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Guest Speaker Taylor, National Marriage Project Director of Lambda Legal. Photo by Carrie Maxwell -
LAGBAC Board of Directors. Photo by Carrie Maxwell -
LAGBAC President Litchfield with the Foley and Lardner LLP Summer Associate Class. Photo by Carrie Maxwell -
LAGBAC Scholarship Recipients Cuevas-Flores, Wilpone-Jordan and Ingelhart. Photo by Carrie Maxwell -
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The event was hosted by Jeremy Gottschalk, LAGBAC foundation president and board member as well as general counsel at Sittercity. Camilla Taylor, national marriage project director of Lambda Legal, was the evening’s featured speaker.
Gottschalk shared that he started this event nine years ago with Sidetrack co-owner Art Johnston. “In nine years we’ve raised nearly 350,000 dollars for local LGBT community organizations including this year’s beneficiaries and it’s important to note that all of the money raised has gone directly to those organizations,” said Gottschalk. Gottschalk thanked Johnston for his support and sponsorship over the years and also noted the law firms that gave at the gold, silver and bronze sponsorship levels.
Taylor spoke about the lawsuit that Lambda Legal and the ACLU filed in 2012 to secure marriage equality in Illinois. Then Taylor explained that just after the lawsuit was filed Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez released statements that said they would not be defending the ban in court because they both believe the law is unconstitutional. This left them without a defendant, however, the Thomas More Society stepped in on behalf of some downstate county clerks who wanted to defend the state’s law banning same-sex marriages, Taylor noted.
As the case has moved forward they have also gotten briefs from religious leaders, the Chicago Bar Association and other organizations, said Taylor. Taylor also noted the statement that Johnston made on behalf of the lawsuit that explained his encounters with discrimination both as a bar owner and citizen of Chicago.
Sidetrack, J&L Catering, Chandon Wines, Belvedere Vodka, and Moet & Chandon were the evening’s venue, food and drink sponsors.
See www.lagbac.org and www.lambdalegal.org/take-action/marriage-at-the-supreme-court for more information.