Weekly Newsletter        |        March 29, 2016
In This Issue
Message from the BALIF Board 
Greetings!
 

Please join us this Thursday for BALIF's special networking event. Whether you are looking for a job, internship, or a space to connect with BALIF members then "Recruiting on the Rocks" is the event for you!

This event combines elements of a career fair with the camaraderie of a happy hour. This is the perfect opportunity to eat, drink, and connect with fellow BALIF attorneys and law students. We will also announce and celebrate the Mentor of the Year. 

When: Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Where: Farella Braun & Martel LLP
235 Montgomery Street, 7th Floor
San Francisco, CA

Please RSVP here: http://www.tinyurl.com/balifRSVP  
 
We can't wait to see you there! 


Sincerely,

Shauna Madison
BALIF Young Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chairs
Recruiting on the Rocks
BALIF Happy Hour


Looking for a job? Looking to hire? Looking for fun? Then come to Recruiting on the Rocks - the most productive happy hour BALIF has ever seen! Combining elements of a career fair with the camaraderie of a happy hour, this is the perfect opportunity to eat, drink, and connect with fellow BALIF attorneys and law students. We will also announce and celebrate the Mentor of the Year. 

When: Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 6 pm

Where: 
Farella Braun & Martel LLP
235 Montgomery Street, 7th Floor
San Francisco, CA

So whether you're recruiting, on the job hunt, or just looking to have a good time (or all of the above!), we hope to see you at Recruiting on the Rocks! Questions? 
Join the BALIF Board of Directors-
BALIF Board 2016 Elections
A great way to serve the LGBT legal community and become more involved in BALIF is to join BALIF's Board of Directors. BALIF's Directors are elected by the BALIF membership, and each Director holds office for two years. Any BALIF member is welcome to run for the Board or nominate another BALIF member. BALIF's bylaws reflect the Board's commitment to "equality, parity, and diversity," and we specifically encourage people of color, women, and transgender and/or gender non-conforming individuals to run for the Board. 
 
To run for the Board or nominate someone else, please send a candidate statement of up to 250 words to Pete Catalanotti (secretary@balif.org) and BALIF's Administrator, Katie Carlson (balif@balif.org) by March 31, 2016 at 5:00pm. BALIF's bylaws require gender parity on the Board, with a certain number of positions allocated to Directors who identify as male, female, and gender non-conforming. So if you are seeking a position, please indicate the category with which you identify.
 
Elections will be online starting on April 1, 2016 and there will be an opportunity to vote in person at BALIF's annual general membership meeting on Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 6 - 8:30pm. The results will be announced at the end of the meeting.
 
Questions about the Board? Thinking about seeking a position? Feel free to contact Peter Catalanotti at secretary@balif.org

Congratulations to Sean SeLegue on his Election to the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of California

BALIF is pleased to congratulate Sean SeLegue on his election to
the Board of Trustees for the State Bar of California. Sean has been a member of BALIF since 1988, served on the BALIF Board of Directors from 1993 to 1998 (including as Co-Chair from 1996 - 1997), and is currently a partner at Arnold & Porter, specializing in appeals and in attorney liability and ethics.  Congratulations, Sean!
BALIF Partner Exchange Luncheon
When: Friday, April 22, 2016; and Thursday, May 19, 2016

Time:  12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
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. 

I am always looking for topics so let me know if there is something you'd like to discuss at an upcoming luncheon.
 
Space is limited so only the first 11 to RSVP to jdupree@fddcm.com  may attend. 

BALIFBuzz
Barbara Bryant

Barbara Bryant is beginning an open-ended sabbatical June 1 of this year and is no longer taking on any new mediations or workplace investigations. During sabbatical, she will selectively continue to teach at Berkeley Law, and write/make presentations on various topics relating to bias and discrimination.  Her contact information will remain the same.
BALIF 2016 Gala Photos Online

The BALIF gala photos are finally here! Please find them on the BALIF website at, http://www.balif.org/photos and click on "BALIF Gala 2016".

Share the pictures and feel free to tag your friends! Just make sure to tag BALIF on Facebook and twitter! 

BALIF Joins Bar Associations Around California to Call on President Obama and Senate to Fill Supreme Court Vacancy
Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF) joined bar associations from across the state of California to send a letter to President Barack Obama and Senate leaders urging them to heed their constitutional duty to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. The bar associations, representing over 30,000 lawyers throughout the state, called on the president to quickly nominate a qualified candidate to the Supreme Court, and for the Senate to consider that nominee without delay. In addition to BALIF, the signatories to the letter include the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Alameda Country Bar Association, the Lake County Bar Association, the Yolo County Bar Association, and over a dozen other statewide and local bar associations. 

Commenting on the decision to join forces with other bar associations in this effort, BALIF Co-Chair Jessica Bogo said, "BALIF stands with tens of thousands of California lawyers in calling on our nation's elected officials to fulfill their constitutionally required duties to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court." You can view BALIF's press release regarding the letter here.

