News

The Transgender Law Center is proud to be one of the partners selected by the Folsom Street Fair to provide volunteers for the Folsom Street Fair and its baby brother, Up Your Alley.

To be a success, TLC needs BALIF members' help. TLC needs BALIF to step up and be a volunteer. It's easy, it's fun, and you'll still have plenty of time to enjoy the fair.

All you have to do is go to a brief orientation meeting, and then show up and work a shift. A variety of volunteer tasks are available. You'll meet terrific people and have fun while at the same time helping Transgender Law Center become a strong, solid partner of the Folsom Street Fair.

Up Your Alley is on July 28th and the Folsom Street Fair is September 29th. More information can be found here: http://folsomstreetfair. org/fair-faq.php

Please let Trans Law Center Board Member Shawn Demmons (shawn.demmons@gmail.com) know ASAP if you can volunteer for either event. TLC needs you, BALIF members!

Happy Pride! We are gearing up for SCOTUS's big decisions this week or next. For me, and perhaps many of us, waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions on DOMA and Prop 8 has been akin to patiently waiting to learn if I passed the Bar exam. The future is uncertain and all possibilities must be considered. At BALIF, we are preparing for every scenario with a keen eye on the future of the LGBT movement. Whatever SCOTUS's decision, this year's Pride will be one for the history books!

Please join BALIF and Jones Day on June 30th for our 5th Annual Pride Breakfast Celebration. Come and enjoy great food, drinks, and fun before you head out to watch the Pride Parade. Also, don't miss the Real T-Party, a Trans March Fundraiser at Asia SF this Thursday, June 20th. We look forward to seeing you all out and about for Pride and the upcoming Day of Decision events!


Jennifer Orthwein
BALIF Communications & Public Relations Chair

I have just returned from my niece's high school graduation where her principal challenged the graduates to decide what their legacy was going to be. It's a good question to ask ourselves now and then - what will our legacy be?

BALIF's legacy is already partially known, but continues to evolve as our committed board and talented members continue to support the cause of LGBT equality. We know BALIF has worked to support diversity and equality for all through drafting amicus briefs, conducting community and educational activities, successfully mentoring hundreds if not thousands of lawyers, helping LGBT lawyers reach the bench, and providing a myriad of venues and events for LGBT lawyers and allies to network. In short, BALIF is making and continues to make a difference for the LGBT legal community and our broader society.

So what will your legacy be?

Jamie Dupree
BALIF Co-Chair

Happy Pride month! And what a month ahead we have! In addition to all of the wonderful festivities celebrating our community, the Supreme Court will issue its rulings in the DOMA and Prop 8 cases by month's end. The impact of these decisions will be enormous on our community. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a total victory in both cases and express our gratitude to the many lawyers who have worked so hard for all of us on them.

While we wait for the rulings, be sure to mark your calendar for the BALIF/Jones Day Pride Parade Breakfast on Sunday, June 30, 2013 from 8:30-10:30. This is a family friendly event and always a wonderful time before the SF Pride Parade.

In addition, be sure to review this week's newsletter about some of the other amazing events coming up this month including the June 11 "Being Out and In-House in 2013: Perspectives of LGBT In-House Counsel" panel and reception and the June 13 National LGBT Bar Association's Out & Proud Corporate Counsel Award Reception honoring BALIF Board Member Andrew Vu, Senior Associate Counsel of Walmart Global eCommerce.

We hope to see you there!


Jamie Dupree
BALIF Board Co-Chair

In our last Co-Chair Statement, I bid a fond adieu to Co-Chair Chelsea HaleyNelson. In this week's Statement, I'm delighted to introduce you to our newly elected female Co-Chair -- the incomparable Jamie Dupree.

When I tapped Jamie to sign a Release and Waiver for her "It Gets Better" video, she wanted to make sure BALIF wouldn't use her name and likeness to "sell toothpaste or something like that." Right then, I knew we would be friends. BTW: See her amazing story here.

To me, "James" is friend, confidante, leader, drinking buddy, visionary, witty goofball, ex-cheerleader, and make-it-happen executor all rolled into one. (Did I mention that she's also hilarious?)


Jamie has served as BALIF's Gala Co-Chair for the past two years, and has been responsible for securing sponsorships from the dozens of law firms that support BALIF and our Gala. She's also been an amazing cheerleader for the numerous other events that BALIF puts on. Last year, Jamie offered to buy tickets for every law students interested in attending the Lesbian Comedy Night! Jamie's goals as BALIF Co-Chair this year are laser focused. She's getting our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization status off the ground. And she's jumpstarting networking opportunities to help BALIF members become rainmakers.

