By Caleb Simpson
We are delighted to promote the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association in our monthly spotlight blog series!
One of the first state affiliate organizations of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association was founded in 1985 to provide LGBTQ lawyers a visible presence within the Massachusetts legal community. The organization aims to promote the administration of justice throughout Massachusetts for all persons without regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It provides members an opportunity to educate each other about pressing issues in the community, facilitating a professional and social support network for LGBTQ+ members of the Massachusetts legal community. The Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association maintains its annual Alexander G. Gray, Jr. scholarship, mentorship program, diverse committees, and social events to help those in the profession grow their professional network and achieve their career goals.
Daniel Ball, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association and Litigation Associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, is proud of the uniqueness of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association. He pointed out that Massachusetts has historically led the charge for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States, and the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar has carried on that tradition by continuing to promote LGBTQ+ rights within the Massachusetts state legislature, court system and greater community. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court was the first state high court in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, consistent with the Commonwealth’s strong progressive record of providing a safe environment for LGBTQ+ identifying members of the community. Ball says that the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar will continue to be proactive, “looking ahead at what more we need to do to ensure that our community is supported, including providing a platform for, and highlighting our intersectionality to make all within our community feel supported both within our Bar Association and in the greater community.”
Due to the pandemic, the organization has had to adapt in providing effective social networking events to its members. Like other groups, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar turned to online platforms such as Zoom to connect with its members and facilitate its core principles. Working with other Bar affiliates such as the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys and the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts has enabled the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar to reach new members and provide current members an opportunity to connect their intersectional identities.
On June 23, 2022, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association will be hosting its first in-person Annual Dinner since the start of the pandemic in celebration of Pride 2022 and its members.
Congratulations to the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association on a long history of supporting the Massachusetts LGBTQ+ legal community! For more information about the Bar Association, please visit: https://masslgbtqbar.org/
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