Weekly Newsletter        |        September 8, 2015
In This Issue
Message from the BALIF Board 
Greetings!

I hope you all had a lovely Labor Day Weekend! If you were like me and took a brief "self-care" break from television, you may need a quick refresher on recent LGBT related news.  This past week, Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses was jailed (and subsequently released) for violating a court order.  On September 4, 2015, students at Hillsboro High School in Missouri, "protested" against allowing a transgender student to use the girls' locker room and bathroom.  In late August, two gay refugees from Syria and Iraq testified at the first-ever United Nations Security Council meeting on LGBT rights regarding the violence they experienced in their home countries. 

As LGBT issues continue to be more visible in the media, it is important that we stayed informed, passionate and active. But more importantly, it is vital that we remember that it is okay to take a step back, heal from the violence that we may have experienced or witnessed, and re-focus our energy. This balance is essential as we move forward, hopefully, into a new year that is more accepting of dynamic communities such as ours.

  
Sincerely, 
 
Shauna Madison
BALIF Board Young Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chair

A Conversation with Judge Pamela Chen

The Asian American Bar Association LGBT committee presents
A conversation with
Judge Pamela Chen
US District Court Judge of the Eastern District of New York

A discussion about issues facing LGBT people of color and their representation in the judiciary with the first openly LGBT Asian-Pacific American to be confirmed as a federal judge, moderated by Judge Donna Ryu, Magistrate Judge of the Northern District of California.

Thursday, September 10, 2015
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM

Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, LLP
405 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA

Reception to follow.

BALIFBuzz

Deb L. Kinney
Johnston, Kinney and Zulaica LLP was recently named as one of the 25 largest LGBT owned companies in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times.  With 12 attorneys, two offices and a bilingual Spanish speaking staff, Johnston Kinney and Zulaica LLP assists individuals and families with estate planning, trust and probate administration and family law.  www.jkzllp.com
Mentor / Mentee Kick-off & 
Back-to-School Mixer

lookout  

Join us for drinks to welcome back the law students to a new school year! We will also be kicking off our Mentor / Mentee Program!

 

Friday, September 18, 2015 

6:00-8:00 p.m. 

 

Lookout

3600 16th St.

San Francisco, CA 94114

 

 

San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Tribute Celebration
 
Tribute Celebration honors the achievements of leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS and benefits the work of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  The event is on September 19, 2015 on the Waterfront at the Exploratorium and includes dinner, hosted bar, live music, and a limited amount of inspiring speakers and speeches.  The event starts at 7:30pm with a VIP reception that starts at 6pm.
 
For those not prepared to spend the entire evening, there is also a later evening (9pm-11pm) portion of the event being hosted by the First City Council, an entry-level philanthropic arm of the SF AIDS Foundation. This portion of the event includes artisanal desserts, a hosted bar, and a live cover band.
 
Click here to purchase tickets. I hope to see you at Tribute Celebration!
Back-to-School BBQ and Kickball!

 


 

Please join the BALIF Law Student Representatives for a BBQ and game of kickball!

 

Sunday, September 20, 2015

12:00-3:00 p.m.  

 

Hellman Hollow, Golden Gate Park

860 John F. Kennedy Dr.

San Francisco, CA 94121

BALIF's Connections
 Mentorship Program
It's that time of the year again! BALIF's Connections mentorship program is seeking mentors and mentees for 2015-2016. For more information, see the program guidelines and description on the BALIF website. If you are a law student, recent law school graduate, or newer attorney seeking a mentor, or if you are an experienced attorney interested in serving as a mentor, please contact the Young Lawyers and Students Programs Committee, younglawyers@balif.org. Mentor/mentee pairs will be assigned on a rolling basis from July-September.
BALIF Partner Exchange Luncheon

When: Tuesday, September 22, 2015; Thursday, October 22, 2015; Thursday, November 19, 2015; Tuesday, December 15, 2015; Thursday, January 21, 2016 (dates subject to confirmation by SF City Club)
 
Time: 12:30pm to 2:00pm
Where: San Francisco City Club (155 Sansome, 10th Floor)
What: Gourmet buffet lunch with other partners and firm owners
Cost: $40 payable by cash or check only
 
BALIF has created the BALIF Partner Exchange to bring together our members that are looking to network and exchange business and ideas.  This event is exclusively for BALIF members who are partners or owners of their firm with 7 years or more of experience. 
 
Space is limited so only the first 11 to RSVP to jdupree@fddcm.com may attend. 

