in support of the recently passed Marriage Equality law, North Carolina losing billions in business over their anti-transgender bathroom bills, and, of course, working with our partners in law firms and advocacy groups to file amicus briefs in important cases. Our panel will discuss how you can get involved at your company, whether they are early on in their inclusion journey or have a long track record of supporting our community globally. Download CLE materials here.Andrew Gammill (Moderator) (Dinsmore)
Jason Barnwell (Microsoft)
Rebecca H. Benavides (Microsoft)
Sasha Buchert (Lambda Legal)
Mike Jackson (Microsoft)
Nona Lee (Truth DEI Consulting )
Tricia Prettypaul (The Travelers Companies)Floor 3, Silver Lake Leveraging Legal Skills, Limited Time, and Bar Associations to Help LGBTQ+ Youth at the Local Level Attorneys often hesitate to volunteer not due to lack of passion or commitment, but due to lack of time–I can’t commit to a board position, I can’t commit to a leadership role, I can’t commit to bringing a lawsuit. Can you commit to an hour a month? Meanwhile, anti-LGBTQ+ groups are proclaiming “Won’t somebody think of the children?!” as they strip young people of their privacy, autonomy, and education. Many of these battles are fought at the local county or city level between school boards, city councils, and special interest groups, with an attorney for either side nowhere in sight. But progress at the community level doesn't always need a lawsuit, or a specialist, or even an attorney–just someone who can think like one. In this workshop, we will discuss the skills every lawyer has regardless of practice area. We will then hear directly from community youth group leaders on how attorneys can utilize those abstract skills, in anything from an hour a month to an hour a day of their time, to support their causes. Finally, we will have an open discussion on how local LGBTQ+ bar associations and these advocacy groups can work together to better their community. Download CLE materials here.Catherine (Cat) Kozlowski (Moderator) (Polsinelli PC)
Yemi Adeyanju (Providence)
Simone Chriss (Southern Legal Counsel)
Laura Kanter (University of Houston - Clear Lake)
Fauzia Zaman-Malik (Accenture )Floor M2, Studio A The Criminal Legal System and LGBTQ Communities – Litigation and Civil Remedies This workshop will explore the discrimination to incarceration pipeline that has impacted the LGBTQ community. We will discuss ongoing litigation against various government actors in the criminal legal system including police departments, the courts, and prisons from a civil litigation perspective. This workshop will discuss constitutional and statutory claims that we have used in our advocacy in addition to other tools such as policy advocacy and community organizing. We will discuss efforts to root out bias in the legal system including juror and judicial bias, jury selection, and banning the use of the LGBTQ panic defense. Panelists will also discuss practical tips on how to represent LGBTQ individuals based on their experiences in civil cases and federal and military criminal cases. Panelists are experts in the field and have led groundbreaking litigation on behalf of LGBTQ people. Download CLE materials here.Richard Saenz (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
Josh Blecher-Cohen (ACLU of Illinois)
Chinyere Ezie (Center for Constitutional Rights)
Mik Kinkead (The Legal Aid Society (NYC))Floor M2, Studio D The Dangers of Dobbs: How the Supreme Court’s Treatment of Abortion Rights Might Affect All LGBTQ+ Liberty and Equality Rights, Including Reproductive and Other Health Rights This panel will analyze the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, expected to be issued by the end of the current term. The case came to the Supreme Court as a challenge to Mississippi’s ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Fifth Circuit’s decision invalidated the ban as inconsistent with longstanding Supreme Court precedent, specifically including Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992), and Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt, 136 S. Ct. 2292 (2016). A draft of an opinion in Dobbs identified as authored by Justice Alito in February of this year, as leaked to and published by Politico on May 2, 2022, overrules Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973), and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992). It characterizes Roe as “egregiously wrong,” and not supported either by enumerated rights or by principles “‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition’ and ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty’” (citing Washington v. Glucksberg, 521 U.S. 702, 721 (1997). The leaked draft states that it should not be taken as undermining other landmark individual liberty precedents such as Lawrence v. Texas (invalidating state criminal “sodomy” laws) and Obergefell v. Hodges (recognizing same-sex couples’ fundamental right to marry). But at least some of the leaked draft’s reasoning obviously could be used to reverse those decisions, as well as the longstanding precedents recognizing individual privacy and bodily autonomy rights to access contraceptives, make one’s own medical decisions, and make other decisions that determine the course of one’s sexual and family life. This panel will explore the reasoning and implications of the Court’s actual decision(s), which are expected by the end of the Court’s term. Download CLE materials here.Jennifer (Jenny) Pizer (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
