December, 2001 Newsletter

THLA Receives Jess Jessop Community Service Award

The Tom Homann Law Society is proud to be named this year's recipient of the Jess Jessop Community Service Award from the Lesbian & Gay Men's Community Center. THLA was honored for its Amicus program and for its outreach to gay & lesbian youth in San Diego schools. The Amicus Committee played in important role in two recent decisions involving cases of employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, Griffiths v. Mercy Hospital and Murray v. Oceanside School District (see THLA Newsletter, October 2000). THLA's student outreach brings THLA members Robert H. Lynn and Jeffrey Orr into area schools. The program's focus is to help students recognize, document and report sexual orientation harassment and discrimination. Besides informing students of their rights, including the right to organize student groups such as gay-straight alliances, the program provides information on finding and contacting an attorney, if necessary. Most importantly, the program provides guidance and training to school administrators on the potential liability of the school for failing to take appropriate action to curb harassment and discrimination against gay students THLA extends sincere thanks to the Center board.

REACHING OUT TO OUR MEMBERSHIP
Co-President's Report by William J. Hargreaves

THLA is reaching out to you, the members. We need your help. We need your feedback. While we have had a very good year in terms of community visibility, we are no longer enjoying the monthly general membership meetings that brought us together both to socialize and learn from each other. These monthly meetings died primarily from lack of attendance. They are also time-consuming for individual board members to produce, as they involved an MCLE presentation. Our idea had been to produce several MCLE presentations throughout the year and extend invitations to the greater legal community. The first such presentation will be co-sponsored with the IRR [Individual Rights & Responsibilities] Committee of the County Bar on the subject of representing the GLBT client in a custody/visitation matter. This presentation was to occur in December, but will now be scheduled for January or early February. But this type of activity will not replace the more intimate and social setting that was provided by the monthly general meetings, especially when they were well attended by our members.

One of the primary purposes for forming THLA was to provide those GLBT lawyers to know one another ' and to know of each other. This would reduce any feeling of isolation within the greater legal community. It would also permit us to refer GLBT clients to GLBT attorneys whose practice area matched the concerns of the particular client.

THLA recently received a prestigious award from The Center for its work on the legal front. Members Bob Lynn and Darrin Wessel were largely responsible for the work that resulted in this award. Our last annual banquet was attended by judges and lawyers who paid and showed-up to support our organization. So on the exterior, we are doing well, and are well received and recognized. It is within the organization that we need repair. We need to know each other ' and the only way to do this is to attend the social events that THLA produces. The opportunity is at hand, and I ask that each one of you make an effort this year to attend the THLA holiday party at the Coronado home of our co-president, Linda Cory Allen. The specifics and directions are in this Newsletter.

Best wishes to each of you for a happy holiday and New Year. The THLA Board looks forward to your participation in THLA activities. Our strength is directly proportional to the participation of our members. Please help us maintain the strength we have gained and grow stronger yet.

From the Editor- Ted Roberts

Greetings and Happy Holidays to all. This issue marks my debut as Editor of the Newsletter, a task I approach with both apprehension and excitement. As Bill Hargreaves reports in this month's Co-President's column, the THLA board needs the involvement of our members to help our organization continue to be successful. 2000 was a banner year for THLA, and it is my hope that next year will be even better. I look forward to keeping you informed of important events and milestones as they occur, and to seeing you in person at THLA meetings and events. I also look forward to your submissions to this newsletter. Undoubtedly, there will be changes of the course of the next few months, but my goal is that newsletter, along with the other programs of THLA, will reflect excellence in our both profession and our community.

THLA RESOURCE DIRECTORY INFORMATION FORM

Each year, THLA publishes a directory of members. Only those members who fill out this form will be included in this directory. The directory is available to the public and THLA members free of charge, and can be picked up at any general meeting. This will be a great referral source as the directory will note each member's area of practice. If you want to be listed in the 2001 THLA directory, please fill out this form and mail it to THLA today, or bring it to the next general meeting! Mail forms to: THLA, PMB- 137, 1010 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92103. Please indicate below if you are interested in placing a business card size ad in the upcoming directory. If placing an ad, please include a check for $20 payable to THLA and a representative will contact you. Again, please return this form ASAP if you want to be included in the next directory!