Weekly Newsletter        |        October 24, 2017
In This Issue
Message from the BALIF Board 

Greetings BALIFers, Fall 2017 is in full swing!  After sending a remarkably successful delegation of LGBT attorneys to the Conference of California Bar Associations in Sacramento, we kicked off our mentorship "Connections" program last week in SF.  
 
There is never a dull moment, as we are now gearing up for our Halloween Fundraiser, which will benefit the very good, important work done by California Rural Legal Assistance.  The event will take place this Wednesday, October 25th from 6-8pm in the East Bay at SomaR Bar & Lounge.  In addition, we will be holding a fundraiser on Sunday, November 5th at the Eagle SF to benefit an organization assisting with relief efforts from the Napa and Sonoma County fires.  More details coming soon!  If you cannot attend these events, but still want to contribute financially, please do!  We are still seeking  sponsors for our Halloween Fundraiser this Wednesday.  
 
If you want to hear more about what's on BALIF's horizon, I invite you to the fundraisers on 10/25 and 11/05, on 11/9 for our November Happy Hour at Divas and on 12/14 for our holiday party at The Stud.

 
Sincerely,


Nyla Moujaes
BALIF Co-Chair

BALIF's 2017 Halloween Fundraiser TOMORROW Night!

Halloween Fundraiser to benefit CRLA!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017
6:00PM to 8:00PM
 
SomaR Bar & Lounge
1727 Telegraph Ave
Oakland, CA 94612
b/t 18th St & 17th St 

On Wednesday, October 25th join BALIF & CRLA  for a night of costumes, cocktails & revelry at the SomaR Bar (1727 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA), from 6:00-8:00pm Tickets are $20 and all proceeds benefit the CRLA. 


Pups for Pups Beer Bust
The Eagle- Sunday, November 5th


BALIF will be hosting a beer bust fundraiser at The Eagle on  Sunday November 5th from 3pm - 6pm.   Proceeds from the event will benefit the Napa Community Animal Response Team.  

This organization has been working diligently to help families affected by the North Bay fires reunite and care for their animals. Napa Community Animal Response Team provides any animal-related supplies and resources free of charge to fire evacuees so that they may care for their animals when they are able to return to their properties or while they are still in a sheltering location.   

Please come out and enjoy a beer or non-alcoholic beverage for a good cause.  See and share our event on Facebook

BALIF November Happy Hour

John us for a drink and socializing at our November happy hour!

When:  Thursday, November 9, 2017
Time: 6pm-8pm
Where: Divas Bar,  1081 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Reception to Honor First Openly LGBT State Bar President
The LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles; the Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF); the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association of San Diego; and SacLEGAL have the pleasure of inviting you to: 

A reception in honor of openly LGBT State Bar President Michael Colantuono; openly LGBT State Bar Treasurer Todd Stevens; and openly LGBT State Bar Trustee Sean SeLegue 

Gold Sponsor
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman

Silver Sponsors
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP 
Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP      
                  
Bronze Sponsors
Crowell & Moring LLP 
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
Keeney, Waite & Stevens
O'Melveny & Myers
(Additional sponsors pending)            
                                                      
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
 
Los Angeles County Law Library
 
Open bar.  Hors d'oeuvres will be served
RSVP at  www.lgbtbarla.org

November Name/Gender Change Workshop

Send your client referrals to the Berkeley School of Law Name and Gender Change Workshop, a free clinic directly serving the LGBTQ community, during their October 2017 workshop. The Workshop helps pro-bono legal service recipients in drafting, reviewing, and filing necessary documents for a court-ordered name and/or gender marker change to their government-issued identity documents.   
 
Workshop Focus: Legal name and gender changes (with future workshop in November).
 
About: Please send any client referrals to the workshop.  The Workshop has enough attorney support, but asks that you help spread the word about this helpful opportunity.  Please invite folks who pay be in need of free legal assistance in changing the name/gender on their ID documents. 
 
When: November 15, 2017 (Wed), 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 
 
Where: East bay Community Law Center (2921 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA)
 
Contact: More information, or to sign up, email [email protected], or call 510-560-4213 (signing up encouraged).

BALIF Partner Exchange - 
Friday, November 17, 2017 and save the date for future months!
When:   Friday, November 17, 2017 Monday, December 11, 2017 , and  Wednesday, January 17, 2018

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: $55 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  [email protected]  may attend. 

BALIF December Happy Hour

Join BALIF for our December Happy Hour and a Mock Tail!!
When:  Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Time:  6 - 8pm
Where: Mock Tails at the Castro Country Club
4058 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114  

BALIF Holiday Party! Save the date!

Join us for our annual holiday party and ring in some holiday cheer!! 

When:  December 14, 2017
6:00- 9:00 pm

Where:
The Stud Bar
399 9th St.
San Francisco, CA 94103


Lambda Legal in the City Reception
November 1, 2017 ~ 7:00-9:00PM

Please join Lambda Legal and enjoy cocktails and small bites at the San Francisco home of Lambda Legal Board Member David Tsai, while hearing about Lambda Legal's work to combat the anti-LGBT policies and actions of the Trump administration and our continued fight for the full equality of LGBT people and all those living with HIV.
 
