Networking / Social Events
LGLA maintains an active continuing education and networking calendar including an annual dinner and the Rand Schrader law student reception in Fall. Additional events include women's events, an end-of-year holiday party, fund-raising events for marriage equality, Hollywood Bowl programs, plays, sports events, after-work networking opportunities with the Multicultural Bar Alliance and other professional organizations, summer party and more. Information about upcoming and future events can be found on this page, with the most recent event listed first.LGLA TO HONOR HEROES AT ANNUAL DINNER GALA The Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles presents the LGLA 33rd Annual Awards Dinner Gala "A Time for Us" Saturday February 25, 2012, 6:30 p.m. at the JW Marriott Los Angeles Hotel at LA Live, 900 West Olympic Blvd. in downtown Los Angeles. Taking its name from the stirring lyrics to Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from West Side Story, the theme of the LGLA 2012 Gala Dinner "A Time For Us" was selected as a way to celebrate the triumphs that have resulted from our community's determination and hard work on equality issues ranging from the nation-wide anti-bullying campaign to the ongoing battle for marriage equality. A Time For Us also acknowledges the legislative and judicial disappointments that we've endured and refocuses our attention and those of our supporters toward our collective goal of Equality, for every U.S. citizen no matter their race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
LGLA will present its highest honors to two highly deserving individuals and their respective organizations that celebrate life, perpetuate equality and provide hope and guidance to LGBT youth across the country. The first honoree is a local lawyer and activist who identified an unmet need in the community and decided to be the one to meet it. The second is a mother who turned her grief into a national movement to identify hate crimes and end violence. Both will be honored for being tireless advocates for equality and for their dedication to saving lives.
LGLA will proudly bestow its 2012 Co-Presidents Award upon James Gilliam, Deputy Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California.Mr. Gilliam will be honored for his many years of dedicated service to the LGBT community as an attorney and longtime rights activist LGLA will particularly spotlight James Gilliam's work with the ACLU/SC's LGBT Rights Project and its Seth Walsh Student Rights Project. Mr. Gilliam initiated the Seth Walsh Project after the September 2010 suicide of 13-year-old Seth Walsh, with the mission to stop the unlawful bullying and harassment in California schools and to create school communities that promote safety and respect for all students. Mr. Gilliam is an assiduous advocate of anti-bullying legislation and tolerance education in the Southern California community. He was deservedly chosen a "Local Hero" during 2011 LGBT Pride Month by KCET Television.
LGLA's 2012 Community Service Award will be presented to Judy Shepard, Co-Founder and President of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. After learning the details surrounding the 1998 murder of her 21-year old son Matthew in Laramie, Wyoming, Judy Shepard and her husband Dennis made a transformative full turn in the direction of their lives and committed themselves to the furtherance of LGBT rights and to abolishing hate and hate crimes. In the painful months that followed her son's death, Judy and Dennis came to understand a lot of things they never knew before: about hate crimes, and how shockingly many there were every year; how they are characterized by obvious signs, like excessive violence, and the denial that surrounds them; and how hard they were to prove, and prosecute, and appropriately punish, with sensitivity to the victim's loved ones and the wider community. Today, through the Foundation she created as her son's legacy, Judy Shepard stands up for the LGBT community and its straight allies, in Matt's memory. The Matthew Shepard Foundation does their part for LGBT Rights and works hard to persuade others to do theirs, as well.
The 2012 Keynote Speaker for "A Time for Us" will be nationally-recognized journalist, newscaster and television personality Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "Issues With Jane Velez-Mitchell," a topical event-driven television show on HLN, the sister channel of CNN. In addition to being one of the few openly gay journalists on television as well as a best-selling author, she also has dedicated her time and resources to various charitable and humane causes. Ms. Velez-Mitchell is well known for her animal rights advocacy and is a vegan and an environmentalist. She is the recipient of a Los Angeles Emmy Award and a New York Emmy Award. The KCAL-TV newscasts she co-anchored when she was in Los Angeles won three Southern California Golden Mike Awards and an Emmy.
