Message from the BALIF Board
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I hope all of you had a wonderfully sunny and festive Easter! Spring is here and I'm excited to bask in some warm sun. BALIF has a couple of exciting events coming up which we'd love to see our members at!
First is the BALIF Board Election night which is on Thursday, April 12th from 6-8:30pm at the Sausage Factory in the Castro. Come support your BALIF Board candidates by indulging in some pizza (#treatyoself) and supporting our prospective board members on election night!
Second, BALIF is hosting its annual Law Student and New Lawyers resume review and interviewing skills event on Saturday, April 14th from 11am to 2pm. Come hear from a panel of seasoned practitioners about how to nail your interviews and what sorts of skills and experiences employers are looking for. Then, volunteer attorneys will give live feedback about your resume and interview skills so that our law students and new lawyers are more than prepared to land that next opportunity. If you have questions or want to attend, email Lauren Pietsch at younglawyers@balif.org.
Finally, come join other BALIF members at the Bagels & Bubbly with Bisexuals in the Bay on Sunday, April 15th from 11am-1pm at Sydney Walton Square SF. Meet and mingle with other bisexual identifying professionals in the Bay Area of some drinks and bites!
Sincerely,
Dustin Helmer
BALIF Development & Gala Co-Chair
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Elections and Annual Membership Meeting Happy Hour
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VOTE FOR THE 2018-2020 BALIF BOARD OF DIRECTORS!
Elections will be online from April 3 until 4 pm on April 12. You can also vote in person at the BALIF Annual Meeting and Election Happy Hour on Thursday (April 12) at the Sausage Factory from 6 - 8:30 pm. In-person voting will end at 7 pm, and the election results will be announced at the end of the meeting.
Free food and drinks will be available, so meet the candidates and join us for a great event even if you plan to vote online! The results will be announced at the end of the meeting.
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BALIF IS PROUD TO SUPPORT SB 990
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In late 2017, BALIF's CCBA Committee debated a resolution at the CA Conference of Bar Associations (CCBA) Conference of Delegates that provides for equal access to rehabilitative and other programming opportunities to LGBTQI and other prisoners at high risk for sexual assault placed in solitary confinement for their own protection. The resolution overwhelmingly passed. That portion of the resolution has now been included in current legislation being considered by the CA legislature: SB 990.
SB 990 will help ensure that the dignity of transgender people is honored in incarceration settings and that LGBTQI people and others at high risk of sexual assault and harassment have an equal opportunity to access rehabilitative, educational and work programs. SB 990 will also require that people entering jails and prison be given an opportunity to specify their preferred first name, gender identity, gender pronoun, and honorific (e.g., Mr., Ms, Mx.) and will require all facility staff to use the designated name, pronoun and honorific when addressing the person. SB 990 will further require that people housed outside of the general population for their own safety be provided equal access to rehabilitative, religious and educational programs.
We are very proud to support SB 990 and submitted our Letter of Support to Senator Wiener on April 2, 2018. You can view that letter here. We are also proud to have ensured the support of CCBA's lobbying staff as this bill moves through the legislature.
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Résumé & Interview Workshop
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BALIF is hosting one of the largest annual events for students, our Résumé Review and Mock Interview Workshop! We will have LGBTQI attorneys from various sectors (e.g., big law, public service, government, academic, judges, in-house counsel, etc.) that will provide 1:1 feedback to law students. All class levels are welcome!
The event will commence with a panel on how to navigate your legal career, interviews, and networking. After a catered lunch, students will go through rounds of interviews and résumé review.
Confirmed panelists include:
David Tsai - Managing Partner at Vinson & Elkins
Ariel Ruiz - Senior Litigation Counsel at Uber
Melanie Rowen - Public Service & Fellowship Advisor at UC Berkeley.
Wh
en: Saturday, April 14, 2018 Where: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP - Four Embarcadero Center, 22nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111 (right next to Embarcadero BART) Time: 11 am-2pm Lunch: Provided Attire: Business / Interview Attire Highly Recommended
Please be sure to RSVP here!
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Joint APABA-BALIF Scholarship
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The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley Charity (the "APABA Silicon Valley Charity") and the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom Foundation (the "BALIF Foundation") are pleased to announce a special joint scholarship for law students who have a demonstrated commitment to the Asian Pacific American and LGBT communities.
Purpose
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To recognize law students in the greater Bay Area who have shown excellence and achievement in law school, and:
- Overcome personal hardships or challenges; and
- Demonstrated leadership and service in support of their local Asian Pacific American ("APA") and LGBT communities.
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Award
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One joint scholarship of $3,000.
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Application
Process
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Application for the scholarship includes the following:
- Résumé submission. Please include grade point average if applicable. The applicant's grade point average and law school enrollment are subject to verification.
- Essay submission (two page maximum). The essay should address how the applicant fulfills the above-mentioned purpose of the scholarship.
- Interview. Scholarship finalists will be interviewed on Sunday, April 15, 2018.
