The LGBT Family Law Institute (FLI), a joint venture of the National LGBT Bar Association and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), has been cultivating a rich collection of resources for lawyers and people seeking legal services since its inception. Today, it boasts a membership of nearly 200 attorneys in 38 states across the country, who come together every year at the LGBT Bar’s Annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair.
For the LGBT Bar, the creation of FLI represented an exciting opportunity to go back to the organization’s roots in family law. The LGBT Bar was founded over thirty years ago by a small group of family law practitioners. Now, as the LGBT Bar is gearing up to celebrate its 30th Annual Lavender Law Conference, it is thrilled to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on some of the important work FLI is responsible for today.
Through online resources and program events, the experienced LGBT family law practitioners of FLI can share cutting-edge legal strategies for representing members of the LGBT community in matters of family creation, assisted reproductive technology, interstate and international parentage issues, estate planning, collaborative law, transgender issues, dissolution of relationships, and elder law. FLI’s email listserv, managed by the LGBT Bar and moderated by NCLR, provides a community platform for this discussion. There, new members can take advantage of shared collective wisdom, and experts can exchange ideas that benefit the entire community.
In addition to collaboration among peers, FLI is an important resource for people seeking qualified and LGBT friendly family law practitioners. FLI recently launched an exciting new interactive map-based directory of FLI’s attorneys on the LGBT Bar website. FLI Director Tiffany Palmer, a Philadelphia family law attorney with a long-standing dedication to the LGBT community, says that the directory will “open a wealth of resources to help people across the country. People can find a family law attorney and know they will have a certain level of knowledge and expertise.”
This year, the Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair will offer a wide range of programming on family-related legal issues, thanks to the expertise of members of FLI. In addition to giving all Conference participants an opportunity to network with family law practitioners from across the country and honor two experienced FLI attorneys, the Conference will offer several family law workshops, including:
- The Changing Face of Parentage: Navigating Waters with LGBT Families
- Federal Benefits for LGBT Spouses/Partners and Children
- Collaborative Practice: A More Peaceful Way to Restructure Families
- How Polyamory is Important and Why It Should Be Protected
- Establishing Family Equality: New Developments in Laws Protecting Intended Parents
- Practical Ways for the LGBT Legal Community to Create LGBT Fairness in the Legal System
- Parents’ Perspectives: Lawyers Provide Firsthand Insights on LGBTQ Family Building
The 30th Annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair will take place this year from August 8 to 10 in New York City, and will be a prime opportunity to benefit from the expertise and wisdom of the LGBT Family Law Institute’s members. You can get even more involved by applying here to attend the Family Law Institute at Lavender Law this summer. This is an annual meeting on the last day of the LGBT Bar’s Annual Lavender Law Conference. We also invite you to join the Family Law Institute member group (more information below)!
Join us in New York in August!
Interested in joining the LGBT Family Law Institute?
To join the LGBT Family Law Institute, click here! You’ll be prompted to become a member of the LGBT Bar – a requirement for joining FLI. Select the FLI membership that best fits you and hit submit. A couple days later you will receive a request for an interview with a current member of FLI who will decide whether or not to accept your application for membership. If you have any questions, please email info@lgbtqbar.org.