Musical entertainment for the "A Time for Us" will be provided by extraordinary singer/music educator Randy Guiaya who will mesmerize the audience with his wonderful vocal stylings singing "Sondheim". Mr. Guiaya is a dynamic vocal talent who must be heard live to be truly appreciated. He is also a member of the Three Filipino Tenors. LGLA is absolutely thrilled for Mr. Guiaya to share his artistic gifts with our guests and help us summon forth the true meaning of our theme "A Time for Us" with his remarkable tenor voice. During the Awards Program LGLA will also recognize and honor the law student recipients of the 2012 Donald L. Snow Scholarships. Each year LGLA selects and honors two deserving law students, who have demonstrated strong academic profile and commitment to diversity. A portion of the proceeds from the Dinner Gala will help endow the scholarship fund and other charitable programs of LGLA.
More than 350 lawyers, including LGLA Dinner Gala Sponsors from some of Los Angeles' most prestigious law firms will attend this unique celebration of equality, along with state and federal judges, political luminaries, rights activists, community and business leaders from all over Southern California. Tickets for "A Time for Us" are $135 for LGLA members, $155 for non-members and $85 for law students. Tickets include the exclusive Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception, Sumptuous Dinner, Awards Program, and live Entertainment. Individual tickets and information about corporate sponsorship levels or sponsor tables can be obtained by calling the LGLA 32nd Annual Dinner Hotline at (213) 486-4443 or at lgladinner@gmail.com If you prefer you may also contact us by mail at LGLA P.O. Box 480318 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Attn: Annual Dinner Committee.
Hollywood Renaissance Hotel
Hollywood, CA
If you were unlucky enough to miss the 2011 LGLA Annual Dinner, you missed a great one. Nearly 350 lawyers, judges, legal professionals, political and community leaders, educators, law students and their guests descended on the beautiful Hollywood Renaissance Hotel on February 12, 20011 to attend the LGLA 32nd Annual Awards Dinner Gala and Silent Auction “Changing Hearts and Minds”.
Guests were treated like Hollywood celebrities when they stopped on the red carpet at the entrance of the Hollywood Ballroom to pose for photos taken by noted photographer Jen Rosenstein.
This year’s dinner theme “Changing Hearts and Minds” was chosen to highlight the unprecedented developments in LGBT legal issues over the last year and to point optimistically to the future for even greater achievements in equality by promoting greater understanding and tolerance in the community at large. The event celebrated our community’s progress on marriage equality and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but also focused more attention on the problem of teen suicide.
The evening started with a pre-dinner cocktail reception where everyone was glad-handing, hobnobbing with friends and networking to establish new friendships and business connections. In the middle of all of this was an exciting Silent Auction, from which LGLA raised and donated 100% of the proceeds ($6400.00) to The Trevor Projectto benefit its crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs.
In the main ballroom the dinner program opened with Welcome remarks from Past Co-President Ron Lachman and current LGLA Co-Presidents Phil Lam and RJ Molligan, and special thank you recognition to the record-breaking 44 dinner sponsors who purchased tables and/or purchased advertising in LGLA’s largest ever commemorative program book. Some of Los Angles’ most prominent law firms and organizations sponsored the event and contributed greatly to its success including but not limited to: Bingham McCutchen; Bulchalter Nemer; Bush, Gottlieb, Singer, Lopez, Kohanski, Adelstein, & Dickinson; Canadian American Bar Association; Caldwell, Leslie & Proctor PC; Christie, Parker & Hale; David Abri DDS; David Kettel and Mike Gleason; David Bohnett Foundation; Frontiers Magazine; Fullbright & Jaworski LLP; Gibson Dunn & Crutcher; Girardi & Keese; Greenberg Traurig LLP; Hobson Dungog Bernardino & Davis LLP; HG Litigation; Imhoff & Associates; Irell & Manella; Jackson Lewis; Jones Day; Kendall Brill & Klieger LLP; Latham & Watkins; Loyola Law School Los Angeles; Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy; Margolis & Tisman; Mayer Brown LLP; Metropolitan News; National LGBT Bar Association; Nixon Peabody LLP; O'Melveny & Myers; Paul Hastings; Perkins Coie LLP; Reed & Davidson; Sedgwick, LLP; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; SNR Denton; Snell & Wilmer LLP; SCLMA; Special Counsel; The David Bohnett Foundation; the Multicultural Bar Alliance; Roberta Conroy & RJ Molligan; Hon. Cynthia Loo; the UCLA Williams Institute; USC Gould School of Law; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP; Woody Sides & Rich Rocheleau. We are also extremely grateful to the firms, individuals, companies and organizations who participated as FRIENDS and ADVERTISERS in the 2011 Gala, and, of course, all of our past Dinner Gala Patrons, Sponsors, Contributors and Supporters.