Here are some other interesting tidbits about Jamie that you might not know.
Married Patty Frontiera in October 2008, just before the Prop 8 election, after 12-years of bliss
Proud mommy to Jonah (7) and Zachary (4 1/2).
Two favorite things in the world: (1) spending time with her boys; and (2) having a break from spending time with her boys.
Until she gave birth, the hardest thing she had ever done was hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back out.
Has traveled to Legoland each of the past three years.
Founded her own firm in August 1998.
Favorite obsession - finding a larger house in Piedmont, or renovating current house.
Want to know more about Jamie? Read her "What I've Learned" article here.

Welcome, Jamie. We're so, so proud and privileged to have you onboard!


On Lu
BALIF Board Co-Chair

Sssshhhhhh! My Co-Chair, Chelsea "Chels" HaleyNelson, doesn't know this is being written about her, so don't spill the beans...

It's never easy saying good-bye to a Board Member -- especially when she has devoted FIVE years to the BALIF Board (with two of those as Co-Chair), and has had such tremendous impact...

I've known Chels for more than a decade. We sat next to each other in several classes as 1Ls at USF, and quickly became friends. One of my fondest memories was sneaking around campus with Chelsea incognito, as we papered the school with anti-JAG flyers in protest to military recruiting efforts forced on our campus (less we lose government funding). What a duo we made. And what a privilege and a pleasure it has been to serve as Co-Chair with her over the past year.

Wow! We didn't think we could laugh as hard as we did last night! More than 115 BALIF members and friends attended our second annual Comedy Night at the Punchline. Suzanne Westenhoefer delivered a fierce and hilarious performance that blew us away!

Afterward, about 25 VIP ticket holders got the chance to meet, and get personal with, the comedienne.

We want to thank Queens Bench again for co-sponsoring this event for the past 2 years. And we thank our members for letting BALIF be a part of your date night!

We hope to see you soon,

Chelsea E. HaleyNelson & On Lu
BALIF Co-Chairs

It's Date Night!

Come laugh with BALIF this next Tuesday, May 7th, at our Lesbian Comedy Night with the fearless and hilarious Suzanne Westenhoefer. All you wonderful, witty women of BALIF - it is time to put on your best, bring your date, partner, friends and male cohorts to share a bite, a drink and a chuckle with us!

Tickets are going fast, so make sure to get yours now! Click here.

We will see you there!
Chelsea E. HaleyNelson & On Lu
BALIF Co-Chairs

Thank you to everyone who voted in BALIF's recent elections! We had incredible participation and a great turnout at our annual meeting this past week! Congratulations to newly-elected Board members: Jennifer Orthwein, Jennifer Wilensky, Jessica Bogo, Leah Nutting, Midori Hirai, Edward Joy, Andrew Vu and Dustin Helmer. We also welcome back re-elected Board members: Jamie Dupree, Lilah Sutphen, John Unruh, and Mario Choi. They will join continuing Board members On Lu, Laurie Bertolacci, Elizabeth Prtizker, Nick Kacprowski, Peter Catalanotti, and Nicholas Clements. We will be introducing the BALIF Board to you in the coming weeks, so stay stuned!

We also want to thank our departing BALIF superstars: Laura Maechtlen, David Nathan-Allen Sims, Susan Bluer, Michael Wolchansky, and our law student representatives, Nathan Bewley, Aditi Fruitwala and Milo Beitman. Thank you for your years of dedication and commitment to the Board and to BALIF! I, too, will be leaving the Board after 5 years. I have truly enjoyed being a part of such a dynamic and creative Board. Thank you!

Now its time to laugh! Do not miss BALIF's 2nd Annual Lesbian Comedy Night on May 7th at the Punchline with the first-ever openly gay stand-up comic, Suzanne Westenhoefer! Tickets are on sale now by clicking here, but going fast! Bring a group and laugh with the ladies of BALIF and Queen's Bench.

We hope to see all of you there!

Chelsea E. HaleyNelson & On Lu
BALIF Co-Chairs

Hello BALIF Members and Friends,

Our message is short and simple this week - make sure you vote TODAY for the BALIF Board! Electronic voting is available today only until 3 p.m., After you've cast your vote, join us at the Sausage Factory to meet and congratulate the new, incoming BALIF Board Members.

Good luck to all of the candidates! We will see you tonight!

Chelsea E. HaleyNelson and On Lu
BALIF Board Co-Chairs