National Lesbian and Gay Law Association

The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender legal organizations. It was formally founded in 1989 and became an official affiliate of the American Bar Association in 1992. The association is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and its current executive director is D’Arcy Kemnitz.

Mission and Vision Statement

The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBT community in all its diversity. The NLGLA aspires to improve the quality of life for LGBT legal practitioners until the time that LGBT legal professionals are recognized without discrimination, stigma or negative bias.

History of the Association

At the 1987 march on Washington, D.C. for lesbian and gay rights, the idea of creating a national lesbian and gay bar association was introduced and enthusiastically support by a core group of volunteers. The first Lavender Law conference was held in San Francisco, in November 1988, at the Golden Gate University. In 1989, at the American Bar Association (ABA) Midyear meeting, bylaws were presented, and a nonprofit board of directors was formalized. By the time of the second board meeting in 1989 in Boston, the NLGLA had 293 paid members and initiated a campaign to ask the ABA to include protection based upon on sexual orientation to its revision of the Model Code of Judicial Conduct for Judges, which has now been accepted by several states. In 1992, the NLGLA became an official affiliate of the American Bar Association and it now works closely with the ABA's Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities and its Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. In January 1995, the NLGLA became the first national organization to unanimously pass a board resolution calling for transgender inclusion in Employment Non-Discrimination Act. As of May 2008, the association had over 1,000 members.

Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference

[http://www.lavenderlaw.org/ Lavender Law] is the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association's annual conference and career fair. Hundreds of practicing attorneys, dozens of scholars, over 500 students and many leading members of the judiciary attend each year. Lavender Law is composed of a day long career fair followed by 2 days of workshops, plenary sessions, receptions for women and people of color, and other opportunities for attendees to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credits.

Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition

Each year, the NLGLA hosts a writing competition challenging students enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school to submit papers on a cutting edge legal issue affecting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Intersex community.

Prizes

NLGLA Student Leadership Awards

The NLGLA Student Leadership Awards are presented to graduating or recently graduated law students who have demonstrated a unique level of commitment to serving the LGBT community throughout their law school careers. The first such award will be handed in 2008 at the Law Student Celebration & Caucus event at the Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference.

References

* [http://nlgla.org/aboutus.html The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) ]

External links

*Official Website: [http://www.nlgla.org NLGLA.org]
*Lavender Law Career Fair and Conference: [http://lavenderlaw.org LavenderLaw.org]