Amicus
Monitors cases raising issues of concern to the LGBT community and joins in writing amicus briefs related to such issues.
Committees
Annual Dinner
Organizes BALIF’s biggest annual event, attended by over 1000 members and supporters, including sister organizations, members of the judiciary, city and county government, law firms and elected officials.
Committee on the State Bar/Conference of Delegates
Authors resolutions in the Conference of Delegates of California State Bar Associations covering LGBT-related issues and acts as the BALIF liaison to LGBT bar associations and other LGBT organizations around the State and nationally.
Communications
Whether it be through the BALIF website, emails, newsletters, or press releases, the Communications Committee has the important task of keeping BALIF members and the community informed about BALIF events and accomplishments.
Judiciary/Endorsements
Endorses and evaluates candidates for legal and judicial offices, recommends positions on ballot measure and lobbies for judicial appointments.
Law Student Representatives
BALIF’s two law student representatives are law student board members who serve as the liaison between law students and the rest of the Bay Area LGBT legal community.
MCLE & Public Forums
Presents programs of interest to balif members for CLE credit. Develops luncheons and other events at which topics of current interest are discussed.
Membership & Outreach
Seeks to increase membership and diversity. Publishes the annual BALIF membership directory. Offers discounted subscription to Law Notes. Identifies topical matters of interest and coordinates BALIF’s efforts with other organizations of similar aspirations and goals taking appropriate responsive action.
Outreach & Current Events Committee
The Outreach/Current Events is a new committee to BALIF. The Committee is aimed at keeping BALIF present in the community and geared toward broadening the association’s relationships with other organizations. We are also BALIF’s “ear to the ground,” keeping the association informed about emerging legal issues and current events affecting the LGBT community, and advising BALIF on action in response. When action is warranted, the Outreach/Current Events Committee coordinates with other appropriate BALIF committees to make it happen and works closely with the Amicus, State Bar/Conference of Delegates Committee, Judiciary, Communications and Social Committees.
Pride Law Fund Committee
Social Events
Organizes the annual Holiday Party, Monthly Happy Hours, sporting events and other social gatherings.
Technology
BALIF’s Technology Committee was created to help keep BALIF technologically up to date and be more environmentally conscious at the same time. We began by creating a new website with a fresh look that will soon have an interactive web 2.0 feel. BALIF’s technology goals include enabling members to create online public or private profiles that they can update themselves whenever they choose, providing an automatic membership renewal option that will cut down on the number of paper mailings sent to members, and online voting that will greatly minimize the number of paper ballots and various mailings that BALIF regularly sends. BALIF also plans to offer videotaped MCLEs and MCLE webinars in the future.
If you have a technology idea that would benefit BALIF, please contact us at technology@balif.org.
Young Lawyers & Student Programs
Organizes activities for over 100 Bay Area lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender law students including the fall reception and mentoring program. Through BALIF’s mentorship, LGBT law students receive guidance and support from LGBT lawyers in the introduction and transition from law school to practice.