LGBT Bar NY Podcast

Born Perfect: Banning Conversion Therapy Nationwide

On this episode of the LeGaL LGBT Podcast, Eric Lesh, Executive Director of the LGBT Bar of New York and Mathew Shurka, co-founder and chief strategist of the Born Perfect campaign discuss the fight to ban the harmful and discredited practice of anti-LGBT conversion therapy nationwide.

 

 

Victory for Trans Health, SCOTUS and More!

Eric Lesh, Executive Director of the LGBT Bar of NY and Professor Art Leonard of New York Law School, discuss three important LGBT rights cases from August:

1. The Ninth Circuit affirmed an injunction ordering gender confirmation surgery for an Idaho transgender inmate;
2. The Supreme Court received a second round of filings in the blockbuster LGBT employment discrimination cases to be argued on October 8^;
3. A divided Eighth Circuit  revived a videographers claim that the company doesn’t need to provide equal wedding related services for same-sex couples.

Adoption Agency Seeks Right to Discriminate from SCOTUS

Eric Lesh, Executive Director of the LGBT Bar of NY and Professor Art Leonard of New York Law School, discuss three important LGBT rights cases from July:

1. A Catholic Adoption Agency Asks Supreme Court for a “License to Discriminate” Against LGBTQ People;
2. A Transgender Teenager’s Mother Asks Supreme Court to Recognize a Parent’s Due Process Rights to Control Her Child’s Life; and
3. A Federal Appeals Court has Refused to Reopen Asylum Proceedings for Lesbian from Uganda

LGBTQ Immigration and Asylum in the Time of Trump

There are nearly 1 million adult immigrants in the United States that self-identify as LGBTQ. The Trump administration has been relentless in its attacks against immigrants from apprehension, to detentions, to deportations. The approach has been aggressive, unspeakably cruel and even deadly. LeGaL's Executive Director, Eric Lesh sits down with Sharita Gruberg, Director of the Policy, LGBT Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress to talk about the immigration and asylum obstacles and issues that are the directly harming LGBTQ people.

Bigoted Bakers, Parentage Rights and "Conversion Therapy"

On the LGBT Law Notes episode, LGBT Bar NY Executive Director Eric Lesh and New York Law School Professor Art Leonard discuss the latest wedding cake news from the Supreme Court and more, including a ruling from another state high court that is sticking to its pro-equality decision after searching the record for signs of bias in the proceeding. Next, we will chat about a New York case where a gay dad filled a cert petition that seeks to overturn protections for non-bio/non-adoptive parents. Finally, we discuss the latest on a conversion therapy case in New Jersey state court where the provider of this discredited, fraudulent practice just won’t go away.

LGBTQ Workplace Fairness from the Litigator's POV

LeGaL Executive Director Eric Lesh speaks with transgender rights litigator Jillian Weiss about her LGBT workplace fairness work at the Law Firm of Jillian T. Weiss and as Special Co-Counsel at Outten & Golden. Then, we chat with Larry Pearson and David Gottlieb of Wigdor LLP about their LGBT employment, harassment and retaliation cases against the novelist Nicholas Sparks and their case against Goldman Sachs.

 If you experience discrimination in the workplace contact:

Law Firm of Jillian T. Weiss

Outten & Golden

Wigdor LLP

or LeGaL at 212-459-4873

The All Good News LGBT Pride Pod

On this LGBT Law Notes episode LeGaL Executive Director Eric Lesh and New York Law School Professor Art Leonard discuss a rare bit of good news from the Supreme Court in transgender rights case. Next they chat about a religiously affiliated children’s agency’s failed attempt to turn away same-sex couples seeking to adopt. Then they chat about a series of cases that deal with same-sex spouses and their equal access to benefits.

SCOTUS News, Anti-LGBT Agencies, and Lesbian Police Officers

Eric Lesh, Executive Director of the LGBT Bar of New York and New York Law School Professor Art Leonard give the very latest updates and insights on everything SCOTUS, including the recent Title VII grants as well as some denials. Next they discuss a federal appellate ruling in a case seeking to block enforcement of Philadelphia’s law barring child welfare groups doing business with the city from discriminating against same-sex couples who seek certification to be foster parents. Finally, they discuss a discrimination and harassment case filed by a lesbian police officer against NYC.

Queer Sex Workers and the Fight to Decrim NY

Today’s show is about sex workers' rights and the fight in New York to decriminalize sex work.

We are speaking with Jared Trujillo, who is a Steering Committee member of DecrimNY, a coalition of 30 groups to decriminalize, destigmatize, and decarcerate sex work in New York. He’s also the President of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys.

The Queer Agenda: Federal Policy Chat with the ACLU

LeGaL's Executive Director speaks with the ACLU’s Ian Thompson about federal policy issues, including major pieces of legislation like the Equality Act, and the effort to reverse the transgender military ban. We also chat about HIV/AIDS, administrative rollbacks, and the continuing attack on Obamacare.

Ian Thompson is a Legislative Representative in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office. Ian works to advance the organization’s civil liberties and civil rights agenda in Congress and the executive branch by focusing on LGBT rights, HIV/AIDS, and sex education.