NOVEMBER 1, 2017
7:00PM - 9:00PM

*Location provided upon RSVP:   https://www.lambdalegal.org/events/llinthecity

The AIDS Legal Referral Panel 
FREE Fall 2017 
MCLE Training Programs


To RSVP
Email: [email protected] or
Call: 415-701-1200 ext. 303

What All Claimants and Advocates Must Know About Long Term Disability (LTD) Benefits
* Thursday, October 26, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits 
* Presented by John Unruh, Esq. - Unruh Law (jru-law.com)

End of Life Planning 101 - A Review of the Fundamentals of End of Life Planning
* Tuesday, November 7, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits
* Presented by Jim Wood, Esq. - Law Offices of James M. Wood (woodlaw-oakland.com)

Status of California Same-Gender Couples Under Current Legal, Judicial, and Political Realities - What are Their Rights and Responsibilities?
* Thursday, November 9, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits
* Presented by Betsy Johnsen - Betsy Johnsen Family Law and Charles Spiegel, Esq. - Charles Spiegel Law

Navigating Work in the "Gig" Economy - Sponsored by the State Bar's Labor & Employment Law Section 
* Monday, November 20, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits
* Presented by Lakeisha Poole, Esq. - LKP Legal Services (lkplegal.com)

Ethical Issues in Pro Bono and Modest Mean Practices
* Tuesday, November 21, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 Legal Ethics CLE Credits
* Presented by Tiela Chalmers, Esq. - Tiela Chalmers Consulting (tielachalmersconsulting.wordpress.com)

Experts in Bad Faith Insurance Cases - Selection, Use, Scope of Testimony and Strategies
* Thursday, November 30, 5:15-6:45pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits
* Presented by Guy Kornblum, Esq. - Kornblum Cochran Erickson & Harbison LLP (kcehlaw.com)

Representing LGBTQ Clients in Immigration Court
* Tuesday, December 5, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 Elimination of Bias CLE Credit
* Presented by Gam Galindo, Esq. - Galindo & Associates, P.C. (gamgalindolaw.com)

Mediation Strategies that Work for Your Client and YOU!
* Thursday, December 7, 5:15-6:45pm - 1.5 General CLE Credits
* Presented by Guy Kornblum, Esq. - Kornblum Cochran Erickson & Harbison LLP (kcehlaw.com)

Asylum Claims for LGBTQ and HIV+ Clients
* Tuesday, December 12, 5:30-7:00pm - 1.5 Elimination of Bias CLE Credit 
* Presented by Jose Z. Marin, Esq. - Jose Marin Law 

Giving to the BALIF Foundation
 

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.

And the Foundation is looking for Founding Circle members through the end of 2017 - pledge and pay as little as $1,000 to always be listed as a Founding Circle member of the BALIF Foundation.

For more information about the BALIF Foundation or how to get involved, contact Jamie Dupree [email protected].  
BALIF & The BALIF Foundation

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.

Job Postings Now on BALIF Website
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.
October 25 - BALIF Annual Halloween Fundraiser Extravaganza
November 5 - Pups for Pups Beer Bust
November 9 - BALIF November Happy Hour
November 15 - Reception to Honor First Openly LGBT State Bar President
December 6 - BALIF December Happy Hour
December 14 - BALIF Holiday Party - Save the date!!
Our 2017-2018 Sponsors
Partner Level


 
Counsel Level



Fenwick


  
Mofo



Sedgwick2
Seyfarth


Advocate Level

A.L. Nella & Co., CPA
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Jones Day
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Latham & Watkins LLP
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Pacific Gas & Electric
Sanford Heisler, LLP
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
Uber
Weaver, Austin, Villeneuve & Sampson LLP
Wells Fargo Legal Specialty Private Bank
White & Case LLP
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Benefactor Level


Individual Sponsors


BALIF Board of Directors
Nyla Moujaes & Peter Catalanotti
  
Jennifer Orthwein
Secretary &

Felicia Medina
Mario Choi
Treasurer

Annick Persinger
Judiciary Chair

Sarah Nicole Davis & 
Charles Bruce
Gala Co-Chairs  

Alex Touma
Dustin Helmer
BALIF Board Member

Meaghan Zore
 
Stan Sarkisov
Communications Chair 

Jamie Dupree
 
Stephan Ferris
Ashley Pellouchoud
Community Ambassador Chair  

Jaclyn Gross & Kevin Jones
Follow BALIF

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BALIF Foundation


BALIF Foundation
 Board of Directors
Jamie Dupree, Chair
  
Shay Gilmore

Chelsea HaleyNelson, Secretary

Laura Maechtlen

Nina Paul

Linda Scaparotti

David Tsai

John Unruh, Treasurer

BALIF | | [email protected] | http://www.balif.org
P.O. Box 193383
San Francisco, CA 94119