Volunteer at the Castro Street Fair

Sunday, October 4, 2015
Come out and Volunteer at Castro Street Fair on behalf of ALRP
Shift 1: 10am - 2pm
Shift 2: 1:30pm - 5:30pm

Volunteer for one or both shifts collecting donations at the gates.  All donations and proceeds go directly to charitable causes important to the Castro community.  This is a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring friends, coworkers, classmates, children, significant others, and pets! 

For questions about volunteering or interest in volunteering, please email socialaction@balif.org.
Save the Date for BALIF's Social Action Fundraiser
Save the Date for BALIF's Social Action Fundraiser
On Thursday, October 29, 2015
Lookout Bar (3600 16th St. in SF)
6pm - 9pm

This event will be a Fundraiser with proceeds going to El/La Para Translatinas.  In addition to fundraising, there will also be food, drinks, and of course, fun!
Details to Follow...
LGBT Asian / South Asian Attorney Networking Reception
Thursday, Oct 29, 2015
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
505 Montgomery Street, Suite 800 | San Francisco, CA 94111
Thanks go out to SABA-NC and Vid Prabhakaran for helping us secure the host.
Follow BALIF on Twitter!

 

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.

 

Join the BALIF Listserv!

 

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.

We Want Your BALIFBuzz

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

 

Job Postings Now on BALIF Website

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.

September 18 - BALIF Mentor / Mentee Kick-off & Back-to-School Mixer
September 20 - Back-to-School BBQ and Kickball!
September 22 - BALIF Partner Exchange Luncheon
October 8 - BALIF October Happy Hour
Our 2015 Sponsors
Partner Level
Seyfarth
 
Counsel Level

A&P

Fenwick
HB Logo
Kilpatrick

Mofo
Sedgwick2


Wilson

Advocate Level

 

A.L. Nella & Company, CPAs 

AT&T

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher  

Jones Day 

Latham & Watkins LLP 

Morgen Lewis & Bockius LLP 

MUFG Union Bank

O'Melveny & Meyers LLP 

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP 

Pacific Gas & Electric

Perkins Coie LLP 

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP 

Sanford Heisler Kimpel, LLP 

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton 

Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP 

 

Benefactor Level

 

Callaway & Wolf

Carroll, Burdick & McDonough LLP

Clarence, Dyer & Cohen LLP / Swanson & McNamara LLP 

Cooley LLP 

Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP

Farella Braun + Martel LLP 

Futterman Dupree Dodd Croley Maier LLP 

Golden Gate University, School of Law 

Jackson Lewis LLP 

JAMS  

Lewis, Feinberg, Lee & Jackson, P.C. 

Littler Mendelson P.C. 

Lubin Olson & Niewiadomski LLP

Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP 

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP 

Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg LLP

Paul Hastings LLP 

Pritzker Levine LLP

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  

 

Individual Sponsors

 

Dave Arellano, Altep, Inc.   

Michael Colantuono, Colantuono Highsmith & Whatley, PC 

David Fermino, Sideman & Bancroft LLP 

David M. Helbraun, Helbraun Law Firm 

Frederick Hertz, Law and Mediation Office of Frederick Hertz

John Hill, Law Offices of John E. Hill, P.C.

Hon. Stuart Hing & Rhoda Hing, Alameda County Superior Court

James Kealohi, Pathways Personnel

David Monroe, Able & Monroe P.C.

Todd Norris, Bullivant Houser Bailey 

Debra R. Schoenberg, Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. 

Cheryl Sena, Sena Family Law 

Hon. James L. Warren (Ret.), JAMS  

BALIF Board of Directors
Jessica Bogo & John Robert Unruh
  
Peter Catalanotti
Secretary

Mario Choi
Treasurer

Denise Bergin 
Judiciary Chair

Nick Clements & 
David Sims
Gala Co-Chairs  

 

Meaghan Zore 

Julie Wilensky
Amicus Chair     

 
Jennifer Orthwein
Communications Chair 

Jamie Dupree
Programs Chair

Felicia Medina & Shauna Madison
Young Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chairs  

Brandon Lawrence & Daniel Faessler
Social Action Co-Chairs 


Dmitri Pikman
Lindsey Rosellini
Community Ambassador Chair  

Joseph Deignan, Alex Lemberg & Sam Potts
Katie Carlson
BALIF Administrator 
Follow BALIF

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BALIF | | info@balif.org | http://www.balif.org
P.O. Box 193383
San Francisco, CA 94119