BALIF News

BALIF Applauds President Obama's Comments This Week!

BALIF Administrator — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:31:08 GMT

BALIF applauds President Obama's comments this week in support of marriage equality.

In the wake of recent statewide legal setbacks for same-sex marriage, President Obama came out this week personally in support of same-sex couples' right to marry. The President's comments this week, while carrying no legal effect, represent a significant gesture in support of equality and fairness for countless committed couples and families in our community. BALIF applauds President Obama for his historic, public support of equal marriage rights for all Americans.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/09/president-obama-supports-same-sex-marriage

BALIF Gala Featured in SF Bay TImes

BALIF Administrator — Sat, 05 May 2012 14:50:35 GMT

http://www.sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=16379

Saks Fifth Happy Hour

BALIF Administrator — Sat, 05 May 2012 14:37:14 GMT

We were excited to mix, mingle and shop with so many BALIF members at our first ever happy hour at Saks.

We want to especially thank BALIF member Omar Salazar, Saks Marketing Manager, Konrad Janus, and Saks Director of Marketing, Ryan J. Williams for their help in coordinating the event, and BALIF Board Member, oN Lu, for making the event a reality. 10% of the proceeds from the event were donated to the Pride Law Fund.

Thank you for joining us and for making this such a successful event!

In May, we ring in the inaugural 2012 BALIF-LGLA Summer Mentorship Program for Visiting Law Students. If you are a law student in the Los Angeles area seeking a summer mentor in the San Francisco area, or an attorney in the San Francisco area interested in serving as a mentor, please contact David Tsai to participate. If you are a law student in the San Francisco area seeking a summer mentor in the Los Angeles area, or an attorney in the Los Angeles area interested in serving as a mentor please contact David Perkiss to participate. Law students must submit an application by this Tuesday, May 1, 2012. Applicants and participants will be notified of their matches shortly following the deadline. To learn more about LGLA, please click here.

California Young Lawyers Association Jack Berman Award

BALIF Administrator — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:35:27 GMT

California Young Lawyers Association
Jack Berman Award

The California Young Lawyers Association (CYLA) Jack Berman Award of Achievement for Distinguished Service to the Profession and the Public was established in 1992 and is awarded annually to recognize the achievements in public service of an individual CYLA member.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2012 award; the deadline for submitting nominations has been extended to May 1, 2012.

Great work deserves recognition! Please consider nominating a CYLA member (any active member of the California State Bar who is in their first five years of practice or under the age of 36) for this award.

Click here for more information.

Kaplan & Partners to Post Job Opportunities to BALIF Job Site

BALIF Administrator — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 07:32:37 GMT

Kaplan & Partners to Post Job
Opportunities to BALIF Job Site

BALIF is proud to announce that Kaplan & Partners will be positing job opportunities to the BALIF job site.

Kaplan & Partners is a privately held professional staffing firm located in the heart of San Francisco. We assist law firms, corporations, and in-house legal departments to find top-notch talent for legal and administrative positions. Our experience includes everything from litigation secretary placements to partners and firm acquisitions - and we pride ourselves on taking the same exceptional level of care with each placement we make.

Our services include temporary staffing, project staffing, contract and document review attorneys, and direct hire placements. We take the time to sit down with all of our candidates and clients so that we can truly understand your needs - and accurately identify your ideal solution.

We are a great team of three people with diverse backgrounds and skills, and we love working together in this industry.

Naomi Kaplan, our founder, received her law degree from Boston College and was a litigator here in San Francisco before finding her vocation as a recruiter. Prior to law school, Naomi was a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, Africa for two years.

Zack Lyons, a BALIF member, was a litigation secretary and executive assistant in San Francisco for ten years before jumping into the recruiting world. Zack is riding in his first AIDS Lifecycle this year, so if he's not at the office, he's probably on his bike or in a spin class somewhere.

Sandra Cholico brings a wealth of recruiting and administrative experience to the company. Her clients and candidates love her energy. Sandra has successfully placed happy candidates in top 10 firms and in boutique practices. She is very excited to run the Paris Marathon next month!

Check out the photo gallery from the BALIF's 32nd Annual Gala

David Averbach — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:42:55 GMT

Photographer Trish Tunney captured some amazing shots from this year's gala. Re-live the night (or see what you missed) right here!

Thank you for making BALIF's 32nd Annual Gala the best ever!

