LibGuides: Career &amp; Practice Guide: Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

This page contains resources for LGBTQ+ students, including professional associations, job fairs, and books from the Career & Practice Collection.

Professional Organizations

The National LGBTQ+ Bar
The National LGBTQ+ Bar is an affiliate of the American Bar Association. It provides programming for LGBT professionals, such as national lecture series, corporate counsel institute and the annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair. Several networking events are also hosted by the organization. The website provides valuable information, employment resources, membership instructions, and more.
Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP)
Local affiliate of the LGBTQ+ Bar.
Minority Corporate Counsel Association
The Association advocates for the expanded hiring, retention, and promotion of minority attorneys in corporate law departments and the law firms that serve them. There are resources listed in the website specifically targeting gay and lesbian lawyers.

Career/Job Fairs

Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair
The Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair, sponsored by the National LGBTQ+ Bar, is the largest LGBTQ+ legal conference in the country with approximately 1700 attendees attending annually.
LGBT Legal Career Fair for First-Year Students
This unique opportunity to network with many of New York’s top firms, largest government employers, and leading public interest organizations is sponsored by The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York.

National Association for Law Placement (NALP) Resources

NALP: LGBTQ Resources
Listing of LGBTQ resources from NALP.
NALP: LGBTQ Lawyers & Graduates
Articles and research from the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) on LGBTQ representation in the law.
NALP: LGBTQ Organizations
Listing of LGBTQ organizations from NALP.
NALP: Directory of Legal Employers
Law firm directory maintained by the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) with “Diversity and Inclusion” information for each firm.

Internship Opportunities

ABA Business Law Section Diversity Clerkship Program
Focused on judicial clerkships, “[t]his summer program provides business law clerkship placements for nine qualified diverse first or second year law students. Participating clerks receive support and mentoring in the business law field…” “Applicants must be considered diverse in one of the following ways: law students of color, women, law students with disabilities, LGBT law students, or students who have overcome social or economic disadvantages such as a physical disability, financial constraints, or cultural impediments to becoming a law student.”

National Organizations

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
National organization with legal internships available year-round.
Lambda Legal
National organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
LCLD: 1L LCLD Scholars Program
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) program providing mentorship opportunities to diverse 1L students.
Modern Military Association of America
Formed through the merger of the American Military Partner Association and OutServe-SLDN, the Modern Military Association of America is the nation’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing fairness and equality for the LGBTQ military and veteran community. Through education, advocacy and support, we are making a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ servicemembers, military spouses, veterans, and family members.
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
Job and fellowship opportunities, as well as other resources, are available on this website.
National Center for Transgender Equality
National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
Works with a range of organizations to ensure LGBT inclusion in business.
National LGBTQ Taskforce
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates

LGBT Resources in Pennsylvania

Drexel University: LGBTQ+ Job Search Resources
Resources from Drexel University's Steinbright Career Development Center.
Philadelphia Diversity Law Group
Features the PDLG Fellows Program, which offers diverse first-year law students a route to paid summer employment at law firms and legal departments.
Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs
The Office of LGBT Affairs works to foster equitable working and living conditions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and to advocate for LGBTQ issues in all areas of City government. Created in 2008 by mayoral executive order, the Office of LGBT Affairs became a permanent part of the City’s charter in 2015.
William Way LGBT Community Center
Community center dedicated to serving LGBTQIA+ communities in the greater Philadelphia area.

Scholarships & Funding Opportunities

National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition
Deadline: Rolling
Prize: $500
Topic: Legal issues affecting LGBTQ+ persons.

Other Job Fairs for Diverse Candidates (Details on Symplicity)

Delaware Minority Job Fair
- This annual career fair is held in August.
Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair
- This Annual Conference and Career Fair is held in Arlington, Va. in late October. This is a national career fair for students interested in public interest law.
The Greater Philadelphia Area Law Schools Consortium ("GPALS")
- Drexel Kline School of Law is a member of the Greater Philadelphia Area Law Schools Consortium (GPALS). GPALS holds three major recruiting programs through the year in which students from all member schools can participate. All GPALS job fairs are operated through the GPALS Symplicity Site. Students only need to register once to participate in all three GPALS job fairs:
- GPALS Philadelphia Area Job Fair (2Ls, 3Ls): September
  - Students submit resumes in the summer via the GPALS Symplicity site.
- GPALS Public Interest/Public Service Job Fair (PIPS) (1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls): February
  - National, regional and Philadelphia-area public interest employers. Register in Dec.-Jan. on the GPALS Symplicity site.
- GPALS Washington D.C. Recruiting Program (2Ls, 3Ls): July/August
  - Students submit resumes in the summer on the GPALS Symplicity site.
Hispanic National Bar Association Career Fair
Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association Annual Convention and Job Fair (BLSA)
Philadelphia Area Diversity Job Fair (PADJF)
- This annual job fair takes place in the summer (July/August).

From the Collection

Out and About: The LGBT Experience In the Legal Profession by American Bar Association, Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Staff (Contribution by); National LGBT Bar Association Staff (Contribution by)
Call Number: KF3467.5 .O938 2015
ISBN: 1634251288
Publication Date: 2016-04-07
Out and About: The LGBT Experience In the Legal Profession is intended to address the experiences of LGBT attorneys, academics, and jurists in the legal profession. Through their own words, our authors help educate and promote justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBT community in all its diversity. This book also celebrates LGBT members of the bar by recognizing this diverse group, their contributions, and their struggles. Being an individual, doing your own thing no matter what everyone else is doing, is the heart of the essays that comprise this book. The writers share their experience of at once blending in and yet feeling different, vulnerable, and exposed. They speak of the ever-present potential to be treated differently simply because of who they are, giving these essays deeper meaning. Some of these authors endured secret pain, suffering in private, hiding personal lives from colleagues. Others barely soldiered through, endeavoring just to make the lives of their clients better. And some openly achieved great success, personally, professionally, or both. Each and every one merits attention. Each chapter of this book informs and inspires readers to broaden horizons, opening minds to the vast diversity of LGBT individuals. The book aims to improve the legal profession and the justice system itself by demonstrating the vast potential within all of us. There always have been people who "dance to the beat of a different drummer." The contributors to this collection of essays hope you dance to whatever music suits you!

Additional Resources

Movement Advancement Project: Nondiscrimination Laws
50-state survey mapping antidiscrimination laws in housing and public accommodations.
Movement Advancement Project: Local Nondiscrimination Ordinances
Survey mapping local (municipal and county) nondiscrimination ordinances.

Career & Practice Guide: Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

Guide Contents

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

Professional Organizations

Career/Job Fairs

National Association for Law Placement (NALP) Resources

Internship Opportunities

National Organizations

LGBT Resources in Pennsylvania

Scholarships & Funding Opportunities

Other Job Fairs for Diverse Candidates (Details on Symplicity)

From the Collection

Additional Resources