$1 million grant from Chicago philanthropist Perry S. McKay funds program and Senior Counsel and Pro Bono Director that will expand pro bono support by more than 50%
Lambda Legal is pleased to announce the launch of an enhanced program to effectively recruit, utilize and retain pro bono counsel to support impact litigation protecting the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV. The Perry McKay Pro Bono Clearinghouse will help increase pro bono hours by at least 52 percent – up to 10,500 hours annually – by the end of 2026. The program is made possible through a generous grant of $1 million from Chicago philanthropist Perry S. McKay. Increased pro bono support is a vital piece of Lambda Legal’s strategy and the Unstoppable Future campaign to nearly double their overall litigation docket by 2026. Building a Pro Bono Clearinghouse is a key impact of the campaign that further expands Lambda Legal’s capacity to take on additional cases at a critical moment, when more than 130 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been enacted in 24 different states.
“We face a continuing onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation driven by well-funded and coordinated anti-equality groups. Lambda Legal has always been outspent and out-staffed,” said Kevin Jennings, CEO of Lambda Legal. “In order to defend LGBTQ+ freedoms and win new protections, we must narrow the gap. That is why we launched our Unstoppable Future campaign. One of the cornerstones of our campaign is to increase pro bono support and expand our litigation docket capacity. The extraordinary generosity of Perry McKay enables us to expand, strengthen, and expedite the recruitment and effective utilization of pro bono counsel.”
The Unstoppable Future campaign – the largest in the history of the LGBTQ+ equality movement – outlines a multipronged strategy to defend against anti-LGBTQ+ attacks, win new protections, and prepare for the fight ahead in order to secure civil rights for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. The historic campaign, announced on May 31, will invest $180 million to nearly double the organization’s litigation docket capacity, engage and educate 500,000 annually, and expand legal educational resources to support the most vulnerable populations.
“The LGBTQ+ community faces a tidal wave of attacks that threaten the freedoms Lambda Legal has painstakingly won for us in its first half century of existence,” said McKay. “Lambda Legal continues to successfully defend LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV against unconstitutional and discriminatory attacks. It is an honor to support the increase of Lambda’s capacity by connecting them with the best lawyers across the nation for pro bono service.”
Lambda Legal has hired Christopher Clark as Senior Counsel and Pro Bono Director to lead the development and launch of the new clearinghouse program. From 2007 to 2018, Christopher worked at Lambda Legal, first as Senior Counsel and then as the Midwest Regional Director. He collaborated with colleagues and outside partners on cases involving many of Lambda Legal’s priority areas, including marriage equality and relationship recognition, transgender rights, HIV criminalization, and many more. Clark rejoins Lambda Legal after four years at Earthjustice, the nation’s largest nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting the environment and combatting climate change. From 2018 to 2020, Christopher served as the Chief Executive Officer of TPAN, a Chicago-based social service agency that provides lifesaving services and education to people living with HIV.
“We need to actively engage our allies in the legal sector more broadly,” said Clark. “They want to join the fight and defend the rights of LGBTQ+ people to live our lives authentically without discrimination. We are grateful to all the law firms and lawyers who have donated their time, and I am excited to build upon their successes by launching this critical initiative to expand our pro bono collaborations across the country to protect marriage equality, transgender rights, employment protections, healthcare equity, parental rights, safety at school, and so much more.”
Lambda Legal has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights for over 50 years as a national legal nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV. Lambda Legal’s lawyers have won precedent-setting civil rights cases on everything from marriage equality to gender identity to health care discrimination. Through education, advocacy, and legal action, Lambda Legal strives to protect and advance the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for a society that embraces diversity and inclusivity.