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:34:48 GMT

Thank you for making BALIF's 32nd Annual Gala the best ever! We are so appreciative of the hard work of our amazing Gala Co-Chairs, Jamie Dupree, Laura Maechtlen, and John Unruh! The night was truly grand and inspirational! Gala attendees were moved by the stories about the incredible work of our award recipients, Transgender Law Center , Morrison & Foerster, and Lambda Legal, and enjoyed the opportunity to re-connect with old friends, as well as make new ones. Thank you to our generous sponsors for making BALIF's 32nd Annual Gala possible.

If you were moved by the work of the BALIF Board, we hope you consider running to become a Director! Nominations are due this Wednesday (3/14) at 5pm. Also, this Wednesday don't miss the Lambda Legal event at Barney's! We hope to see you there.

Announcing the Inaugural 2012 BALIF-LGLA Summer Mentorship Program for Visiting Law Students

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:04:47 GMT

Announcing the Inaugural 2012 BALIF-LGLA Summer Mentorship Program for Visiting Law Students

For the first time, BALIF and LGLA are teaming up to facilitate a summer law student mentorship program. We know that many of our law student members often spend their summers in each other's fair cities, and we want to help make their experiences constructive, valuable, and connected to the respective local LGBT legal communities. Thus, LGLA is providing mentors for San Francisco area law students spending their summer in the Los Angeles area, and BALIF is providing mentors for Los Angeles area law students spending their summer in the San Francisco area.

Mentors provide advice, counsel, and guidance to law students and contribute to the development of a strong LGBT legal community. Mentors can provide invaluable advice and encouragement as law students work toward a career in the law. This can be a great networking and learning opportunity for law students. And a great opportunity for LGBT lawyers to give back to the community.

If you are a law student in the Los Angeles area seeking a summer mentor in the San Francisco area, or an attorney in the San Francisco area interested in serving as a mentor, please contact David Tsai dtsai@perkinscoie.com. If you are a law student in the San Francisco area seeking a summer mentor in the Los Angeles area, or an attorney in the Los Angeles area interested in serving as a mentor please contact David Perkiss perkiss2012@lawnet.ucla.edu. Law students will be required to submit an application; the deadline for applications is May 1, 2012. We will contact you with your matches shortly following the deadline. To learn more about LGLA, please visit www.lgla.net.

Got an Idea for a New Law?

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:03:49 GMT

Got an Idea for a New Law?

Have you noticed some quirk in a law, or a problem with procedures? Each year, BALIF submits resolutions to the California Conference of Bar Associations (formerly the Conference of Delegates) for proposed changes to laws and procedure. The deadline is fast approaching to submit resolutions for the 2012 Conference, so if you have an idea you'd like to see submitted and potentially sent to Sacramento to become a law, email statebar@balif.org with your idea.

Nominate a Public Lawyer/Law Office

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:03:13 GMT

Nominate a Public Lawyer/Law Office

The ABA Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division invites you to submit a nomination for its 2012 National Awards. The 2012 Dorsey, Hodson and Nelson Awards will be presented at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago on August 3. More information about all of the awards and the nominations process can be found here. All nominations are due by April 3.

BALIF Seeks Practitioner with Internet Privacy Experience for MCLE

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:01:01 GMT

BALIF Seeks Practitioner with Internet Privacy Experience for MCLE

Please email statebar@balif.org if you have experience with internet privacy matters and are willing to sit on a panel about the interplay of internet privacy and the First Amendment.

Free Tickets to Upcoming Annual Dinners of Sister Minority Groups

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:51:15 GMT

Free Tickets to Upcoming Annual
Dinners of Sister Minority Groups

Several of BALIF's sister minority bar groups are also hosting their annual dinners this month and we'd love to show them our support! We have a small number of available tickets for the following events, which will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, email Spencer Jones by the date indicated at outreach@balif.org.

*FRI, MARCH 23, 6PM: The Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA-BayArea) will host a cocktail reception and dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. More info at: http://aaba-bay.com/aaba/showpage.asp?code=home [TO ATTEND, YOU MUST EMAIL REQUEST BY THE END OF TOMORROW, TUESDAY, MARCH 13TH.]

*FRI, MARCH 30, 6PM: The South Asian Bar Association of Northern California (SABA-NC) will host a cocktail reception, dinner, and award ceremony at The Regency Center in San Francisco. More info at: http://www.southasianbar.org/gala [TO ATTEND, PLEASE EMAIL REQUEST BY FRIDAY, MARCH 16th.]