The APABA Silicon Valley Charity & the BALIF Foundation also require that the recipient:
- Attend and volunteer at the APABA Silicon Valley 33nd Anniversary Gala, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on October 5, 2018;
- Attend the BALIF Annual Gala in 2019 (invited but not required to attend);
- Become a Student Member of APABA Silicon Valley (free of charge) and BALIF ($10.00);
- Participate as an APABA Silicon Valley Student Liaison at his or her law school by (i) advertising APABA Silicon Valley events and scholarships, and (ii) encouraging fellow law students to attend events and apply for future scholarships;
- Join an APABA Silicon Valley Committee; and
- Become a New Member with APABA Silicon Valley and BALIF upon graduation.
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Deadline
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Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m., April 5, 2018.
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Submission
Questions
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Bagels and Bubbly with Bisexuals in the Bay
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What:
Bagels and Bubbly with Bisexuals in the Bay
Who:
Legal Professionals and their partners who identify as bisexual*
(*The term bisexual is used as an umbrella term for people who have the potential for sexual, emotional, and/or romantic attraction to more than one gender. This includes people who may identify as bisexual, pansexual, fluid, queer, and questioning.)
When: Sunday, April 15th, 11am - 1pm
Details:
An opportunity for discussion and activities focused on bi-visibility and community within the bi-community.
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The AIDS Legal Referral Panel FREE Spring 2018 MCLE Training Programs
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To RSVP
Call: 415-701-1200 ext. 303
Employment Issues Facing Clients with HIV/AIDS
Sponsored by the State Bar's Labor & Employment Law Section
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Tuesday, April 10th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by Sonya Smallets, Esq. - Minnis & Smallets LLP
Top 10 Things You Should Know About Employee Benefits Law
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Thursday, April 19th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by Kirsten G. Scott, Esq. - Renaker Hasselman Scott LLP
Representing LGBTQ Clients in Immigration Court
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Tuesday, May 1st, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by Gam Galindo, Esq. - Galindo & Associates, P.C.
Disability Rights in the Workplace - Reasonable Accommodations and Medical Privacy
Sponsored by the State Bar's Labor & Employment Law Section
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Tuesday, May 22nd, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by Noah D. Lebowitz, Esq. - Duckworth Peters Lebowitz Olivier LLP
Long Term Disability/Veterans Benefits Training
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Thursday, June 14th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by John Unruh, Esq. - Unruh Law
Negotiating for Tenant Attorneys: How To Do Right for San Francisco Tenants
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Monday, June 25th, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
* Presented by Deepa Varma, Esq. - San Francisco Tenants Union
Location:
BASF
301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA
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KABANC Spring Mixer
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
6-8pm
Location: Dirty Water, 1355 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Join KABANC for their spring mixer and make connections with the board, attorneys, and students in the Bay Area. Appetizers will be served. The first 20 guests will receive a ticket for a free drink!
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37th Annual Real Property Law
Section Retreat
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37th Annual Real Property Law Section Retreat
Thursday - Sunday, April 19 - 22, 2018 Hyatt Regency Embarcadero Five Embarcadero Center San Francisco
Online Registration HERE
Earn up to 15.75 Hours MCLE Credit Including Credit in Legal Ethics, Elimination of Bias, and Competency Issues
Key Deadlines
March 26:
Hotel Reservation Deadline April 5: Early Program Registration Deadline April 12: Pre-registration deadline. Register onsite after April 12.
Program and Special Activities Highlights
- Choose from 47 Education Programs
- Includes Credit in Legal Ethics, Elimination of Bias and Competency Issues
- More than 100 Speakers Covering a Wide-range of Program Topics, including Perennial Favorite Top 10 Real Estate Cases of 2017
- Featuring Special Documentary Presentation "Balancing the Scales" with filmmaker Sharon Rowen and California Supreme Court Justice Therese Stewart
- Complimentary Breakfast (Friday-Sunday) and Lunch (Friday/Saturday)
- Networking Receptions
- Special Offsite Events including Chinatown Walking Tour and Dim Sum Tasting, Alcatraz by Night, Beach Blanket Babylon, and more!
Registration Fees and Deadlines
- Early-bird pre-registration: April 5
- Final pre-registration: April 12
- Full 4-day Registration Fee or a One-day Registration Fee
- Full Retreat Fee (if registered by April 5; prices increase after this date)
- Section members: $695
- Non-section members: $790, includes free 2018 Section membership
- Discounted full-retreat fees offered for young attorneys, in-house counsel, government, professor and full time law students
- One-Day Fees (if registered by April 5; prices increase after this date)
- Thursday: $75 | Friday or Saturday: $275 per day | Sunday: $150
Registration/General Information & Special Assistance
For General Information and Special Assistance please call
415-795-7185
.
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Join us for LGBTQ Advocacy Day in Sacramento on May 21!
