Message from the BALIF Board
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Greetings!
Summer is almost up (calendar wise anyway, the Bay Area has its own mind when it comes to acceptable weather) and we're slowly getting back to the real world. School is starting for many of you, while others are getting back into the swing of things after some well-deserved vacation time. As you are making plans for the next few weeks, I urge to keep in mind exciting volunteer opportunities and BALIF networking events. I am hoping you all signed up for the Second Chance Legal Clinic, and a quick reminder that the clinic is happening today, with a happy hour to follow. Also mark Thursday, September 4th for our mentorship happy hour. I took part in the mentorship program last year and made a truly wonderful friend in my mentee, Sean. I am signed up again this year, this time I am looking for a mentor. I absolutely urge everyone of you to take advantage of this rewarding opportunity, and sign up for a knowledgeable mentor, or impart your wisdom to an enthusiastic mentee! If you want more information about the mentorship program, and to sign up, check out our website or email Julie at jwilensky@lewisfeinberg.com.
Hope to see you all at our future events!
Dmitri Pikman
BALIF Board Programs Co-Chair
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BALIF "Connections" Mentorship Program - Kickoff Happy Hour on September 4
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When: Thursday, September 4, 2014
Where: The Holding Company, 2 Embarcadero Center, SF
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm
Please join BALIF for a happy hour to kick off BALIF's 2014-2015 "Connections" mentorship program! It's the perfect time for mentor/mentee pairs to meet each other in an informal setting. It's also a great opportunity to meet and mingle with LGBT attorneys and law students. BALIF's Young Lawyers & Law Students Committee and Social Committee will provide drinks and appetizers. All are welcome!
Mentor/mentee pairs are being assigned on a rolling basis in the next few weeks, and it's not too late to join the program as a mentor or mentee. For more information about the mentorship program, see the program guidelines (scroll down) and description on the BALIF website, or email Julie Wilensky, jwilensky@lewisfeinberg.com.
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KABANC's 2014 Annual Gala on 9/26
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Please join us for KABANC's 2014 Annual Gala at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Palo Alto, California on Friday, September 26th from 6 to 9 pm. This year, KABANC is proud to honor Jan Kang, VP & GC of AOptix Technologies as KABANC's 2014 Legal Professional of the Year and Ki Hwang, CEO & GC of Black Letter Discovery as KABANC's 2014 Alumnus of the Year.
KABANC Annual Gala Friday, September 26, 2014 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Crowne Plaza Hotel 4290 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306
Please contact KABANC Social Co-Chair Alice Choy (kabancsocial@gmail.com) or KABANC Treasurer Fred Choi (fkchoi@outlook.com) if you or your firm is interested in attending KABANC's Annual Gala. We would be honored if you could join us for this event.
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Transgender Law Center SPARK!
12th Anniversary Celebration
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Transgender Law Center has spent 12 years igniting change to laws, hearts, and minds to advance the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people. In light of this milestone, TLC cordially invites you to SPARK! - a 12th Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, October 2 at Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
Click here: www.transgenderlawcenter.org/spark to join us, support our work and mission, and help acknowledge the achievements of our outstanding SPARK! 2014 honorees:
* Willy Wilkinson, Claire Skiffington Vanguard Award: For his innovative leadership - from garnering attention and funds for trans* communities impacted by the AIDS epidemic to founding the first support group for FTM people of color to changing hearts and minds through his work and trainings.
* CeCe McDonald, Authentic Life Award: For her courage and resilience in bringing visibility to our diverse communities, the unjust ways that transgender people are treated by law enforcement and within the justice system, and the ways in which prisons are not safe for anyone, regardless of gender identity.
* ACLU of Northern CA, Community Partner Award: For their leadership and support in sponsoring AB1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, and for being an unyielding, fierce, and fully committed stakeholder while defending the law against a potential referendum.
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BALIF Files Amicus Curiae in the
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
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BALIF filed an amicus curiae brief in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in the consolidated cases Baskin v. Bogan, Fujii v. Commissioner of the Indiana State Dept. of Revenue, Lee v. Abbott, and Walker v. Wolf, supporting the right of same-sex couples in Indiana and Wisconsin to marry and to have out-of-state marriages recognized. The press release can be viewed here.
The brief argues that the marriage bans of Indiana and Wisconsin are unconstitutional and that the tangible legal and economic harm inflicted by the bans, including the denial of substantial benefits and the perpetuation of stigma and discrimination, cannot be remedied by the availability of domestic partnerships or civil unions.
"We applaud the decisions out of the 4th and 10th Circuits striking down similar bans," said Leah Nutting, BALIF's Amicus Committee chair, noting recent cases where BALIF has also submitted amicus briefs. "And we are heartened by the 7th Circuit's emergency order requiring Indiana to recognize the out-of-state marriage of a set of plaintiffs in this case, where one spouse is suffering from a terminal illness. The case illustrates the very real and irreparable harm suffered by same-sex couples while waiting for the marriage bans to work their way through the courts."
