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  • 16 Mar 2012 9:37 PM | Anonymous
    Photographer Trish Tunney captured some amazing shots from this year's gala. Re-live the night (or see what you missed) right here!
  • 13 Mar 2012 9:05 PM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)
    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.
  • 13 Mar 2012 9:04 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.

  • 13 Mar 2012 9:03 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.

  • 13 Mar 2012 9:02 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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. 

  • 13 Mar 2012 9:00 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.

  • 13 Mar 2012 8:51 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.]

  • 13 Mar 2012 8:46 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.

  • 13 Mar 2012 8:35 AM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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

  • 15 Feb 2012 11:39 PM | BALIF Administrator (Administrator)

    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.

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