Lawyers’ Committee at Lavender Law

Join the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice at the National LGBT Bar Association’s 30th Annual Conference & Career Fair (Lavender Law) in New York City from August 7-10. Here is where you can find our legal warriors:

Wednesday, August 8 at 10:45 AM

Legal Empowerment Strategies for Challenging Immigration Enforcement at the Federal, State and Local Levels

Now is a time of monumental struggle for marginalized communities (LGBTQ and others) across the country. Some of the communities at greatest risk are diverse, multi-identity communities targeted by the Federal Government’s draconian immigration policies. This panel will explore multi-level strategies for building power and protecting communities in the immigration context. We will explore current sites of intense conflict, such as the battles over sanctuary cities, ICE enforcement at courthouses, and local collusion with federal enforcement efforts. The panel will also address legal and extra-legal challenges to federal immigration enforcement and will discuss legal interventions and strategies aimed at tackling both substantive immigration issues as well as issues of fear and community empowerment. The workshop will address the multiple levels of work needed to engage effectively with these issues and will discuss recent legal cases and real world examples of how this work can be effectively managed across legal, media, policy, and organizing spheres.

Speakers: Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice; Inez Friedman-Boyce, Goodwin Procter LLP; Eden Jequinto, Transgender Law Center; Oren Nimni, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice; Kevin O’Keefe, Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP; Keren Zwick, National Immigrant Justice Center.

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Thursday, August 9 at 7:45 AM

Economic Justice for LGBTQ Communities: National Poverty Report & Organizing Network

While the LGBTQ community has experienced a wide-range of legal and policy gains, sectors of this population continue to experience high rates of poverty and social instability. In 2014, several national groups convened to strategize about LGBTQ economic justice advocacy–forming the LGBTQ Poverty Collaborative. Members of this collaborative include the Williams Institute, SAGE, The Vaid Group, the National LGBTQ Task Force, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Whitman-Walker Health. Since 2015, the Collaborative has convened over 200 advocates and service providers in cities across the country to identify community needs and develop replicable policy solutions, resulting in a dynamic report of key local and federal policy recommendations. The legal and policy issues covered in the report highlighted the intersection of poverty in the LGBTQ community with race, criminal justice, immigration, health, work, housing, and other experiences in our communities. Come hear from some of the individuals who worked on this report and discuss innovative policy recommendations that resulted from our eight city-based consultations. This workshop will also explore strategies to build, maintain, and direct collective momentum in a productive and effective manner.

Speakers: Priya Lane, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice; Amira Hasenbush, The Williams Institute.

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Friday, August 10 at 1:30 PM

Lawyering en Español: Using Spanish To Help Build Bridges Across Diverse Communities

Latinos/as have become the largest minority community in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by the year 2050, nearly one-quarter of the U.S. population will be of Latino/a origin. Already, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language across the United States. How is the legal profession responding to this significant demographic shift? Lawyering en Español will provide an informal space for community building, dialogue and networking conducted in both English and Spanish. Participants will explore how legal, cultural, and language skills intersect in the effective representation of Latino/a and Spanish-speaking clients. We will also discuss best practices for serving the legal and policy needs of Spanish-speaking clients.

Moderator: Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice

Abogacía en Español: Hablando Español Para Ayudar a Construir Puentes a Través de Diversas Comunidades

Latinos/as se han convertido en la más grande comunidad de minorías en los Estados Unidos. La Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos estima que para el año 2050 casi un cuarto de la población del país será de origen Latino/a. El español ya es el segundo idioma más hablado en los Estados Unidos. ¿Como responde la profesión legal a este cambio demográfico? Abogacía en Español propocionará un espacio informal para crear dialogo en ingles y español y para establecer contactos comunitarios y profesionales. Los/las participantes explorarán como las habilidades legales, culturales y lingüísticas se cruzan en la representación efectiva de clientes Latinos/as y de habla hispana. También discutiremos las mejores maneras para solucionar y resolver las necesidades legales de los/las clientes de habla hispana.

Moderador: Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice