The American Bar Association - Out and about: The Lgbt Experience in the Legal Profession

The American Bar Associations Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI), along with the National LGBT Bar Association, is pleased to present the publication of Out and About , a compilation of stories about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender attorneys, academics, and jurists in the profession, through their own words.

SOGI is proud of this collaborative effort with the National LGBT Bar Association. Both of our groups are working to support the LGBT legal community. The SOGI mission is to promote full and equal participation in the legal profession by persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities. Our commission focuses on trying to change the fact that the LGBT legal community faces significant barriers and challenges that discourage their full acceptance and participation in their chosen fields of legal expertise.

In an effort to fulfill the SOGI Commissions responsibility as a source of information for the ABA, the LGBT Bar, current and future practitioners, and society at large, Out and About was designed with two goals in mind. One is to educate the legal profession and the general public about the LGBT legal community, its contributions, and its unique struggles; the other is to provide a resource for identification, inspiration, and education to the LGBT legal community on how to deal with situations they may face.

I personally want to thank all of the members of the SOGI Commission and the National LGBT Bar Association for their excellent work on putting this publication together. I also want to thank the brave individuals who trusted us with their stories. May their experiences provide guidance, enlightenment, and courage to all who read them.

Jim Holmes, Chair

American Bar Associations Commission
on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Dear reader:

This publication is a collaborative effort between the American Bar Associations Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and the National LGBT Bar Association (LGBT Bar). Together we have put together a compilation of stories from lawyers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender. We are thrilled to bring you this unique perspective into the lives of our members and to share their stories with you the reader.

The LGBT Bar is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender legal organizations. The LGBT Bar, in conjunction with its sister organization, the LGBT Bar Foundation, promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBT community in all its diversity.

The LGBT Bar has provided support services to the LGBT law community and as such supports the efforts put forth by our editorial committee, but more importantly, we applaud the courage and determination illustrated by each and every authors story.

The LGBT Bar Foundation is grateful for the time and effort the editorial committee put forth in bringing this book to fruition. We are also deeply thankful for the support from the American Bar Association in recognizing the LGBT Bar and supporting this publication.

We are confident that you will enjoy these stories and are hopeful also that you will learn from the stories of our LGBT brothers and sisters in the legal community.