Why Join?
Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom is one of the country’s oldest and largest LGBT Bar Associations. BALIF represents its members’ interests in the wider San Francisco Bay Area. BALIF members and supporters include San Francisco Bay Area judges, lawyers, law students and legal workers. The group takes action on questions of law and justice that affect the LGBT community; strengthens professional and social ties among LGBT members of the legal profession; builds coalitions with other legal organizations to combat all forms of discrimination; promotes the appointment of LGBT attorneys to the judiciary, public agencies and commissions in the Bay Area; funds scholarships for LGBT laws students and fellowships for public interest lawyers working on LGBT issues, and provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information of concern to members of the LGBT legal community. BALIF also submits amicus briefs in cases affecting the LGBT community, sponsors resolutions to the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations, provides LGBT-focused continuing legal education opportunities and endorses candidates for judicial offices and legal elected positions.
Listserve
If you are a new member, you should shortly receive an invitation to join the BALIF_News Yahoo Group email listserve. Our listserve is an important means of keeping you informed about upcoming social events, law student functions, MCLE programs, and other issues of interest to the Bay Area LGBT community.
Get Involved
We’re glad you joined us! Now get involved. Some of the things you can do:
- Get a mentor or be a mentor (younglawyers@balif.org).
- Join a committee (just email the chair).
- Come to a 1st Thursday Happy Hour, posted on our events page.
- Submit an idea for an Amicus Brief (we have one in the marriage cases).
- Have an idea for charitable donations? Let us know.
- Also, don’t forget to watch our weekly email for job postings!
