Before ringing in another new year, we at Lambda Legal want to take a moment to spotlight some of our achievements and milestones from 2025.
We are proud of all that Lambda Legal has accomplished these last 12 months, and we’re carrying this momentum into 2026 as we continue our fight for full equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.
Find our year-in-review list below, presented in chronological order. It’s worth noting that what’s mentioned here represents just a tiny, tiny snapshot of an incredibly busy 2025. One roundup post — or even four! — couldn’t possibly capture the scope of this year’s work.
Launch of Our Four-Point Plan of Action and Trump Tracker Resource
This year began with Lambda Legal’s team prepared to defend our communities with courage and conviction. The elections of 2024 brought disappointing results, but our legal team had devoted months to prepare for the worst of possible outcomes and contingency plans were in place as we began 2025. Our four-point plan to navigate the challenges we anticipated following the change in administration guided our work – and yielded results.
Since January of 2025, Lambda Legal has filed six major cases challenging unlawful and discriminatory actions by the Trump administration — including executive orders targeting transgender people, gender-affirming care, accurate identity documents, funding for LGBTQ+ community centers, and service in the military for trans people. Check out the latest breaking news on these cases using our Trump Tracker resource: www.LambdaLegal.org/TrumpTracker
San Francisco AIDS Foundation v. Trump Win Restores Millions to the Community
Lambda Legal sued the Trump administration to stop executive actions that would erase trans people, defund LGBTQ+ programs, and ban DEI principles in federal grants. In the summer, a judge ruled in our favor, granting us a preliminary injunction that restored $6.2 million dollars in federal funding to these organizations.
Returning to the Supreme Court to Defend Trans Youth in Sports
Early in 2026, Lambda Legal will return to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right of transgender students to participate fully and fairly in school athletics. We represent Becky Pepper-Jackson, a teenage track athlete challenging West Virginia’s cruel and unconstitutional ban on trans students in sports. Lambda Legal has represented Becky since 2021, and we could not be more proud to fight for her and all trans youth who just want a chance to play and be part of a team.
Oral arguments in B.P.J. v. West Virginia are scheduled for January 13, 2026 — a pivotal moment for transgender rights nationwide. Join us at our rally in Washington, D.C., that day, or find a rally in a city near you!
The Help Desk Receives Record-Breaking Number of Requests
Every call, email, and message to Lambda Legal’s Help Desk begins with a story from a member of our community. In 2025, the need for the Help Desk has grown exponentially.
By mid-December, the Help Desk has handled more than 7,154 requests for assistance – over 70% of the number we received in all of 2024, and on track to be the highest number we have received ever.
Our Help Desk is averaging 622 new requests per month — the equivalent of 21 new people every single day reaching out for support, information, and hope.
Unstoppable Future Fundraising Campaign Makes History
Lambda Legal wrapped its Unstoppable Future campaign in June with a staggering $285 million raised. This has allowed us to grow our staff and capacity to serve our community.
Building Our Team: Strength in Numbers
To meet growing demand and sustain our litigation momentum, Lambda Legal has strengthened its legal team with at least 10 new attorneys and legal professionals this year. Each brings unique expertise, lived experience, and deep passion for justice.
This infusion of talent expands Lambda Legal’s reach and capacity at a pivotal moment. Together, this growing team is prepared to take on the next wave of challenges – and the next wave of victories.
The Publishing of Vital, Expert Reports
As 2025 draws to a close, two new Lambda Legal publications highlight the twin pillars of our work – reshaping systems and protecting people where the law meets lived experience.
In Judging Our Future: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ and HIV Rights in the Federal Courts, Lambda Legal reveals that while there was great progress during the Biden administration, the federal judiciary remains far from reflecting the diversity of the nation it serves. The report also addresses what we can expect from new federal judges during Trumps’s second term.
Our second major publication, Advocating for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender-Diverse Youth in Foster Care, equips attorneys and advocates with strategies to support one of the most vulnerable populations in the child welfare system.
The Launch of the All Rise Campaign
Lambda Legal has what it takes to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV: a 52-year track record of landmark victories, bold strategies, and the unwavering support of leaders like you. But this year, our opponents are better funded, more coordinated, and moving faster than ever. They are outspending us in courts and legislatures across the country — and we cannot let them win.
That’s where our new All Rise campaign comes in. Through December 31, all gifts will be DOUBLED through the $250,000 All Rise Match. This is our moment to stand together, fight harder, and rise higher in pursuit of full legal and lived equality. Make a gift today by visiting our donate page.