SacLegal, Sacramento's lgbtq+ Bar Association

On this Transgender Day of Remembrance, SacLegal pauses to remember the transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people who have been killed in 2020. Many of those killed were trans women of color, highlighting the ongoing need for our community to recognize and address violence against women and violence against people of color. We call on all of our members to honor the memory of those killed and to continue working for an inclusive society where all individuals are safe to be their authentic selves.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will be speaking at a free, virtual event on World AIDS Day, December 1, at 5:00 p.m. He will be discussing the Equal Insurance HIV Act and PrEP access. Hosted by the McGeorge School of Law Lambda Law Students Association.

Sponsored by Lambda Law Students Association, please join Professor Larry Levine moderate an important discussion with Jenny Pizer, Esq. regarding LGBTQ rights ...and religious liberty. The event is from 5-6:15 pm, and the Zoom information will be in The Docket. This event is in support of McGeorge’s Jeffrey K. Poile’ LGBTQ Civil Rights Scholarship, and is eligible for a one-hour credit of MCLE. We hope to see you there! RSVP to [email protected] See more

A reminder that our next SacLegal Mixer is this week on November 4th!

Check out this panel discussion tomorrow 10/26 @ noon, featuring Alamada County Superior Court Judge Vicky Kolakowski! More details available here: https://rebellionstonewallscreening.splashthat.com/

Today is International Pronouns Day!

Unity Bar is tomorrow 10/15! Registration is available here: https://sacbar.site-ym.com/events/event_list.asp#

SacLegal is excited by Governor Newsom’s announcement on Monday that he has recommended Justice Martin Jenkins (Ret.) for appointment to the California Supreme Court. Subject to the appointments process, Justice Jenkins will be the first openly gay and third Black man to serve on the California Supreme Court. Justice Jenkins has served as Judicial Appointments Secretary to Governor Newsom since 2019. He previously served as a justice on the California Court of Appeal for the... First District, a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of California, and a superior court judge in Alameda County. Speaking after Governor Newsom announced his nomination, Justice Jenkins reflected on the role his identity as a gay man had played in his career. Acknowledging that coming to terms with his sexuality was "perhaps the greatest challenge of my life," he emphasized that he is "not here in spite of the struggle, I am here because of my struggle." Speaking directly to those struggling with their identities, Justice Jenkins stated, "I want these young people to know that living a life of authenticity is the greatest gift you can give yourself." On July 9, 2020, SacLegal joined with all other LGBTQ+ Bar Associations in California in a letter to Governor Newsom, urging him to appoint a LGBTQ+ person of color to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Ming Chin. The letter respectfully requested Governor Newsom to continue his work in recognizing the important roles LGBTQ+ individuals serve in our communities, and specifically noted that the path to the bench for people of color is even more difficult. Recent statistics gathered by the Judicial Council revealed that more than 65% of California’s judges are white, compared to 41% of California’s population. Our current Supreme Court includes only one black justice and one Latinx justice. As of 2019, judges in 21 of California’s 58 county superior courts were exclusively white; judges in 12 counties were exclusively male; and judges in 10 counties were exclusively white, heterosexual, able-bodied males. We have heard Governor Newsom say before that California doesn’t succeed in spite of our diversity our state succeeds because of it. SacLegal agrees.

Don't miss this year's Unity Bar event on October 15!

Don't miss "Outlaws to In-Laws" this Thursday 10/1 @ 4:30 p.m.

Deadline extended until this Wednesday 9/23 @ 11:59 p.m.! Current law students are strongly encouraged to apply.

The deadline to apply for the SacLegal/Unity Bar Scholarship is next Friday, September 18, 2020!

Hello everyone,

Please join SacLegal for a special virtual happy hour welcoming law students at Lincoln, McGeorge, and UC Davis back to school. Students who join the call before 6 p.m. will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards! No RSVP necessary - all law students, faculty, members, those interested, colleagues, and friends welcome! Just use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89271095812... and enter passcode: 689265 to join the Zoom event at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday 9/3! See more

Town Hall on Intersectionality is tonight! More information and free registration at:

Grab your favorite glass or mug (so you can show it off) and join us for our monthly Zoom Happy Hour TOMORROW (Thursday) 7/30 @ 5:30 p.m.! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89072346187

SacLegal is proud to be a principal co-author of the letter discussed in the linked article. You can read the letter here: https://files.constantcontact.com//658dfa6d-c14f-4e77-998e