Fabiola Carrión (National Health Law Program)
Julianna (Julie) Gonen (National Center for Lesbian Rights)
Kristine Kippins (Lambda Legal)Floor M2, Studio C The ID Tipping Point: A New Era of Access to Accurate IDs Not long ago, government agencies requesting private medical documents to update a gender marker on an ID or record was the norm. But these days in almost half the states, trans, intersex and non-binary folks can get an accurate marker on a license or state ID simply by checking the appropriate box of M, F, or X. And across the country anyone eligible for a passport can obtain a federal ID with an accurate marker, no medical documentation required. Court cases across the country have struck down barriers to updating gender markers on official documents as unconstitutional. The norm has shifted, yet court orders and legal services can still be difficult to access, and financial barriers, criminal history restrictions, privacy concerns, and overall confusion of these processes prevent so many from obtaining the accurate IDs they need to survive and thrive. Our panel of advocates will share the latest news and trends of gender change laws in courts, legislatures, and legal clinics across the country and engage the audience in a conversation about next steps in the journey toward access to accurate identification for all. Download CLE materials here.Charlie Arrowood (Arrowood Law)
Arli Christian (ACLU)
Elliott Hinkle (Unicorn Solutions)
Bryanna Jenkins (TLDEF)Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood Unintended Consequences: Bostock's Likely Impact on Sexual Harassment Claims Against Members of the LGBTQ+ Community On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in a 6–3 decision that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is also discrimination "because of sex" as prohibited by Title VII. Prior to this decision, 29 states provided no employment protections to the LGBTQ+ community within their state laws. Unfortunately, it is likely only a matter of time before Bostock's judicial interpretation of the Civil Rights Act is used as a sword against members of the LGBTQ+ community in cases pitting heterosexual/cisgender plaintiffs against LGBTQ+ people. This session will provide LGBTQ+ legal practitioners wth the facts and data necessary to educate, train, and forewarn their clients, family and friends about the unique exposure being your "true and authentic self" can create when it runs afoul with state/federal sexual harassment laws. Download CLE materials here.Zaylore Stout (Moderator) (Zaylore Stout & Associates LLC)
Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw)
Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC))
Denise M. Visconti (Littler Mendelson)Floor 3, Los Feliz 12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Break TBA 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm Awards Luncheon Presentation of the 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 Awards and Law Student Awards.Dolby Ballroom 2:00 pm - 2:15 pm Break TBA 2:15 pm - 3:45 pm Concurrent Session E Artificial Intelligence and Employment Discrimination: A Civil Rights and Risk Mitigation Primer for Counsel and Advocates Artificial intelligence and other technology is already being used by corporations of every size to screen resumes, make hiring recommendations, and to identify existing employees for redeployment or reskilling. AI can even suggest which employees should be fired. Regulators at the local, state, federal and global levels have initiated overlapping regulatory efforts that create significant global compliance complexities for corporations using or seeking to use AI. In-house and outside counsel are increasingly being called upon to help their clients navigate through this complex technical and legal landscape. This panel will provide an overview of current regulatory efforts as well as provide a diverse perspective from advocates concerned about the potential discriminatory impact of artificial intelligence in employment decisions. The panel will provide examples and suggestions of ways to identify and avoid the use of unlawfully biased AI, as well as other ways in which counsel can help identify and mitigate risk in this uncertain regulatory environment. Download CLE materials here.Rachel See (Moderator) (U.S. EEOC)
Masheika Allgood (AllAI Consulting, LLC)
Laura Maechtlen (Seyfarth Shaw)Floor 3, Silver Lake Beyond the Binary: Identity, Inclusion, and Legal Issues Please join a panel of nonbinary/genderqueer identified lawyers from a wide variety of legal backgrounds in exploring issues facing the nonbinary community in the context of (1) workplace culture; (2) workplace policies and procedures; and (3) the general legal landscape. This panel will provide a brief primer on nonbinary and genderqueer identities, as well as an understanding of challenges facing the nonbinary community in legal workplaces along with practical tools for navigating those challenges. Attendees will also gain an overview of the unique legal issues facing the nonbinary community. Download CLE materials here.Nikki Hatza (Moderator) (Ballard Spahr LLP)
Anneke Dunbar-Gronke ( Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law)
Ren Gaffney (Convergent Energy + Power)
Betton(BK) Katzmann (Temple Law School)
Rafael M. Langer-Osuna (Squire Patton Boggs)Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood Legal Aid/Legal Services Caucus This interactive caucus provides attorneys an opportunity to network with other legal services advocates, and discuss emerging issues that impact low-income LGBTQ+ clients. Topics may include challenges to outreach, successful community partnerships, best intake practices, special needs of the transgender community, increasing cultural competency, and strategies for navigating the changing socio-political climate. All advocates who provide services to low-income clients are invited to participate. Not for CLE credit.Ming Wong (Moderator) (National Center for Lesbian Rights) Floor M2, Studio D LGBTQ+ State & Local Bar Affiliate Congress Caucus All representatives of LGBTQ+ state and local Bar Association affiliate groups are invited to attend this annual caucus meeting. The first few minutes will address Bar business; we will then welcome 2022 Dan Bradley Award Winner Jenny Pizer as a guest speaker, after which we will have a group conversation with guest representatives from the Family Law Institute to discuss how affiliates might respond in their local area to upcoming threats to Obergefell. Not for CLE credit.Stephen Kulp (Moderator) (LGBTQ+ Bar Association Board) Floor 3, Trousdale Estates Litigation and "Changing Hearts & Minds": Strategies for Responding to Attacks on Trans Youths’ Access to Health Care 2022 has seen a record number of bills and Executive branch action specifically targeting trans and nonbinary youth's access to necessary health care, including attacks on the systems and adults who support those youth. Texas’s Governor Abbott has declared affirming health care to be "child abuse" and ordered investigations of loving parents assisting their children to access medically necessary care; the Florida Department of Health is issuing false information about gender-affirming care; the Alabama legislature has declared it a felony for medical providers to provide such necessary health care to trans youth; and other attacks continue. While litigation challenging those bans is necessary and has so far been successful, it is clear that even more public education and engagement is necessary to turn the tide for the long term. Hear from LGBTQ+ movement litigators, firm pro bono partners, and nonbinary young adult activists with lived experience in foster care about efforts to fight in the courts, address ongoing systemic issues, and change hearts and minds. Download CLE materials here.Currey Cook (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
Shéár Avory (XChangeforChange)
Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal)
Elliott Hinkle (Unicorn Solutions)
Jaclyn Pampel (Baker McKenzie)Floor M2, Studio C Litigation and Advocacy Surrounding Gender-Affirming and Reproductive Health Care: An Intersectional Update The last few years have brought about significant political and legal changes that have affected access to gender-affirming and reproductive health care across the United States. This panel will explore and discuss legal developments that have diminished access to care to these necessary forms of health care as well as the various victories, defeats, obstacles, and opportunities that transgender and gender nonconforming people, including pregnant people and people of color, face. We will address developments in privacy, liberty, and personal autonomy jurisprudence affecting these forms of care, including the Supreme Court’s decisions in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson. We will discuss the litigation and other efforts to eliminate barriers to coverage as well as regulatory changes that have taken place since the Biden administration came into office. Finally, we will discuss the intersections of the advocacy and litigation surrounding these forms of essential health care. Download CLE materials here.Omar Gonzalez-Pagan (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
David Brown (Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund)
Anya Marino (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic)
Caroline Sacerdote (Center for Reproductive Rights)Floor M2, Studio B Pathways to the Judiciary Each year, members of the judiciary come together to discuss their career trajectory and provide advice to young professionals interested in ascending the bench. Representing a diverse array of judges, panelists will discuss both the appointed and elected processes for judges in different jurisdictions as well as ethical guidelines or standards associated with panelists’ paths to becoming judges or retaining their positions. Additionally, the challenges of being an openly LGBTQ+ judge, especially in relation to judicial ethics codes, will also be a focus. Members of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges will be available during and after the session to talk further with attendees. Download CLE materials here.Hon. Kristin Rosi (Moderator) (Chief ALJ, Ca Dept. of Insurance)
