Making Equal Time for the Lesbian, Gay, and Transgender Community
Jenner & Block
Jenner & Block recently took an unprecedented step forward in its support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. The law firm released the first edition of its quarterly newsletter, Equal Time, which catalogues Jenner & Block’s extensive legal involvement on issues affecting the LGBT community and profiles the firm’s openly gay and lesbian attorneys.
The idea for Equal Time was born as attorneys prepared a brochure to be distributed at Lavender Law, an annual conference offering professional skills development training for attorneys and discussions on legal issues confronting the LGBT community.
“As we gathered materials,” says firm partner Gail Morse, “we saw how extensive and impressive our accomplishments were and decided to make this a fixture.” In future quarterly newsletters, the Diversity Committee will focus on the firm’s efforts toward underrepresented groups including women, ethnic and racial minorities, and the LGBT community.
To date, the firm is one of the first large private practices to express in writing its support of the LGBT community.
“The firm didn’t have to take this stand,” says associate attorney Nicole Berner. “In fact, it might have been easier for them had it not. But they did, and I’m so proud to be part of it. I feel supported and even more committed to my work here.”
Jenner & Block’s mission includes a pledge to maintain its long tradition of public and community service. In fact, six percent of the firm’s total billable hours in 2000 were logged on pro bonocases, many of which concern the LGBT community.
In 2000, Jenner & Block filed an amicus brief on behalf of the American Psychological Association in support of a lesbian’s attempt to adopt her partner’s biological child, a case that will determine whether Nebraska law permits second parent adoption by same-sex partners. It has actively fought sodomy laws throughout the nation and anti-gay hate crime. In 1996 and again in 1997, it became the first law firm to secure political asylum for refugees fleeing their country due to anti-gay harassment and criminal persecution based on sexual orientation. Additionally, Jenner & Block works closely with the Lambda Legal Defense of Chicago.
“Precisely because of Jenner & Block’s commitment to public service and social justice issues, because of their history of support to the LGBT community— including their generosity with charity money,” states Morse, “because they support these issues that are important to us, it is easy to be lesbian or gay at the firm.”
The spoken and unspoken support of the firm’s heterosexual employees also plays a role in creating a positive environment. Heterosexual attorneys at the firm frequently bring ideas for LGBT cases to the table, support LGBT initiatives (for example, Equal Time), and volunteer to work on cases affecting the LGBT community.
“Whenever I have expressed any discomfort because of homophobia I’ve encountered outside the firm, the response has always been immediate, sympathetic, and supportive,” relates Berner. Associate lawyer Marty Moore similarly relates that with the few issues he has encountered within the firm, people are willing to listen and learn.
Moreover, gay and lesbian employees are encouraged to bring their significant others to firm events. Additionally, the firm offers benefits akin to those offered to married spouses of heterosexual employees to the life-partners of lesbian and gay employees, and boasts about its higher number of openly gay and lesbian attorneys in Chicago.
“We list 12. Of comparable large firms in the area, our closest competitors list three,” shares Moore.
“The attorneys that are not gay or lesbian are accepting of our non-traditional families. They are sensitive and enlightened about our lifestyles,” shares Washington, D.C. partner William Hohengarten, “and most importantly, it comes naturally. They do not go out of their way to make us feel comfortable, yet are themselves comfortable with it.” The result is that nobody is treated out of the ordinary.
Moore found Jenner & Block’s approach to recruiting and interviewing attractive to gay and lesbian attorneys, a point that was also reiterated by other interviewees. “This is the first large law firm to target, market themselves to, and support this sector of the legal community. I find that very exciting,” said Moore.
Alea J. Mitchell worked for MCCA as a summer intern upon her graduation from Wesleyan. She is now employed at D’Arcy Advertising in New York City.
From the June 2002 issue of Diversity & The Bar®