Recognition and thanks for a job well done was also extended The 2011 Annual Awards Dinner Committee for their months of hard work organizing and planning this event and to our fantastic group of 17 law student volunteers from USC, UCLA, Southwestern, Loyola, Pepperdine and University of LaVerne who provided outstanding service as greeters, guest check in, photographers’ helpers and silent auction assistants. Wee-deserved kudos and remarks were followed by the first of four rousing musical selections by Tony-Nominated Cabaret star and singer Sharon McNight.
The two $3000.00 Donald L. Snow Scholarships which LGLA presents every year to deserving LGBT law students, were awarded to Madison Blu Fairchild from Southwestern Law School and Wesley D. King from Pepperdine University School of Law by Duncan Crabtree Ireland, General Counsel of SAG and Lee Paige from Parker Milliken Clark O’Hara & Samuelian.
After dinner service was completed, special thank you awards were presented to outgoing LGLA Co-Presidents Jack Jackson and Angie Corcetti followed by another outstanding performance by Sharon McNight.
Keynote Speaker constitutional scholar Dean Erwin Chemerinsky of U.C. Irvine School of Law was introduced by past LGLA Co-President Bill Weinberger from the firm of Parker Milliken Clark O’Hara & Samuelian Dean Chemerinsky delivered a spirited yet thought-provoking address touching on marriage equality and DADT but also struck a memorable cord in his call for understanding, empathy and compassion for others who are “not like you” as the struggle for LGBT equality continues to play out on the national stage. He not only pointed out the obvious constitutional rights currently at issue in several states but also the socio-economic and political wrangling that is sure to come to the forefront in 2012. Dean Chemerinsky made this year’s keynote address as memorable as it was on point.
Brad Sears, Executive Director of The Williams Institute introduced 2011 Co-Presidents’ Award recipient Laurie Hasencamp. A jubilant and obviously moved by the recognition Laurie Hasencamp (who was accompanied by her husband and an entourage of supporters form The Williams Institute, other national and community organizations and the local legal community) expressed her gratitude to LGLA and to the many other people out in the community who are also giving of themselves to help others. Despite being a happily married straight woman, Laurie Hasencamp reaffirmed her commitment to LGBT equality and said that she remains committed to every project and cause that she has ever taken on and that full LGBT equality in our lifetime remains at the top of that list.
The 2011 LGLA Community Service Award was presented to Charles Robbins, Executive Director & CEO of The Trevor Project, by renowned Los Angeles criminal attorney Mia F. Yamamoto. Mr. Robbins profusely thanked LGLA for selecting The Trevor Projectto receive the Community Service Award and for the benefits derived from the silent auction. He also encouraged everyone in attendance to continue to be vigilant for any real or potential crisis with LGBTQ youth to help prevent suicides. The Trevor Projectis a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to ending suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving resources including a nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention telephone line.
This amazing evening was capped off with closing comments by the 2011 Co-Presidents, a delightfully moving closing song by Sharon McNight befitting this wonderful event and a BIG final good night KISS (MWAHHH) from past and current LGLA Co-Presidents and Dinner Committee members RJ Molligan, Phil Lam, Jack Jackson, Ron Lachman, Brian Brookey, Lee Paige and David Gregoire to everyone in the audience along with an for invitation for everyone to come back in 2012 for the 33rd Annual LGLA Awards Dinner.
LGLA SPEAKERS' SERIES From time to time, LGLA invites luminaries to speak and hold dialogues with LGLA members. In addition to providing such first-hand personal interactions with the prominent speakers, the Speakers' Series also serves to heighten LGLA's visibility and standing in the minds of leaders in various arenas.