Hon. Christopher Costa (ALJ, D.C. Office of Administrative Hearings)
Hon. Jessica M. Delgado (Santa Clara County Superior Court)
Hon. Andi Mudryk (Sacramento County Superior Court)
Hon. Sherry Powell (Superior Court of Los Angeles County)
Hon. Gregory O. Yorgey-Girdy (Philadelphia Municipal Court)Floor M2, Runyon Laurel Supreme Court Review: Key Decisions of the 2021-22 Term and What’s on Deck for 2022-23 Panelists will present an analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions from its 2021-22 term that are of most interest to Lavender Law attendees and will preview the cases in which review has been granted for the 2022-23 term that are of most interest to attendees. Panelists will engage in interactive discussion about what the Court's term reveals about the Court as the conservative majority has taken full hold of the Court and as a new justice joins the Court, with a particular emphasis on how rulings from this term may affect future decisions impacting the rights of LGBTQ people. Download CLE materials here.Jon Davidson (Moderator) (American Civil Liberties Union)
Laura W. Brill (Kendall Brill & Kelly)
Sunu Chandy (National Women's Law Center)
Alexander Chen (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic)
Paul Smith (Campaign Legal Center)Floor 3, Los Feliz Talking about Race in Courses on Gender, Sexuality, & Law - CANCELED Why and how can law courses on gender and sexuality engage issues of race and racial justice? Our diverse panel of experienced law professors address this question and assess the ways that race does--and does not--figure in conventional courses in this area. The objectives of this workshop are threefold: to make a strong case for incorporating issues of race and racial justice into courses on the law of gender and sexuality (broadly construed); to offer professors practical tips and resources for achieving this end; and to embolden law students to press for greater emphasis on race and racial justice in their schools' curricular offerings in this field. Not for CLE credit.Michael Boucai (Moderator) (SUNY at Buffalo School of Law)
Aziza Ahmed (UC Irvine School of Law)
Russell Robinson (UC Berkeley School of Law)
Ezra Young (Columbia Law School)Floor M2, Studio E 2:15 pm - 3:45 pm Speed Networking By invitation to Corporate Counsel and Patron level and above law firm sponsors.Floor 3, Mt. Olympus 2:15 pm - 5:30 pm Judicial Nuts & Bolts Academy (Advance application is required) Elysian Park The LGBTQ+ Bar’s “Nuts & Bolts Academy for Judicial Candidates” seeks to provide interested legal professionals with the tools they need to end up on the other side of the bench. This intensive workshop welcomes legal professionals from all backgrounds and parts of the country, as the LGBTQ+ Bar believes diverse perspectives bring diverse experiences to the bench – and diverse experiences lead to better judgments. Invitation is required. Please see the Judicial Nuts & Bolts page for more information and to apply to attend (applications close July 20, 2022).Hon. Mike Jacobs (Moderator) (State Court of DeKalb County)
Hon. Linda H. Colfax (Superior Court of San Francisco County)
Hon. Darrin Gayles (Southern District of Florida)
Hon. Monica M. Márquez (Colorado Supreme Court)
Hon. Jill Rose Quinn (Jill Rose )Elysian Park 3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Break TBA 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Concurrent Session F Intersectional Allyship - Sponsored by Shell The term "ally" is generally understood in the LGBTQ+ context to refer to a cisgender and straight person who believes in LGBTQ+ equality. This workshop will push that definition further by asking both "How can LGBTQ+ people be better allies to LGBTQ+ people?" and "What does allyship really look like in a post-Obergefell country?" Our panel of LGBTQ+ and straight/cis people will discuss "ally as a verb" action-oriented ways that everyone can help advance equality for all LGBTQ+ people - considering all letters of the acronym and the "plus" as well as considering race, disability, and more; we will also specifically talk about ways to lift up LGBTQ+ people within legal education and the legal profession. Not for CLE credit.Travis Torrence (Moderator) (Shell Oil Company)
Gavin Alexander (Jackson Lewis P.C.)
Courtney Bryson (2L, Gonzaga University School of Law)
Bendita Cynthia Malakia (O’Melveny & Myers)
Robert A. Marchman (U.S Securities and Exchange Commission; PFLAG Board of Directors)Floor M2, Studio A Law Student Congress and Law School Affiliate Caucus Come meet and collaborate with fellow law students in a session specifically designed for and about law school LGBTQ+ related issues and LGBTQ+ law students. This is an opportunity to interact and communicate directly with the 2022-2023 Law Student Congress board leadership. In this session, you will be able to interact and discuss substantive issues amongst peers from across the country, address challenges unique to law students in the LGBTQ+ community, and discuss in-person how to effect positive change within your law school campuses and greater communities. Not for CLE credit.
