BALIF Newsletter- Become a sponsor today for the BALIF 2023 Gala!

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Weekly Newsletter | January 6, 2022

Upcoming Events:

March 3, 2023- BALIF's 43rd Annual Gala

BALIF 43rd Annual Gala

Click Here to Become a Sponsor!

BALIF's 43rd Annual Gala is on March 3, 2023, at the Julia Morgan Ballroom located at 465 California Street in San Francisco. If you haven't done so yet, now is the time to sponsor BALIF and purchase your tickets to the Gala.

Your sponsorship of BALIF and ticket purchases will fund law student scholarships, mentor programs, CLE, Amicus briefs on LGBTQI issues, LGBTQI recruiting, social events to LGBTQI lawyers, community outreach, and much more. If your business or firm would still like to sponsor the Gala, it is not too late to take advantage of some of the many benefits of sponsorship, such as recognition through the end of 2023 on the BALIF website and newsletter, and complimentary tickets to the gala.

The Gala is BALIF's largest annual event with more than 600 attendees, including lawyers, judges, lawmakers, legal professionals, students, and in-house counsel. Please join us to celebrate the amazing progress our community has made over the past year.

BALIF Membership

Renew your annual membership TODAY!!!

Renew Membership

Please heed this call to join or renew your Annual Membership to BALIF! Last year, we ended our legacy auto-renewal payment program of annual dues to align everyone’s membership term with our fiscal year. Therefore, many past members may not realize that your dues were not auto-paid for the 2021-2022 membership year and our programs budget really needs your support.

LET’S RE-UP (and sign-up again for auto-renewal)! Email Jon Lucchese (jon.lucchese@roberthalf.com) and/or Katie Carlson (balif@balif.org) to confirm if you are an active member.

WHY DO BALIF? BALIF’S purpose is to network together and lead our LGBTQI+ legal community through advocacy, justice, community empowerment, and professional development. Northern California lawyers (of all income levels – affordable dues based on sliding scale), legal professionals, and law students committed to LGBTQI dignity and equality are encouraged to join us.

Grab Your BALIF Pride Gear Today & Help Support BALIF!!

FREE ALRP MCLE

Wednesday, January 11, 2023 | 11am

Webinar

Click Here to Register

Waivers for Citizenship Clients with Disabilities and the N-648

Presented by Brett Snider, Esq.

Wednesday, January 11th

11:00am - 12:15pm PST

1.25 General CLE Credits

This training covers challenges that immigrants with disabilities face when applying for naturalization and the options available to them.

Topics include:

Filing the USCIS Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions.
How to advocate at USCIS interviews.
Other accommodations available to citizenship applicants with disabilities, such as waivers for the oath of allegiance.

QTAPI New Year Celebration

Saturday, January 21, 2023 | 5-7pm

Casements Bar 2351 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

Click Here to Register

ParivarBayArea cordially invites you to QueerTrans New Year Celebration on January 21, 2023 at Casements SF at 5pm.

Food, Drinks, Performances, and Prizes!

Please join us for a wonderful event and a great way to begin 2023 as we celebrate our QUEER TRANS intersectional unity and celebrate the many new year cultural celebrations!!

Please use the link to register and we look forward to celebrating with you!

Meet the Judges of the San Francisco Court

Saturday, January 28, 2023 | 2:00-4:00pm

Willie Wong Playground in Chinatown

830 Sacramento Street, San Francisco

SF Superior Court's Elimination of Bias Committee Presents this event on January 28, 2023.

All community members welcome! Hear from 8 judges to learn about different departments, including:

Delinquency
Family
Criminal
Small Claims
Community Justice

Q&A Session to answer your questions

Get to know your local judges'

Light refreshments will be provided.

BALIF Support

Let's Keep In Touch!

We are moving virtually these days and have hosted some successful get togethers, including the Lavender Graduation and Pride Power Hour to raise money for Aunt Charlie's. Check out the BALIF Forum for Pro Bono/Volunteer Opportunities and Suggested Donations. We're in this together, and BALIF's Covid Response Team is here to help. Our "Covid Resources" on the website offers resources and community connections during these troubling times. Let us know how you're dealing with the outbreak, and if you have any resources to share with our members. You can reach us here: CRT@balif.org

Out of Work During COVID?

Remember, BALIF offers deeply discounted memberships for unemployed attorneys. During this time, we think community is especially important, and we intend to continue offering the networking opportunities that our members depend upon.

Please join us or renew your membership so we can get through this together!

BALIF Board of Directors

Mark Fickes

BALIF Board Co-Chair

Andrea Long

BALIF Board Co-Chair

Jeff Kosbie

Treasurer

Judiciary Co-Chair

Amicus Co-Chair

Lindsey Kincaid

Social Activism Co-Chair

Communications & Social Media Co-Chair

Nas Yasin

CCBA Co-Chair

Amicus Co-Chair

J Abello Tharp

New Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chair

Social Activism Co-Chair

Ernest Hammond III

New Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chair

Kel O'Hara

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer

Stephan Ferris

Social Co-Chair

Gala Co-Chair

Rafael Langer -Osuna

Amicus Co-Chair

Social Activism Co-Chair

Programs Co-Chair

Sam Potts

Community Ambassador Co-Chair

Secretary

Jon Lucchese

Membership Co-Chair

Gala Co-Chair

Nat Ochoa

Communications & Social Media Co-Chair

Judiciary Co-Chair

Atticus Lee

Community Ambassador Co-Chair

Membership Co-Chair

Myell Mergaert

New Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chair

Social Co-Chair

Communications & Social Media Co-Chair

Alyssa Aguilar

Law Student Representative

CCBA Co-Chair

Communications & Social Media Co-Chair

Diana Jimenez

Law Student Representative

New Lawyers & Law Students Co-Chair

Communications & Social Media Co-Chair

Jordan Montgomery

Law Student Representative

Judiciary Co-Chair

Katie Carlson Cartwright

BALIF Administrative Director

JOIN BALIF

BALIF Foundation

Board of Directors

Jamie Dupree, Chair

Shay Aaron Gilmore

Chelsea HaleyNelson, Secretary

Jeff Kosbie, Treasurer

Andrea Long

Nina Paul

Austin Phillips

Ashley Pellouchoud

Linda Scaparotti

Alex Touma

John Unruh

Giving to the BALIF Foundation

Please consider making a tax deductible donation to The BALIF Foundation. The Foundation supports scholarships, stipends and fellowships for law students and attorneys working in the LGBTQI community. You can donate here to support the Foundation's work, which is increasingly needed to protect our community.

For more information about The BALIF Foundation or how to get involved, contact Jamie Dupree and Shay Gilmore.

Email Jamie Dupree

Email Shay Gilmore

BALIF & The BALIF Foundation

BALIF, which is the Bay Area's LGBTQI Bar Association, is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, which means it can engage in political activity. BALIF's Board members are elected by the BALIF membership, and these BALIF Board members chair various committees of the BALIF Bar Association.

The BALIF Foundation is BALIF's charitable arm, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is dedicated to supporting the BALIF Bar Association through educational programming, supporting LGBTQI community organizations, and providing scholarships, summer stipends, and fellowships for LGBTQI law students and attorneys seeking to help the LGBTQI community through legal work. Among other projects, the BALIF Foundation has sponsored summer fellowships every year since 2017.