Each year, the National LGBTQ+ Bar recognizes LGBTQ+ legal professionals (practicing lawyers, law professors, corporate counsel, members of the judiciary, politicians, etc.) under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and have demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality. Awardees are recognized each year at our Lavender Law® Conference and Career Fair; this year taking place July 13-15, 2026 in Chicago, IL.
Congratulations to our 2026 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40 recipients!
Summer Abel, Attorney, Offit Kurman, P.A.
Sam Ames, Principal & Founder, Threshold Strategies
CB Baga, Public Interest/DEI Counsel, Maslon LLP
Grant Bermann, Partner,
Richmond Blake, Judicial Law Clerk to Chief Judge Albert Diaz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Sean Bland, Assistant Professor, Santa Clara University School of Law
Leah Brenner, Staff Attorney & Service Learning Manager, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project
Jean-Phillip Brignol, Counsel, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Benjamin Brooks, Interim Director of Policy, The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker
Adam Cambier, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Denny Chan, Managing Director, Equity Advocacy, Justice in Aging
John Drosick, Associate,
Megan Harney, Attorney,
Daniel R. Hernandez, Principal Attorney, NextLevel Law
Antonio L. Ingram II, Senior Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Beth Karsevar, Partner,
Devin Kelly, Associate Attorney, Roxanne Conlin & Associates, PC
Justin Kingsolver, Partner,
Brian Klosterboer, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Texas
bex kolins, Associate Attorney, Golden Law
Adam Kretz, Sr. Director, Global Compliance & Investigations, Activision Blizzard (a Microsoft subsidiary)
Alexis Levy, Founder and Attorney in Charge, Identity Affirmation Workshop
Steven Lewis, Senior Legal Counsel, Capital One
Kelly Matayoshi, Partner,
M’Alyssa Mecenas, Counsel,
Shawn Thomas Meerkamper, Managing Attorney, Transgender Law Center
Michael J. Mestitz, Counsel, McDermott Will & Schulte
Ruth Perrin, Senior Attorney, American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence
Kylee Reynolds, Legal Consultant, Self-employed
Britany Riley-Swanbeck, Counsel,
David A. Rozen, Injunction for Protection Project Attorney, Miami-Dade County Coordinated Victims Assistance Center Injunction for Protection Project
Rachel Schiff, Attorney & Co-Founder, femme & femme LLP
Eric Smith, Senior Counsel, Berry Law
Sitraka St. Michael, Managing Associate, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Sarah M. Telson, Director, LGBTQ+/HIV Advocacy Unit, Brooklyn Legal Services
Eliot Tracz, Assistant Professor of Law, New England Law School
Neva Wagner, Partner, Perkins Coie LLP
Bill Walberg, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
Anna James (AJ) Wipfler, Lead Appellate Court Attorney, California Court of Appeal for the Third Appellate District
Eviana (Evi) Woodlinn, Founder & Managing Attorney, Woodlinn Law, LLC