It is always a pleasure for Lambda Legal to be a part of the largest LGBTQ+ legal conference in the country, Lavender Law — this year in Chicago, IL. Since 1988, Lavender Law brings together LGBTQ+ and allied legal professionals for reflecting, networking, and planning for the future of our movement advocating for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.
From gender-affirming care and Fourteenth Amendment jurisprudence to employment law, identity documents, aging, and intellectual property, Lambda Legal’s legal team is represented across the full breadth of the conference program, including as panelists, moderators, and co-chairs of the Employment Law Institute.
Find our team’s full schedule below. All times are in Central Time.
Monday, July 13
- “The U.S. Legal History of Transgender Discrimination [Transgender Law Institute] (Pelecanos)
- “Incarcerated While Trans” [Transgender Law Institute] (A.D. Lewis)
- “Incarcerated While Trans” [Transgender Law Institute] (Whit Washington)
Tuesday, July 14
- “Gender Affirming Care Legal Updates” (Omar Gonzalez-Pagan)
- “Weaponizing Funding: How Attacks on Gender-Affirming Medical Care and Abortion Care are Related, and How Advocates are Fighting Back” (Omar Gonzalez-Pagan)
- “Plenary Session: Policing Bodies and Borders” (Richard Saenz)
- “The Intersectionality of Being Black and LGBTQIA+ in the Legal Profession During a Time of Transition and Challenge” (Nephetari Smith)
- “From Recognition to Erasure: LGBTQ+ Aging in the Trump 2.0 Policy Storm” (Pelecanos)
- “Scrutinizing Our Future: Why Understanding the Fourteenth Amendment History Matters” (Karen L. Loewy)
- “Turning Policy into Action: Planning and Passing Proactive Policies that Support Trans Lives” (Alexandra Curd)
Wednesday, July 15
- “Employment Law Institute” (Omar Gonzalez-Pagan)
- “Safeguarding the Future for LGBTQI+ Youth: Shoring Up State-Based Protections in Response to Federal Trends” (Paton Moody)
- “The Supreme Court: What Happened in the 2025-2026 Term and What’s Next” (Karen L. Loewy)
- “Defending Disability Rights Protections for Gender Dysphoria” (Sonja Kerr)
- “Safety versus Dignity: The Shifting Landscape of Identity Documents for Transgender Youth and Adults in the United States” (Carl Charles)
- “Intellectual Property and its Potential as a Sword and a Shield in the LGBTQ+ Community” (Jenny Pizer)
Download the full conference program on the 2026 Lavender Law website, and we look forward to connecting with new and old friends in the days to come. If you see a member of the Lambda Legal team, please stop by and say hi!
