On January 16, 2009, Lambda Legal submitted comments to the State Bar of Arizona supporting the addition of an antidiscrimination requirement to the oath new attorneys take when they are admitted to the state bar. If such a requirement is added, new attorneys would acknowledge as part of the oath of admission their obligation to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, sex, race, religion, age, national origin, socioeconomic status or disability. Our comments also urge the inclusion of gender identity or expression.
Attorneys supported by the antigay group Alliance Defense Fund objected to the antidiscrimination requirement, asking the state bar to reject the change. We responded to their arguments, calling attention to the fact that discrimination has no place in the important trust an attorney assumes as an officer of the court.