MLBA Welcomes New Board Members
The Minnesota Lavender Bar Association is pleased to welcome six new board members to its Board of Directors: Helene Hapaala, an attorney with Thomson Reuters; Micah G. Ludeke, a student at Hamline School of Law; Beverly Luther, an attorney with Deloitte Tax LLP; Ashley Mays, a student at William Mitchell College of Law; Daniel Seburg, a recent graduate of Hamline School of Law, and Chris Tymchuck, an associate with Zelle Hofmann. The Board looks forward to working with these six new members who bring with them a great deal of experience in different areas of the law.

This April, Jon Bargen, Janet Totter (Treasurer), and Kelly Olmstead decided to resign from the Board of Directors. These three members have devoted a substantial amount of their time to MLBA, making it the thriving organization that it is today. Their presence on the board will be missed.  The MLBA wishes these three members the best in all their future endeavors.

MLBA Requests Member Support for Same-Sex Marriage Resolution during June’s MSBA Assembly Meeting
The Minnesota State Bar Association will be considering a resolution asking the Association to take a policy position in favor of same-sex marriage in Minnesota on June 26, 2010 (see attachment for full version of resolution). It is important for those persons and organizations that support our community to come out (no pun intended) in favor of same-sex marriage, especially in light of recent developments. The Minnesota State Bar Association has been a significant supporter of MLBA efforts to create a more accepting legal community for LGBT attorneys and clients alike. However, this issue, as we know, does not go without opposition. As such, the MLBA asks that you try to attend the Minnesota State Bar Association's General Assembly meeting on June 26, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. at the Minnesota CLE Center to express your support for this resolution. If you are a member in good-standing with the Minnesota State Bar Association, then you have a right to speak at this meeting in favor of the resolution. ;We hope to see you there. We have three MLBA members who will be voting in that meeting, but we need more voices! If you have questions, please contact MLBA Co-Chair David Ahlvers at (612) 656-4247 or david@familysolutionslaw.com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Twin Cities Pride 2010
June 26th & 27th Loring Park
Volunteers Needed for MLBA Pride Booth!
For the third year in a row, Lambda Legal and Minnesota Lavender Bar Association (MLBA) are working together to promote awareness of important legal issues within the GLBT community. Last year Minnesota volunteers gathered over 1,000 signatures in support of Lambda Legal’s health care fairness petition. We also passed out over 1,000 of MLBA’s new business cards, showcasing MLBA’s new, online membership directory.

Each year, we staff the MLBA booth with board members and MLBA volunteers. This year, we still need volunteers! Booth shifts are only two hours long. Members get a chance to meet many people in our community as they pass by our booth and of course, refreshments and snacks are always available. If you are interested in helping, please email Jenny Ryan at jennyryan@gmail.com.

MLBA to Distribute Handouts to Assist the Transgender Community
This year, MLBA will distribute materials educating attorneys and lay persons regarding legal issues specific to the transgender community. Hand-outs will be made available to assist those who are interested in obtaining more information in key areas such as criminal law, housing, employment, and immigration. In addition to substantive materials, a list of attorneys who have experience with transgender issues or who wish to accept transgender clients will be made available (see below). This is a great opportunity for attorneys to gain more knowledge in assisting those in our community who have been previously underrepresented.

MLBA to Distribute the Online Member Directory and Transgender Attorney List during Pride
MLBA will be handing out a printed version of the Online Membership Directory to any person asking for a list of GLBT attorneys. If you are an MLBA Member and have not yet taken advantage of the MLBA Online Member Directory, you can still do so by filling out the information at http://www.mnlavbar.org/directory.htm. This is a great way to get your name distributed to those in our community. In order to be part of the printed version of the directory, you must submit your application by June 15th.

This year, the Online Directory will highlight MLBA member attorneys who wish to serve transgender clients. If you are an MLBA member attorney and wish to be part of this list, or if you have any questions about the MLBA Online Member Directory, please email Julie Plumitis at Julie.Plumitis@gmail.com.

Lavender Law 2010 Career Fair & Conference
August 26th – 28th at Loews Miami Beach Hotel
Please join us for the 2010 Lavender Law Career Fair & Conference being held August 26-28th at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami Beach, FL. Over 1,000 practicing attorneys, scholars, law students, members of the judiciary and other legal professionals year are expected to attend this year’s event which will feature career, networking, and continuing legal education opportunities tailored for the LGBT legal community.

For more information about events taking place during the 2010 Lavender Law Career Fair & Conference, please visit:
http://www.lgbtbar.org/annual/schedule.php

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Williams Institute Seeks New Senior Scholar
The Williams Institute is seeking a full-time, permanent Senior Scholar who conducts social science and policy-related research on sexual orientation and/or gender identity issues. We are interested in candidates whose work addresses parenting, family, workplace, health, education, violence, LGBT youth, LGBT elderly, and/or the underlying causes of homophobia. In particular, we seek candidates whose research incorporates concerns of people of color in LGBT communities.

Candidates should have a PhD and at least three years of post-degree experience in a research-related position. Applicants are welcome from any social science discipline, including sociology, social psychology, political science, public policy, economics, anthropology, and public health. The Senior Scholar will join a staff of social science researchers, including current Williams Senior Scholars Lee Badgett and Gary Gates, legal scholars, and support staff, who are dedicated to the production of rigorous and relevant social science and policy research. For more information, please visit http://www.law.ucla.edu/WilliamsInstitute/about/Job%20Openings.html

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Job Opportunities posted
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MLBA receives a number of notices from employers seeking candidates for open positions. We try to post these on our web site regularly, and in fact have now created a specific page dedicated to sharing these opportunities.
Please click here for more information. http://www.mnlavbar.org/