Will Lanier (Co-Moderator) (Fordham University School of Law)
Dean Anthony E. Varona (Co-Moderator) (Seattle University School of Law)Floor M2, Studio E Prosecutor Caucus The Prosecutor’s Caucus is an informal community of LGBTQ+ prosecutors. It provides an opportunity to network and discuss LGBTQ+ issues in the criminal justice system. Not for CLE credit.Gavin Quinn (Moderator) (Cook County State's Attorney's Office) Floor 3, Trousdale Estates Religiosity in Public Life: The Far Reaching Implications of 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis The Supreme Court has developed a track record in recent years of ruling in favor of claimants seeking freedom to defy religiously neutral laws of general applicability for religious reasons, sometimes together with free speech reasons. In addition to the religious claimants’ notable winning streak, the pattern of decisions also is characterized by rejection of those claimants’ requests to overrule longstanding doctrine in favor of decisions turning on case-specific facts while purporting to apply the familiar rule, notwithstanding that the religious claim would have failed under the usual understanding of that rule. These cases have included Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and Fulton v. Philadelphia. Three cases pending as of this writing seem likely to reinforce the track record, with or without reshaping the doctrines governing (i) public funding of religious education (Carson v. Makin); (ii) religious activity by public school employees acting in school leadership roles (Kennedy v. Bremerton); and free speech rights as licenses to discriminate by certain commercial businesses (303 Creative v. Elenis). The first two of these cases were argued during the 2021 term and decisions are expected by the time of the conference. Briefing in 303 Creative is taking place during the summer of 2022 and argument is expected in late 2022. This panel will analyze the likely implications of the decisions in Carson v. Makin (argued Dec. 8, 2021) and Kennedy v. Bremerton (argued April 25, 2022), and of arguments presented by both sides and various amici in 303 Creative. These analyses then will be considered in the larger global context where religion is invoked analogously in many countries to justify opposition to LGBTIQ+ equality and inclusion, and too-often to justify SOGI change efforts. Some reactionary religious organizations and leaders have explained their religion-based rejection of LGBTIQ+ people as opposition to a so-called “gender ideology movement,” which is described as dangerous because it supports reproductive freedom and women’s equality as well as respect for LGBTIQ+ identity. Download CLE materials here.Jennifer (Jenny) Pizer (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC))
Kenneth Upton (Americans United for Separation of Church and State)
Luiza Veado (OutRight Action International)Floor M2, Studio C What a Latinx Attorney Looks Like The LGBTQ+ Community is diverse in our identities, our experiences, and beliefs. As we think about legal issues that impact our communities, it is important to discuss how few attorneys are Latinx or LGBTQ – what does this mean for our profession? And the legal system? As Latino/Latina/Latinx attorneys we represent a rich and unique experience as we advocate for the rights of our multiple communities. Latinx LGBTQ people face disproportionate rates of discrimination, racism, and xenophobia. As advocates, we are fighting for our communities in a field that has often silenced or left out our stories and our expertise. This panel will discuss legal issues impacting our communities including civil rights, criminalization, immigration, and family law. In addition to substantive legal issues, we will discuss our experiences as academics, direct service providers, impact litigators, and leaders, our practices, and ways in which allies could help Latinx LGBTQ attorneys. We will also discuss what the broader, often white-led, movement most due to address the specific needs that impact our communities. Download CLE materials here.Richard Saenz (Moderator) (Lambda Legal)
Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Lawyers for Civil Rights)
Anya Marino (Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic)
Josefina Valdez (JL Valdez Law)
Ezra Young (Law Office of Ezra Young)Floor 3, Los Feliz What Practitioners Need to Know: Securing Identity Documents for Your Transgender Clients Identity document policies have progressed significantly over recent years, and transgender people have better access than ever to accurate IDs without excessive legal or medical gatekeeping. However, judges and the courts are still instrumental to the process of updating identity documents in several important ways: name changes almost invariably have to go through the court system, and in many states trans people are forced to get a court-ordered change of gender to correct a particular document. Hear from lawyers on the front lines of ID document work about the considerations for representing transgender clients in obtaining a court order for name or gender change and the challenges of accessing them in different states, as well as counseling them in the process for updating their identity documents at both the state and federal level. Join our conversation highlighting the scope and history of gender marker change cases, exploring compelling legal arguments, and discussing when and when not to bring gender change cases to the courts. Download CLE materials here.Olivia Hunt (Moderator) (National Center for Transgender Equality)