Join BALIF's Amicus Committee and Progress LGBT Rights

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:47:13 GMT

Join BALIF's Amicus Committee
and Progress LGBT Rights

BALIF's amicus efforts have impacted successful outcomes in the Prop 8 litigation, such as:

The N.D. California decision that a gay judge may decide gay rights cases without having to recuse himself.
The Ninth Circuit and N.D. California decisions that voter initiatives may not single out same-sex couples in California and deny them a right to marry.

Additionally, past amicus briefs have lead to:

The Ninth Circuit decision that the United States Army could not bar a soldier's reenlistment solely on the basis of his or her sexual orientation, before Don't Ask Don't Tell.
The Supreme Court of California decision that it was unconstitutional for California to prohibit same-sex marriage.
The Supreme Court of the United States decision that the federal government's blanket prohibition on "indecent" speech on the internet violated the First Amendment.

Help shape LGBT rights by getting involved with BALIF's Amicus Committee. Contact amicus@balif.org to get started.

BALIF Election of 2012-2013 Board of Directors

BALIF Administrator — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:36:09 GMT

Pursuant to BALIF's By-laws, BALIF's Nominating Committee Announces:

There are eleven Board Positions open this year for election: 4 positions are available for male candidates, 3 positions are available for female candidates, and 1 position is available for transgender/Gender-Nonconforming candidates. There are 3 positions for Law Students (1 female, 1 male and 1 position for Gender-Nonconforming).

The Nominating Committee is still accepting nominations from the membership. If you are interested in serving, or if you would like to nominate a qualified member, please email BALIF Secretary, David Sims, dsims@saveri.com, at no later than 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, 2012. (Qualified members are those people who are members of BALIF. If your membership has lapsed, please renew! We want your participation!) Board members serve a two year term (law student Board members serve a one-year term), and are required to attend Board meetings the third Monday of each month. They will also be expected to attend the BALIF working retreat weekend in late April/ early May, 2012. More information is available about BALIF and our Board of Directors on our website at www.balif.org.

Thank you for your consideration.

Very truly yours,

The BALIF Nominating Committee

Get Ready for the Gala and Get Sponsorships In Before the Advertising Deadline

BALIF Administrator — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:40:37 GMT

Another reminder that on Friday, March 9, 2012, BALIF will return to the SF MOMA for the annual Gala! Last year's party was a huge hit, and this year promises to be equally exciting. Firms are clamoring to get their BALIF sponsorships (by emailing jdupree@fddcm.com, or LMaechtlen@seyfarth.com) and individual registrations (at www.balif.org). Make sure that your firm or organization is a BALIF sponsor - the deadline for getting advertisements in for the program and Partner-Level Sponsor logos submitted for on-the-wall "Gobo" advertising is February 24 - next Friday! Firms and individuals are already starting to sponsor, so make sure that your firm gets their sponsorship in as soon as possible to enjoy the kudos of sponsorship as early as possible and doesn't miss out on this important opportunity to show its support for the Bay Area LGBT legal community and BALIF!

This year, BALIF honors the Transgender Law Center with the Community Service Award, and Morrison & Foerster and Lambda Legal, counsel for Karen Golinski, with the Legal Service Award. BALIF congratulates TLC, MoFo and Lambda on this huge honor. Stay tuned for more information about the background to these awards.

We thank BALIF Outreach Co-Chairs, Spencer Jones and Michael Wolchansky!

BALIF Administrator — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:39:09 GMT

We thank BALIF Outreach Co-Chairs, Spencer Jones and Michael Wolchansky, for planning the gatherings surrounding the Ninth Circuit decision in the Perry v. Brown case.

BALIF Applauds Ninth Circuit Court Decision Affirming Unconstitutionality of Proposition 8

BALIF Administrator — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:09:23 GMT

2.7.2012-San Francisco, CA: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today issued a historic decision affirming the August 2010 decision of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco striking down the controversial ballot initiative known as Prop 8, which in 2008 stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in California. Writing for the majority in Perry v. Brown, Judge Stephen Reinhardt declared that "Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California , and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort."

The Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF), as the nation's oldest and largest bar association of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender (LGBT) persons working in the field of law, applauds the Ninth Circuit's ruling and congratulates and thanks the many dedicated lawyers and legal professionals whose critical work over the past several years championing the cause of marriage equality in the courtrooms of California has helped lead to this decision. BALIF itself coordinated the submission of two amicus briefs in this case as it was appealed to the Ninth Circuit, both of which were joined by dozens of other minority bar associations located throughout California and various other national and local non-profit organizations. One set of amici were represented by Perkins Coie LLP attorneys Joren Bass, Allison Zamani, and BALIF Co-Chair David Tsai, and the other set was represented by Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP attorneys Jerome Rother, Michelle Friedland, Mark Conrad, and Miriam Seifter. We are very grateful for the hard work of these extremely dedicated and capable attorneys to assure that the voice of BALIF and its sister minority groups was heard in this fight. Their impressive briefs can be found here and here.

Today, BALIF also acknowledges and congratulates the work of the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), who in association with the law firms of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP mounted and has sustained this particular case in the federal courts. As the Ninth Circuit's decision is the first time a federal appeals court has invalidated discrimination against same-sex couples with respect to the fundamental right to marry, today's decision marks a monumental step forward for LGBT rights. BALIF Co-Chair Chelsea HaleyNelson summarized the historic nature of the decision as follows: "The Ninth Circuit's ruling finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional affirms the ideals of equality, dignity and fairness, not only for same-sex couples, but for all of us. This is a wonderful victory that I'm proud to be able to witness."

Founded in 1980, BALIF represents its members' interests in the wider San Francisco Bay Area. BALIF members and supporters include San Francisco Bay Area judges, lawyers, law students and legal workers. For more information on BALIF, please visit our website or Facebook page.

Bankruptcy Judgeship Opportunity

BALIF Administrator — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:29:59 GMT

The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invites applications from highly qualified candidates for the position of Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of California. This position will be available on December 1, 2012. The selection process may take up to 10 months to complete. The official duty station for this position will be in San Francisco , CA . Click here for more information and here for the application.

Prudential Financial 2012 1L Internship Program

BALIF Administrator — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:28:54 GMT

The National LGBT Bar Association is pleased to partner with Prudential Financial, Inc. (Prudential) to provide a meaningful summer internship opportunity to a highly-motivated first-year law student. Through this partnership, the National LGBT Bar Association will select a student to join the 2012 summer law intern class at Prudential for a 10-week internship at Prudential's offices with a stipend of approximately $10,000. Internship positions will be located in the New Jersey tri-state area. A position may be available in Dallas , Texas . Click here for more information.

Community Events on Day Ninth Circuit Announces Prop 8 Decision

BALIF Administrator — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:15:44 GMT

BALIF invites you to participate in "Day of Decision" events being planned for the day in the near future that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals announces its decision regarding Proposition 8 -- including a special BALIF happy hour that day in the Castro! The Court has completed all hearings and briefing in the case and could rule at any time. It is hoped that the Court will provide advanced notice that the ruling is coming, in which case BALIF will send out an update. But in the meantime, please take note of the following planned events for the Bay Area:

San Francisco, CA

SF Morning

What: Gather on the steps of the Ninth Circuit Federal Courthouse, San Francisco to receive the ruling (anticipated at 10:00 AM). Then we will proceed to San Francisco City Hall, where clergy will be available to bless couples who are not able to marry because of Prop. 8.

Where: Ninth Circuit Federal Courthouse, 95 7th Street (at Mission)

When: 9:30 AM on Day of Decision

Contact: Billy Bradford (415) 716-6315

SF Evening

What: Community Rally with music and speakers. We will either celebrate or protest the decision, and either way, re-dedicate our resolve to achieve full equality nationwide.

Where: Market Street & 17th Street (across from Castro & Market)

When: 5:00 PM on Day of Decision

Contacts: Rev. Kelly Rivera Hart (415) 260-5704 and Billy Bradford (415) 716-6315

SF BALIF Happy Hour

What: BALIF will host a happy hour immediately following the Community Rally in the Castro, for all lawyers and legal professionals, where t-shirts and stickers will be available.

Where: Twin Peaks, Market Street & 17th Street (across from Castro & Market)

When: 6:00 PM on Day of Decision

Contacts: Spencer Jones (415) 609-6961 and Michael Wolchansky (415) 640-0633

Contra Costa County, CA

What: Community gathering at the Rainbow Community Center

Where: Rainbow Community Center, 3024 Willow Pass Road, Suite 200. Concord, CA

When: 6:00-7:00 PM on Day of Decision

Contact: Leslie Stewart (925) 765-6064