December Letter from the Board

On December 2nd, 11 transgender and nonbinary attorneys stood before the entire U.S. Supreme Court and took the oath required to practice before the Court. This is the fourth group of attorneys who have been sponsored by the National Trans Bar Association. In total 41 trans and nonbinary attorneys have been admitted through this program. It is always special to hear “a group of attorneys from the National Trans Bar Association” being said in the courtroom. This year’s group, who represent a variety of practice areas, came from around the country to a cold and wet Washington for the ceremony. 

The attorneys who stood before the court this year were:

• Nathan S. Bruemmer (Florida)
• Cassandra Estaban Brusi (New York)
• Zachary James Lee (Texas)
• Aidan Albert Maraachli (Michigan)
• Maxime D. Matthew (New York)
• Riley L. Palmer (Minnesota)
• Auden James Perino (District of Columbia)
• Skailer Rei Qvistgaard (Massachusetts)
• Sullivan Collins Saint (North Carolina)
• Morgan Jada Walker (New York)
• Alexander Evyn Weinstein (Massachusetts)

I want to thank Kristen Browde for her commitment to seeing transgender and nonbinary attorneys being admitted to the Supreme Court bar. When she first approached me about this project in 2019 I told her that I was all in.  She tried to schedule ceremonies in 2020 and 2021 but because of Covid we weren’t able to schedule one. I had to submit my application to the court three times before we were finally scheduled in 2022. I was extremely honored to be a part of that first group and to have continued to work with Kristen on these ceremonies. 

Kristen is stepping down as the organizer and we all owe her a debt of gratitude for the work she has put into this project for so many years. I have been asked to take over as the organizer next year and I am thankful for her leadership and guidance. I look forward to continuing her vision of getting transgender and nonbinary attorneys in front of the court every year. 

 
Jessie McGrath
She/Her
NTBA Board of Directors