Jess Davis-Ricci (Whitman-Walker Health Legal Services)
Nicholas "Guilly" Guillory (Lambda Legal)
C.P. Hoffman (National Center for Transgender Equality)Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Considerations from Across Organizational, Employment, and Data Privacy and Security Perspectives - Sponsored by Intel Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a top priority for companies and organizations of all sizes. In 2020 many employers grappled with DEI efforts, as the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront organizational challenges in meeting DEI goals while balancing the racial and social justice movements alongside changes in international, federal, state, and local laws. Now more than ever, individuals are looking to align with companies and organizations that share values, including in relation to the implementation of meaningful DEI programs. DEI has become a business-critical item that requires not only organizational resources, but also thoughtful consideration in connection with how DEI programs align with the company’s core values, and the potential legal and compliance implications of such programs. The panel will address how DEI efforts can create new risks, and will discuss key considerations and risk mitigation strategies for building out international DEI initiatives from organizational, employment, and privacy perspectives. Among other topics, our panel will specifically address:- Promoting voluntary self-identification while ensuring confidentiality and inclusion: best practices regarding Self-ID with regard to gender/gender identity and sexual orientation;
- Enhancing organizational gender transition guidelines and best practices for transgender employment policies;
- Unconscious bias and stereotyping from a multigenerational LGBTQ+ perspective;
- Promoting a Psychologically Safe Workplace: how to raise LGBTQ+ issues during in-person and remote work environments effectively.
Kyle Kessler (Moderator) (Orrick)
Joshua Sliker (Moderator) (Jackson Lewis )
Rose Deggendorf (Intel)
Michael Thomas (Jackson Lewis )Floor 3, Silver Lake 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Finance Institute Reception (For Registered Attendees of the Finance Institute only) - Sponsored by Bank of America Floor 3, Whitley Heights 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Conference Reception - Sponsored by BMW Poolside 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Women of Color Dinner The Women of Color Dinner is at capacity, and registration has closed. Our apologies for the disappointment! We look forward to seeing you at the Conference and the evening receptions. All Women-identified and Nonbinary-identified Legal and Legal Support Professionals and Law Students of Color are invited to gather at the Welcome Reception by 7 pm to go to an informal, get-to-know-you dinner. For questions, please write programs@lgbtqbar.org.TBA - Friday, July 29
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Friday, July 29, 2022
Time Event Speakers Location 6:00 am - 11:00 pm Parents' Room Floor 3, Hancock Park 7:30 am - 3:00 pm Sponsor and Attendee Check-In Floor M2, Mezzanine Registration 7:00 am - 8:00 am 12 Step/Recovery Meeting Floor 3, Echo Park 8:00 am - 9:00 am IALGBTQ+J Leadership Meeting (Judges only) Floor 3, Los Feliz 8:00 am - 10:00 am Law Student Career Planning Programming (NALP) and Continental Breakfast Career Services and Job Search Strategies for Law Students Law students and career development professionals only. Not for CLE credit.Grover Cleveland (Moderator) (Lessons for Sharks LLC)
Marla Butler (Thompson Hine)
Ari Jones (Oasis Legal Services)
Mariano Reyna (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)
Fred Thrasher (National Association of Law Placement)Floor M2, Studio D & E 8:30 am - 10:00 am Programming for Lateral Attorneys So You're Ready for the Next Step: Alternative Legal Career Options for Associate-Level Attorneys Considering a move in the next few years, and wondering whether it’s time to switch legal sectors? This panel of experts will address the unique needs of associate-level attorneys considering a lateral move to a different area of law or type of practice – whether to an in-house position, within a firm but to a whole new legal field, from big firm to government or vice versa, going to a boutique, potentially hanging out your own shingle, or going into a job in legal education. You won’t want to miss this dynamic panel of lawyers sharing their paths and experiences to help you think about your next step. Not for CLE credit.Prof. Lee Carpenter (Rutgers Law School)
Natasha Hsieh (Silicon Legal Strategy)