Fourteen other civil rights groups joined BALIF on the brief. The brief was filed with pro bono support from Jerome C. Roth and Nicole S. Phillis of the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olsen.
Click here to read the amicus brief.
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Latta v. Otter Amicus Brief Filed
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BALIF filed an amicus curiae brief on Friday, July 25, with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Latta v. Otter supporting the right of same-sex couples in Idaho to marry and same-sex couples who have been married out-of-state to have their marriages recognized in Idaho. The Court will hear Latta, on appeal from the District of Idaho, in September. Sevcik v. Sandoval, the Nevada marriage equality case on appeal from the District of Nevada, for which BALIF filed an amicus brief last October, is also scheduled to be heard by the court in September.
The brief argues that excluding same-sex couples from the institution of marriage causes tangible legal and economic harm and denies substantial benefits, including the federal benefits extended to same-sex marriages following the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor.
"Some critical federal benefits are linked to the place of domicile, so even same-sex couples married legally in other states are prevented from enjoying these benefits if they currently reside in states, such as Idaho, that do not recognize same-sex marriage," said Leah Nutting, chair of BALIF's Amicus Committee.
More than thirty other civil rights groups joined BALIF on the brief. The brief was filed with pro bono support from the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olsen, with Jerome C. Roth and Amelia L. B. Sargent heading the effort.
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Follow BALIF on Twitter!
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BALIF's twitter feed is up and running. Follow us to see BALIF news, event info, #ThrowbackThursday posts, and more. Just click the Twitter button in the right hand column of the newsletter or here.
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Uber Discount for BALIF Members
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Request a ride with the push of a button! Uber is offering new users $20 off your first ride. Text BALIF to 827-222. You can also sign up at uber.com/go/BALIF and download the app for Android, Blackberry, or iPhone. Then sit back and enjoy the magic of Uber, everyone's private driver. (Valid for new users only, TAXI excluded).
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Join the BALIF Listserv!
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Have a job or need one? Civil procedure question? Need a
referral? Have something important to ask ... or news to tell? Want to get to our members quickly? Join our Listserv!
BALIF members should have received our invitation to join our newly-created Listserv. You must proactively respond to the request in order to be added to our Listserv. If you didn't get a request, please let us know by emailing technology@balif.org or balif@balif.org.
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We Want Your BALIFBuzz
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We all love that section in our alumni newsletters that talks about who's doing what.
Well, we're introducing the BALIFBuzz to show-off all the great things that our members are doing. BALIFBuzz will be appearing in the weekly BALIF newsletter.
New job?
New client?
Promotion?
Court victory?
Significant settlement?
Baby on the way?
Recently married or engaged?
Speaking engagement?
Award, recognition, certification, or degree?
Or anything else you're excited about...
Keep it to one or two lines. Please send to membership@balif.org.
Can't wait to hear your great news!
Meaghan Zore
BALIF Membership Chair
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Job Postings Now on BALIF Website
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All job postings can be found here!
BALIF membership must be current to view the job postings. Simply log into the BALIF website with your membership ID and password, and select JOBS from the menu on the left.
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August 26 - BALIF Volunteer Day & Happy Hour at Sugar Lounge
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September 4 - "Connections" Mentorship Happy Hour
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Jamie Dupree & John Robert Unruh
Andrew Vu &
Lilah Sutphen
Dmitri Pikman & Felicia Medina Brandon Lawrence Denise Bergin
Joseph Rocha & Midori Hirai
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Senior Partner Level
Partner Level
    

Advocate Level
A.L. Nella & Company, CPAs
AT&T
Bingham McCutchen
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Jones Day
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Nixon Peabody LLP
O'Melveny & Meyers LLP
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Perkins Coie LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Santa Clara University School of Law
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton
Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
Benefactor Level
Clarence, Dyer & Cohen LLP / Swanson & McNamara LLP
Cooley Godward Kronish LLP
FTI Consulting
Futterman Dupree Dodd Croley Maier LLP
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Golden Gate University
HaleyNelson & Heilbrun LLP
Heath Newton LLP
HendricksMurry, P.C.
Jackson Lewis LLP
JAMS
Latham & Watkins LLP
Lewis, Feinberg, Lee, Renaker & Jackson, P.C.
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
Littler Mendelson
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Paul Hastings LLP
Pritzker Law
Reed Smith LLP
Roeca Hass Hager LLP
San Francisco City Attorney's Office
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
Schiff Hardin LLP
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Special Counsel
Stein & Lubin LLP
Individual Sponsors
Altep, Inc.
Todd Norris, Bullivant Houser Bailey
Michael Colantuono, Colantuono & Levin, P.C.
Peter C. Catalanotti, Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP
Debra R. Schoenberg, Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C.
Cheryl Sena, Sena Family Law
Judge Vaughn Walker ADR/Law Office Vaughn R Walker
Hon. James L. Warren (Ret.), JAMS
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP |
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