10 Influential LGBTQ+ Legal Professionals

1. Evan Wolfson – Evan Wolfson is an American lawyer and gay rights advocate, known for his advocacy work in support of same-sex marriage. He was the founder and president of Freedom to Marry, a national campaign to win marriage equality in the United States.
2. Mary Bonauto – Mary Bonauto is an American lawyer and civil rights advocate who has worked extensively on issues related to LGBTQ+ rights. She successfully argued before the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark case that legalized same-sex marriage in the United States.
3. David Boies – David Boies is an American lawyer who has been involved in several high-profile cases, including the Supreme Court case that overturned California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.
4. Roberta Kaplan – Roberta Kaplan is an American lawyer who has worked on several prominent cases related to LGBTQ+ rights, including United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court case that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act.
5. Shannon Minter – Shannon Minter is an American attorney who has been involved in several important LGBTQ+ rights cases, including the landmark case In re Marriage Cases, which legalized same-sex marriage in California.
6. James Esseks – James Esseks is an American lawyer and LGBT rights activist who is the Director of the LGBT & HIV Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He has been involved in several important cases related to LGBT rights, including the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
7. Chai Feldblum – Chai Feldblum is an American lawyer who served as commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from 2010 to 2019. She has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and played a key role in drafting the Americans with Disabilities Act.
8. Kate Kendell – Kate Kendell is an American attorney and LGBT rights activist who served as the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) for over 20 years. She has been involved in several important cases related to LGBT rights, including the Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
9. Masha Gessen – Masha Gessen is a Russian-American journalist and LGBT rights activist who has written extensively on issues related to LGBTQ+ rights in Russia and around the world. They have also been involved in activism and advocacy work related to LGBT rights in their home country.
10. Sarah McBride – Sarah McBride is an American activist and politician who made history in 2020 by becoming the first transgender person to be elected to the Delaware State Senate. She has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and served as the National Press Secretary for the Human Rights Campaign.

Deborah Batts

Deborah Batts (1947-2020) was an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional and the first openly gay judge to serve on the federal bench in the United States. She was appointed to the Southern District of New York by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and served as a judge until she died in 2020.

During her tenure, Batts presided over several high-profile cases, including a landmark ruling in 2006 that struck down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional. The case, known as Windsor v. United States, paved the way for the eventual legalization of same-sex marriage nationwide.

Batts was also a trailblazer in her personal life, as one of the first openly lesbian African American women to attend Harvard Law School and become a federal judge. Throughout her career, she was a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and worked to promote diversity and inclusion within the legal profession.

Kylar Broadus

Kylar Broadus is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional, activist, and scholar. He is a civil rights attorney who has worked tirelessly to advance LGBTQ+ rights, particularly for transgender individuals.

Broadus is the founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition, an advocacy organization that works to address issues faced by trans people of color. He has also served as a member of the National Black Justice Coalition, an advocacy group that works to empower Black LGBTQ+ individuals and promote social justice.

In addition to his advocacy work, Broadus is a respected scholar on issues related to gender identity and the law. He has published numerous articles and essays on topics such as transgender rights, employment discrimination, and healthcare access for transgender individuals.

Broadus has received numerous awards for his advocacy work, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Dan Bradley Award for his contributions to the advancement of LGBTQ+ civil rights. He is widely regarded as a leader and role model within the LGBTQ+ community, and his tireless efforts continue to have a significant impact on the fight for equality and justice.

M. Dru Levasseur

1. Dru Levasseur is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional, activist, and educator. He is an attorney and the Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at the National LGBT Bar Association, where he works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession.

Levasseur is also a founding board member of the Jim Collins Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to transgender individuals who need medical procedures. He has also served as a board member of several other organizations, including the Transgender Law Center and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

As an educator, Levasseur has taught courses on LGBTQ+ rights and legal issues at several universities, including Harvard Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and the University of Wisconsin Law School. He has also authored numerous articles and essays on topics related to transgender rights and equality.

Levasseur is a recognized leader within the LGBTQ+ community and has been honored with several awards for his advocacy work, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund’s Freedom Award. His work continues to have a significant impact on the fight for equality and justice for all LGBTQ+ individuals.

Chase Strangio

Chase Strangio is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional, activist, and advocate for transgender rights. He is a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT & HIV Project, where he works to protect and advance the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly transgender people.

Strangio has played a key role in several groundbreaking legal cases related to transgender rights, including the landmark case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student who sued his school district for denying him access to the boys’ restroom. Strangio also represented Chelsea Manning, a transgender soldier who was imprisoned for leaking classified documents, in her fight for medical care while in prison.

In addition to his legal work, Strangio is a prominent advocate for transgender rights and has written extensively on issues related to gender identity and the law. He is a regular contributor to The New York Times and other media outlets and has spoken at numerous conferences and events on issues related to LGBTQ+ rights.

Strangio has been recognized for his advocacy work with several awards, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project’s Sylvia Rivera Activist Award. He continues to be a powerful voice for transgender rights and a leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.

Therese M. Stewart

Therese M. Stewart is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional and civil rights attorney. She is best known for her role in the legal fight for marriage equality in California.

Stewart served as lead counsel in the case of Strauss v. Horton, which challenged the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage. The case was later consolidated with other lawsuits and became known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Stewart played a key role in arguing the case before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage in 2013.