Jay Larry ( Paramount Global)
Dana Savage (WA Attorney General's Office)Floor M2, Studio B 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Practice Area Institutes 8:30 am - 12:30 pm Employment Law Institute Keynote Speaker: Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels (EEOC) Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute. Law students not eligible to attend.Floor M2, Doheny-Beachwood 8:00 am - 12:30 pm Finance Law Institute Floor 3, Mt. Olympus 8:30 am - 12:30 pm Intellectual Property Law Institute - CANCELED Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute.Floor 3, Silver Lake 8:30 am - 12:30 pm Family Law Institute (LGBT Family Law Institute members only) Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute.Floor M2, Runyon Laurel 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Transgender Law Institute: Resilient The Transgender Law Institute is a participatory space where lawyers, law students, and activists invested in or interested in learning more about the issues facing the trans community can build community and make commitments for collective action. We have chosen “Resilient” as this year’s theme given the immense backlash the trans community is experiencing in response to recent progress. The Institute will be a space for everyone affected to discuss the state of affairs, ideate best next steps as a movement, and cultivate trans resiliency. The Institute will take an equitable approach to centering trans lived experiences. With that in mind, we welcome everyone to join for any part of the Institute or for the entire day. Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute.Floor M2, Studio C 9:00 am - 10:30 am Lawyering En Español Lawyering En Español All Spanish-speaking attorneys and attorneys serving Spanish-speaking clients are welcome for this collaborative session. Not for CLE credit.Iván Espinoza-Madrigal (Moderator) (Lawyers for Civil Rights) Floor 3, Trousdale Estates 9:00 am - 2:30 pm IALGBTQ+J Judicial Institute (Judges only) *Judicial Institute 9:00 am - 12:30 pm. Not for CLE credit.TBA Floor 3, Los Feliz Annual Meeting and Luncheon 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm. Not for CLE credit.TBA Floor 3, Los Feliz 10:15 am - 11:45 am JD Advantage Careers for New and Seasoned Attorneys I’ve got my JD, but what should I do for my JOB?Are you a lawyer, but finding that the full-time practice of law isn't the right fit for you? Are you a current law student seeking to translate your passion for law into a legal or legal-adjacent career, without practicing in a traditional sense? Join our panel of expert lawyers who have successfully leveraged their Juris Doctorate degrees into rich and fulfilling careers that don't focus primarily upon the practice of law, but for which the JD provides a significant advantage. This workshop will be facilitated by Andrew Teig (he/him/his), a Managing Director / Recruiter at Major, Lindsey & Africa, who will lead our esteemed panelists as they break down alternate career paths, share their experiences, discuss compensation, and help you to get concrete about the many options for what you can do with your legal degree. Not for CLE credit.Andrew Teig (Moderator) (Major, Lindsey & Africa)
Shedrick (Rick) Davis (Lambda Legal)
David M. Dixon (Major, Lindsey & Africa)
Nancy Kallusch (Meta)Floor M2, Studio B 10:30 am - 2:00 pm 1-on-1 Law Student and Lateral Career Counseling & Resume Workshop Not for CLE credit.Elysian Park 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Recruiter & Student Lunch Floor M2, Studio D & E, Overflow to Foyer 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm Corporate Counsel Institute - Sponsored by Allen & Overy Lunch & Fireside Chat 12:30 pm - 1:45 pmTBA Floor M2, Studio A Program 1:45 pm - 5:00 pmTBA Floor M2, Studio A 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Trusts & Estates Law Institute Please see the Institute's page for more information. CLE credit will not be offered during this Institute. Law students not eligible to attend.Joint Luncheon with Family Law Institute 12:00 pm - 1:30 pmTBA Preston's Restaurant Program 1:30 pm - 5:00 pmTBA Floor 3, Whitley Heights 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Career Fair Career Fair The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s annual Lavender Law® Career Fair is designed to achieve a sense of community and inclusion for LGBTQ+ candidates within the legal profession’s recruiting efforts. By participating in this career fair, candidates will talk directly to LGBTQ+ friendly recruiters from law firms, government agencies, LGBTQ+ rights groups, and corporate legal departments. Candidates are encouraged to discuss their identity and aspirations to become part of a bias-free work environment. Keep a copy of your resume handy to share! Sponsors are encouraged to take this opportunity to showcase their diversity efforts to top level law students and lateral candidates from around the country. Our 2022 Recruiters are listed here - join us!TBA Dolby Ballroom 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm "Til Next Year" Champagne Toast Dolby Terrace