To that end, your participation is highly encouraged. Come with your questions and an open mind!
To maintain the intimate quality of the gathering, space is very limited. To reserve, please email: LGLACoPresidents@gmail.com with your name(s) under subject line "Speakers' Series" Plus the date(s) to be reserved.
March 13th 2012,
Speaker: Hon. Jan Perry
L.A. City Council Member (& an L.A. Mayoral Candidate)
April 10th, 2012
Speaker: Anna Park
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Regional Attorney
Time: 6:45 p.m. through 7:30 p.m.
Place: The Village at Ed Gould Plaza
1125 N. McCadden Place, Room 225
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Tel.: 323-860-7302
(Free parking in open lots across from The Village)
Attention Law Students: Donald L. Snow Scholarship Presented by Lesbian & Gay Lawyers Association
Deadline January 31, 2012
Open to all Current Law Students in Los Angeles and Orange County.
For more information and to apply, please click here.
Time to Renew Your Membership Go to www.memdir.org and follow the prompts. Choose a committee to join--we need your help!: Amicus, Charitable, Dinner, Communications, Judicial and Elective Office Endorsements, Law Student, MCLE, Membership, Networking/Social, Program, and Womens.
Continuing Education
As a CLE provider, LGLA provides educational programs on a wide range of topics of interest to its members and other members of the bar. These programs include the Downtown Luncheon series as well as weekend and evening events.Additionally, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law offers online CLE courses on sexual orientation and the law. Please click here for more information on course offerings.
LGLA's recent CLE offerings are:
“Making it Legal: a Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships & Civil Unions,” "Substance Abuse in the Legal Profession and Beyond," and "The Rights and Obligations of Same-Sex Couples in Post-In Re Marriage Cases.”
Save the Date - January 19, 2012 Gala Kick-Off Party with ACLU
January 19, 2012
Time and Place: TBA
Women's Dinner
January 25, 2012 – 7:00 p.m.
@Nickel Diner
524 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Charitable Efforts
Created by the LGLA Board of Directors in September 2009, the LGLA Charitable Committee dedicates itself to improving the lives of members of both the LGBT community and the public at large by contributing volunteer time and resources to the efforts of non-profit charities. The Charitable Committee seeks to foster relationships between LGLA, its members, and other organizations, both LGBT and non-LGBT.The Charitable Committee has adopted the Trevor Project as its sponsored charity. The Trevor Project offers the Trevor Helpline, the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, at 866-4-U-TREVOR.
In addition to operating the crisis and suicide prevention helpline, the Trevor Project provides online support to young people through the organization’s Web site, and also provides lifesaving guidance and vital resources to educators and parents.
Annual Dinner
Annual Dinner HistoryThe LGLA Annual Dinner has historically been the largest event that LGLA holds each year. The event honors individuals and organizations that have made unselfish contributions to education, human rights and equality for the LGBT community over a substantial period of time. For the past six years the LGLA Dinners have been themed to spotlight important issues affecting the rights of the LGBT community including marriage equality, military service, adoption and employment. The event honors LGBT law students with scholarships and also serves as the induction ceremony for new incoming LGLA officers. Featured here are reproductions of the original LGLA Annual Dinner artwork 2004-2011. These artistic graphics and photos were created to promote the annual dinner and amplify public awareness of the critically important social and political issues affecting the local and national LGBT community.
Community Partners
HALSA - HIV & AIDS and Legal Services Alliance HALSA is a well-respected public service organization, offering free legal services to the over 100,000 Southern Californians living with HIV.Contact Peg Brewer,
HALSA executive director and former LGLA Co-President
P: 213.637.1681
W: www.halsaservices.org
Women's Events
Women's Mixer DATE:Sunday January 8, 2012 – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
PLACE:
Venokado @ Santa Monica Place (3rd floor in the Market, all the way in the back) No Cover, Cash Bar Four women's groups are coming together to make this possibly the largest women's event of the year: LGLA, GLivyN, Ivy League Lesbian & Friends and UCLA Alumni. The event is also being held at a lesbian-owned, small business to start the New year off by giving back to our own community. There will be delicious Mimosas, wines by the flight or by the glass, and beer available for purchase. Pastries will be provided.