BALIF Joins Supreme Court Amicus Brief Supporting Immigrants' Rights
On March 4, 2016, BALIF joined the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) and a coalition of other organizations in an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in United States v. Texas. The case concerns Texas's challenge to President Obama's Executive Actions on immigration, which expanded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and created a new Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program.
 
NQAPIA's brief informs the U.S. Supreme Court of the special concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian Americans, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders (API). An estimated 267,000 undocumented immigrants are LGBT, of which a disproportionate share are API.
 
According to Glenn D. Magpantay, NQAPIA Executive Director, "The Supreme Court is extremely supportive of LGBT people, and we aim to show how immigration laws and policies have a direct impact on the lives of LGBT people." He continued, "We also lift up the voices of Asian Pacific Islanders to demonstrate the ethnic diversity of undocumented immigrants."
 
Julie Wilensky, chair of BALIF's Amicus Committee Chair, said, "Immigrants rights are LGBT rights, and BALIF is proud to stand with NQAPIA. The brief vividly illustrates how the expanded immigration programs protect LGBT immigrant families, especially APIs, from harassment, discrimination and hardship." 
 
Amici are represented by McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

2016- 2018 Public Interest Fellowship
Public Justice, a national public interest law firm dedicated to pursuing high impact lawsuits to combat social and economic injustice, protect the Earth's sustainability, and challenge predatory corporate conduct and government abuses, seeks to hire a law school graduate to serve as a Fellow for two years in either its Washington, D.C. headquarters or its Oakland, California office.  The Fellow will help develop and litigate Public Justice's cases.  The position will start in the fall of 2016. 

ALRP Free 2016 MCLE Trainings
ALRP
 
Employment Issues Facing Clients with HIV/AIDS - Sponsored by the State Bar's Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Wednesday, March 30, 5:30-7:00pm
  • Presented by Sonya Smallets, Esq. - Minnis & Smallets LLP - minnisandsmallets.com
  • 1.5 General CLE Credits
All Classes take place at:
Bar Association of San Francisco
301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor, Board Room
San Francisco, CA 94111
To RSVP
Email:
Call: 415-701-1200 ext. 303

Trans Day of Visibility:
Embodying our Legacy
TRANS DAY of VISIBILITY: 
Embodying our Legacy
 
Thursday, March 31st, 2016
 
Pre-Party Reception 5:30PM
Event Program 6:30PM  
 
Location: SOMArts 934 Brannan St, SF, CA 
(Between 8th and 9th street)
*ASL and Spanish Translation Provided
 
Tickets:  www.tdov.org 
 
Join us for a magical evening of celebrating community - TDoV 2016 on March 31st! Across the country and internationally, there has been an increase in the visibility of our transgender and gender-nonconforming (GNC) communities. Despite increased national media visibility, 2015 went on record as one of the most dangerous years for transgender and gender non-conforming people, with alarming rates of violence, homicides, and suicides - specifically impacting trans women of color and youth.
 
Trans Day of Visibility is an international annual holiday celebrated around the world. The day is dedicated to honoring our community leaders while raising awareness of victories and work that is still needed to save trans lives. The TDoV 2016, is a collaboration with Trans: Thrive at API Wellness Center and the SF LGBT Center's Trans Employment Program (TEEI), as well as other community partners and sponsors. TDoV has become a vital staple of San Francisco/ Bay Area.
 
The evening will include fabulous entertainment, awards, music, food and drinks. Everyone is welcome! Evening attire recommended but not expected.
 
Contact us to support or get engaged with TDoV 2016.   
For more information visit www.tdov.org

"Prenuptial Agreements A-Z: 
A Pre-nup Primer" an 
Educational Seminar
San Francisco Legal Professionals Association Presents:
"Prenuptial Agreements A - Z: A Pre-nup Primer" an Educational Seminar

By: Jane Aceituno, Esq.

When: Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Place: Pathways Personnel
455 Market Street, Suite 1170
San Francisco, CA 94105

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Cost: SFLPA Members, $15.00; Non-Members: $20.00
*Delicious Food and Beverages Provided*

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR A HEAD COUNT AND FOR SECURITY PURPOSES and must be received by 5:00 p.m. no later than Monday, April 11, 2016. Make a reservation by e-mailing SFLPA's EDU Chair, Michelle Vigil at mvigil@sinunubruni.com

 *MCLE Credits available. SFLPA, a local association of Legal Secretaries Incorporated, an approved provider, certifies that this activity has been approved for a minimum of 1 hour of continuing legal education credit by the State Bar of California.

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.

March 31 - Recruiting on the Rocks BALIF Happy Hour
April 14 - BALIF Annual Meeting & Elections Night
Our 2016-2017 Sponsors
Partner Level

 
Counsel Level

A&P

Fenwick
HB Logo

 

Mofo
Sedgwick2
Seyfarth


Wilson

Advocate Level


Benefactor Level


Individual Sponsors

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

BALIF | P.O. Box 193383 | San Francisco | CA | 94119