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Join Equality California and our partners for our annual LGBTQ Advocacy Day on Monday, May 21 in at the California State Capitol. Register today at
eqca.org/advocacyday
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Highschool and college students can register for free, here:
action.eqca.org/studentreg
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Our
Advocacy
Day will welcome hundreds of LGBTQ leaders, activists and allies from across California for a day of grassroots political action to raise awareness about critical priorities for the LGBTQ community, people living with HIV, and all communities impacted by the divisive actions of the Trump Administration.
Participants of LGBTQ Advocacy Day will:
- Learn how to harness grassroots political power
- Receive training on our legislative priorities and how to advocate for them
- Attend a rally and press conference on the West Steps
- Meet face-to-face with California legislators and staff, urging them to pass key legislation to protect and expand the civil liberties of all Californians
When: Monday, May 21, 2018
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Where: West Steps, California State Capitol, Sacramento, CA
Limited scholarships and travel grants are available.
We will be lobbying on a variety of issues important to the LGBTQ community including healthcare, education, HIV/AIDS, transgender rights, criminal justice reform, and immigration.
If you have questions about the advocacy day, registration, travel grants, or accessibility accommodation requests (materials, translation, on-site interpretation, and more), please contact Brad Lundahl at brad@eqca.org.
Together, we can ensure that our legislators and policymakers continue to make California a beacon of hope for the rest of the country.
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2018 Arturo Gonzalez Summer
Law Student Fellowships
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LGBTQIA+ Survivors of Sexual Assault
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Giving to the BALIF Foundation
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Please consider making a tax deductible donation to the BALIF Foundation. The Foundation recently launched and is working to assist BALIF in bringing LGBT judges to the bench and supporting scholarships, stipends and fellowships for law students and attorneys working in the LGBTQ community.
You can donate here. In the four years ahead, we believe the Foundation's work will be critical in helping to protect our community.
For more information about the BALIF Foundation or how to get involved, contact Jamie Dupree
jdupree@fddcm.com.
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BALIF & The BALIF Foundation
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BALIF is the Bay Area's LGBT Bar Association, which is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit, which can engage in political activity. Its Board members are elected by the BALIF membership and chair various committees of the BALIF bar association.
The BALIF Foundation is BALIF's charitable arm. Donations to the BALIF Foundation are tax deductible because it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The BALIF Foundation is dedicated to increasing the number of LGBT judges on the bench through educational programming, supporting LGBT community organizations, and providing scholarships, summer stipends, and fellowships for LGBT law students and young attorneys seeking to help the LGBT community through legal work. It gave its inaugural summer fellowship for the summer of 2017.
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Job Postings Now on BALIF Website
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Looking for a job or a law school internship? As a BALIF member you get access to all job postings. Click
here to see the opportunities, or log into the
BALIF website with your membership ID and password, and select JOBS on the menu on the left.
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April 5 - Joint APABA-BALIF Scholarship
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April 12 - BALIF General Meeting and Elections Event
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April 15 - Bagels and Bubbly with Bisexuals in the Bay
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Partner Level
Counsel Level
Advocate Level
A.L. Nella & Co, CPA
Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Pacific Gas & Electric
Perkins Coie LLP
Sanford Heisler Kimpel, LLP
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Tycko & Zavareei LLP
Uber
White & Case LLP
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Benefactor Level
AT&T
Baker Botts LLP
Bonora Rountree, Trial Consulting & Research
Callaway & Wolf
Clarence Dyer & Cohn LLP / Swanson & McNamara LLP
Cooley LLP
Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP
Danko Meredith
Epiq Global
Farella Braun + Martel LLP
Futterman Dupree Dodd Croley Maier LLP
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Golden Gate University
Helbraun Law Firm
Jackson Lewis P.C.
JAMS
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
Minnis & Smallets
Perkins Coie LLP
Pritzker Levine LLP
Reed Smith LLP
Robert Half Legal
Roeca Haas Montes De Oca LLP
Sally Morin Professional Law Corporation
San Francisco City Attorney's Office
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Troutman Sanders
Venable
Veritext
Vinson & Elkins LLP
Individual Sponsors
Joanna Barron - ADR Services, Inc.
C. Todd Norris - Bullivant Houser Bailey P.C.
Michael Colantuono - Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC
Gordon Atkinson - Gluck Daniel, LLP
Peter Borkon - Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
Frederick Hertz - Law Offices of Frederick Hertz
John E. Hill - Law Offices of John E. Hill P.C.
Kelly McCown - McCown & Evans
Jahan Sagafi - Outten & Golden LLP
Saya Wallace - Paul Hastings LLP
Teresa Renaker - Renaker Hasselman Scott LLP
Peter Pierce - Richards, Watson & Gershon
Debra Schoenberg - Schoenberg Family Law
Bao M. Vu - Stoel Rives LLP
John Robert Unruh - Unruh Law, P.C.
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Peter Catalanotti
Jamie Dupree
Stephan Ferris
Jaclyn Gross & Kevin Jones
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BALIF Foundation
Board of Directors
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Jamie Dupree, Chair
Shay Gilmore
Chelsea HaleyNelson, Secretary
Laura Maechtlen
Nina Paul
Linda Scaparotti
David Tsai
John Unruh, Treasurer
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