Law Student attends Lavender Law Conference

At the end of July this year, the annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair took place in Los Angeles, and Brandeis School of Law was represented by 3L student Christopher Malpartida. 

Organized by the LGBTQ+ Bar, this year’s three-day event consisted of two and a half days of conference sessions, several social events, and a Career Fair, where dozens of employers from across the country were represented. Complementing the Career Fair were several sessions provided to help law students and professionals plan and establish career pathways.

Christopher traveled to the conference anticipating interviews but found much more.  “I was at every session I could attend,” he said, “To make the trip worth it, you have to attend more than the Career Fair, you have to talk to whomever you can at every opportunity”.

Christopher was enthusiastic about the value of the conference to LGBTQIA+ students, saying “You will find a community there for you”.  A wide range of different communities were present, enabling him to learn more about a variety of experiences, as well as having the chance to explore his own.

For him, the session for Latinx LGBTQIA+ attorneys was a highlight.  “Here in Louisville, there are barely any gay attorneys or Latinx attorneys… there is no community for Latinx gay attorneys in Louisville” Christopher noted.  “Attending that session at the conference felt like a family environment because a lot of us experience the same cultural upbringing.  Being in that session reminded me why I am in law school, and why I am here.”

As for finding employment at the Career Fair, Christopher already had multiple interviews lined up by the conference’s end.  “I think that this was a better place to discover more job opportunities. This environment was more supportive for me”, he said.

To get to Los Angeles, Christopher sourced funding from different groups at UofL, including the Student Bar Association, the Lambda Law Caucus, the Latinx Law Student Association, and the University itself.

The 2023 Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair will take place August 9^th to 11^th in Chicago – much closer to home for any who wants to attend.  It’s free to law students.  For those who need funding to attend, Christopher recommends registering by April or May, which allows time to write proposals and have them approved.