Stewart has also been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in her community and has worked to promote diversity and inclusion within the legal profession. She served as president of the Bar Association of San Francisco and has been recognized for her advocacy work with numerous awards, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award and the American Bar Association’s Stonewall Award.

Stewart continues to be a leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and her work has had a significant impact on the advancement of marriage equality and other issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

William (Bill) Thom

William (Bill) Thom is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional, advocate, and community leader. He is a partner at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP, where he leads the firm’s LGBTQ+ practice group and has worked on numerous high-profile cases related to LGBTQ+ rights.

Thom has played a key role in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights both within the legal profession and in his community. He has served on the board of several organizations, including Lambda Legal, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Center for Black Equity. He has also been involved in several landmark cases related to LGBTQ+ rights, including the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, which led to nationwide marriage equality in the United States.

In addition to his legal work, Thom has been a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession. He has authored numerous articles and essays on topics related to LGBTQ+ rights and diversity in the workplace and has spoken at several conferences and events on these issues.

Thom has been recognized for his advocacy work with several awards, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award and the American Bar Association’s Stonewall Award. He continues to be a leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and a role model for LGBTQ+ legal professionals.

Karl-Heinrich Ulrichs

Karl-Heinrich Ulrichs was an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional and activist who is considered to be one of the first openly gay men to advocate for the rights of LGBTQ+ people.

Born in Germany in 1825, Ulrichs worked as a lawyer and a civil servant before coming out as gay in the mid-19th century. He began writing and speaking publicly about his sexuality and advocating for the decriminalization of homosexuality, which was then illegal in most parts of Europe.

Ulrichs is best known for his series of pamphlets, which he published under the pseudonym “Numa Numantius.” In these pamphlets, Ulrichs argued that homosexuality was not a choice, but rather a natural variation of human sexuality. He also called for an end to the persecution of LGBTQ+ people and advocated for the repeal of laws criminalizing same-sex relationships.

Ulrichs’ advocacy work had a significant impact on the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and he is often referred to as the “father of the modern gay rights movement.” His writings and speeches inspired other LGBTQ+ activists and helped to lay the foundation for the fight for LGBTQ+ rights that continues today.

Despite facing significant opposition and persecution during his lifetime, Ulrichs continued to fight for LGBTQ+ rights until his death in 1895. His legacy continues to inspire LGBTQ+ activists and legal professionals around the world.

Urvashi Vaid

Urvashi Vaid is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional, activist, and writer. She is a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has played a key role in advancing the fight for equality in the United States.

Vaid began her career as a lawyer and civil rights advocate, working with organizations such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the American Civil Liberties Union. She later became the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, where she worked to promote LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.

In addition to her legal work, Vaid is also a prolific writer and has authored several influential books on LGBTQ+ rights, including “Virtual Equality” and “Irresistible Revolution.” She has also written numerous articles and essays on topics related to LGBTQ+ rights, social justice, and politics.

Vaid’s advocacy work has had a significant impact on the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and she has been recognized for her contributions with numerous awards and honors, including the National LGBT Bar Association’s Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award and the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia’s Woman Lawyer of the Year Award.

Vaid continues to be a leading voice for LGBTQ+ rights and a champion for social justice and equality.

Stephen Whittle

Stephen Whittle is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional and human rights advocate who has played a key role in advancing the fight for transgender rights in the United Kingdom and around the world.

Whittle is a professor of equalities law at Manchester Metropolitan University and is the founder of the UK’s first gender identity clinic. He has been a vocal advocate for transgender rights and has worked to improve access to healthcare and legal recognition for transgender people.

Whittle’s advocacy work has had a significant impact on the advancement of transgender rights in the UK. He was instrumental in the passage of the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which allowed transgender people to legally change their gender without having to undergo surgery. He has also worked to raise awareness about the discrimination and marginalization faced by transgender people and has fought to improve their access to healthcare and social services.

In addition to his legal work, Whittle is also a writer and has authored several influential books on transgender rights, including “The Transgender Debate” and “Transgender Europe.” He has also been recognized for his contributions to the LGBTQ+ rights movement with numerous awards and honors, including the Order of the British Empire.

Whittle continues to be a leading voice for transgender rights and a champion for equality and social justice for all LGBTQ+ people.

Evan Wolfson

Evan Wolfson is an influential LGBTQ+ legal professional and civil rights advocate who has played a key role in advancing the fight for marriage equality in the United States.

Wolfson began his legal career as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun and later worked for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, where he served as co-counsel on several important cases, including the landmark case of Baehr v. Miike, which challenged Hawaii’s ban on same-sex marriage.

In 2003, Wolfson founded the organization Freedom to Marry, which became a leading force in the fight for marriage equality in the United States. Through his work with Freedom to Marry, Wolfson played a key role in securing marriage equality in numerous states and in the landmark case of Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015.

Wolfson is also a prolific writer and has authored several influential books on LGBTQ+ rights, including “Why Marriage Matters” and “Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights.” He has been recognized for his contributions to the LGBTQ+ rights movement with numerous awards and honors, including the Barnard Medal of Distinction and the White House Champions of Change Award.

Wolfson continues to be a leading voice for LGBTQ+ rights and a champion for equality and social justice for all people.