National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) CLE Series

The National Women’s Law Center is excited to announce an upcoming Queer, Trans, and On the Stand: tools for advocating alongside trans, nonbinary, and intersex clients. This two-part series will educate participants on how to responsibly, advocate for transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals—crucial for attorneys to support trans liberation amid hostile attacks against the LGBTQI+ community.

This series is an excellent orientation for attorneys starting their LGBTQI+ rights pro bono practice and a strong refresher with case updates that can serve experienced practitioners. It will cover best practices for developing trusting relationships with this client population, tools for trauma-informed representation, and an overview of the policy and legal landscape. Critically, this series will center the voices and expertise of trans attorneys to provide lawyers with the tools needed for responsible and empathetic advocacy. It will help participants build narratives for LGBTQI+ clients based on the lived experiences of trans, nonbinary, and intersex people, focusing on trans joy, discrimination, and systemic barriers to justice. This knowledge is a crucial part of litigating in the trans rights space. We highly encourage any attorneys passionate about this work to attend this series. Please save the following dates and look out for more information over the coming months:

• Session I: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 12:00 – 1:30 pm ET
• Session II: Thursday, February 13, 2025, 12:00 – 1:30 pm ET

Session I Summary: Foundations
This session provides context to understand the lived experiences of and discrimination faced by transgender, nonbinary, and intersex individuals. It includes a brief overview of LGBTQI+ history, terminology, lived experiences, and the impact of intersecting forms of discrimination on access to justice. This module aims to foster more inclusive and trauma-informed advocacy for clients. Topics include:

1. The basics of LGBTQI+-affirming language and terminology
2. Historical context of discrimination against LGBTQI+ people
3. Intersectionality considerations
4. Building narratives through centering trans joy 

Session II Summary: Responsible Movement Lawyering
This session examines the unique challenges and strategies in litigating cases involving transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals. Panelists will discuss the development of case law affecting LGBTQI+ rights, including recurring themes and live cases, while emphasizing the importance of competence and sensitivity to the trans experience. Topics covered will include the following:

1. Anticipating barriers to justice and preparing your trans, nonbinary, and intersex client to navigate the legal system
2. Best practices of trauma-informed advocacy & building trust
3. Overview of the LGBTQI+ rights policy and legal landscape
4. Best practices for responsible and authentic narrative-building in trans rights litigation

Please share this with your firms! 
Help us spread the word so more legal professionals can join this important conversation. Together, we can create more inclusive and supportive spaces for the trans community.

To learn more visit: https://e.linklaters.com/107/11198/landing-pages/rsvp-blank.asp