The National LGBT Bar Association and Foundation, the country's largest organizations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied legal professionals, announced the appointment of eight new board members.
"For more than a quarter century, The LGBT Bar has brought together the best and brightest legal minds in the country, and our new board members reflect that commitment to excellence and service," said the organization's executive director, D'Arcy Kemnitz. "As we celebrate important legal victories, while at the same time battling attempts to enshrine discrimination into the law, The LGBT Bar's work to ensure that our profession is able to best serve our community and families, is more important than ever. The diverse background and expertise of our newly appointed board members will be critical in our work to foster inclusiveness, help build cutting-edge legal strategies and provide our profession with the best professional opportunities available anywhere."
The eight new members named today are:
- Dale Noll, Association Treasurer: Noll is an associate at Chepenik Trushin LLP in Miami, Florida. His practice concentrates on Probate Administration, Probate & Trust Litigation, and Complex Commercial Litigation. Following graduation from California Polytechnic University, Pomona, Mr. Noll spent several years in management positions within the banking software industry before attending and graduating from the University of Miami School of Law. Prior to joining Chepenik Trushin as a law clerk during his last year of law school, Mr. Noll interned for the Honorable Federal Magistrate Judge John O'Sullivan and the Miami Dade Public Defender's Office. Dale is also involved in local and statewide LGBT organizations.
- John Stephens, ABA Delegate: Stephens is a partner at Sedgwick LLP in Los Angeles. He focuses his practice on data privacy and digital marketing issues, media and entertainment litigation, live entertainment transactional; including music festivals, intellectual property licensing and transactions, and specialty insurance coverage and litigation. Mr. Stephens' entertainment and media clients include media entities, national and world wide live entertainment and sports companies, magazines, television and radio stations, production companies, entertainment technology companies, computer technologies, online content and software providers, and talent. Additionally, Mr. Stephens represents clients in manufacturing, and the financial & insurance industries. From 2010-2013, Mr. Stephens served on the National Board of Directors for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and was co-chair and Treasurer. He is a 1995 graduate of Rutgers University Law School, and a 1990 graduate of Rutgers University. Mr. Stephens is admitted to the State bar of California; 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; U.S. District Court (C.D. Cal.); U.S. District Court (E.D.Cal.); U.S. District Court (N.D. Cal.); and the U.S. District Court (S.D. Cal.).
- Nicole Bashor, Affiliate Representative: Bashor is an attorney in Quarles & Brady LLP's Intellectual Property Group who provides counseling on patent, trademark, copyright, and social media issues. Nicole assists clients in all stages of business development to implement long-term intellectual property strategies that integrate the procurement and enforcement of intellectual property rights. She also has experience in prosecuting, litigating, and licensing for patents, trademarks, and copyrights, both nationally and internationally. Nicole represents companies in a broad range of industries, including fashion, consumer products, software, social networking, food and beverage, and manufacturing.
- Randy Katz, Association At-Large: Katz has served as a federal prosecutor for over a decade at the U.S. Department of Justice. Randy has prosecuted a variety of significant fraud, drug, violent crime and child exploitation matters and serves as the LGBT Special Emphasis Program Manager. In 2008, he received the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service, one of the Department's highest honors, for his role in Florida's largest health care fraud prosecution. In 2010, Randy received the Timothy Evans Memorial Award, given to the top federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida. In 2013, he was recognized as Prosecutor of the Year by International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (Florida) for dismantling a major mortgage fraud organization. He was recently appointed by the Chief Judge of Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit to serve on the Circuit's Professionalism Panel. Randy is a graduate of Duke Law School, with high honors, where he served on the Editorial Board of the Duke Law Journal and graduated, with honors, from the University of Maryland. Randy clerked for the Honorable Gerald B. Tjoflat of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and worked as a litigation associate at a national law firm. As a director, Randy is a fiduciary of the LGBT Bar, but he abstains from any action relating to the federal government, and does not participate in any related activities.
- Tom Lane, Association At-Large: Lane is a partner in Winston & Strawn's New York office who focuses his practice on complex business and commercial litigation, particularly in the new media and entertainment fields. Mr. Lane's work frequently puts him at the forefront of precedent-setting intellectual property cases that shape the law governing media and emerging technologies, a practice balanced by regular retentions in large, complex "bet the company" litigation. He has represented traditional content owners and distributors, as well as high-technology companies and ISPs, on complex intellectual property liability issues. His experience in this area includes all aspects of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the development, distribution, and use of technologies that push the boundaries of IP law. His individual trial experience is extraordinarily extensive, with more than 100 cases to verdict in various forums throughout the world. He has litigated on behalf of numerous new media and entertainment companies and represented multiple musicians and artists, both for and against record labels. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Lane served as a senior trial attorney in the Kings County District Attorney's Office, where for close to five years he investigated and prosecuted multiple homicide cases and a variety of violent felonies.
- Bendita Malakia, Association At-Large: Malakia is Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Goldman Sachs. Previously, Ms. Malakia spent over six years at Norton Rose Fulbright advising development banks in connection with their investments in emerging markets. Ms. Malakia received her B.A. in Political Science from Barnard College and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. Ms. Malakia enjoys spending time with her wife, eating tacos, traveling, the Pittsburgh Steelers and wine tasting.
- Hope Adams, Foundation Treasurer: Adams is Senior Counsel, Investment Management and Securities, for PNC Bank, National Association, and is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to joining PNC Bank, Ms. Adams was a Counsel at Reed Smith LLP in Washington, D.C., where she was a member of the Investment Management and Alternative Funds practice groups, and a Partner at Venable, LLP, where she was a member of the Corporate and Securities practice group. Ms. Adams received a J.D. from Campbell University and an LL.M in Taxation from the University of Florida. She is admitted to the Bars of North Carolina, District of Columbia and Pennsylvania.
- Nancy Halas, Foundation At-Large Member: Halas is the Resident Attorney for Liberty Mutual Insurance Group in Orange California. She oversees the team of civil and workers' compensation attorneys for all aspects of case handling working closely with their claims departments. Prior to her current position, Nancy was the managing and senior workers' compensation trial attorney for Liberty Mutual in their San Bernardino, California legal office. Nancy's practice involved special investigations, professional sports and asbestos claims defense and teaching law courses for the Insurance Education Association. Nancy is committed to ensuring a diverse workplace and has had the pleasure of seeking talent through her involvement in the Lavender Law's Career Fair the last three years for Liberty Mutual. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, Nancy practiced criminal defense and worked closely with the Elder Law Association in Illinois. Before graduating from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Nancy worked in the legal/compliance department of a major brokerage firm and as public relations director for the Girl Scouts Northwest Indiana council. Nancy is a member of the California and Illinois state bars. She is proud to announce that after 35 years in a committed relationship with Cheryl, they were able to marry in 2013.
"The LGBT Bar's board represents the very best of our profession," Kemnitz said. "As we prepare for our largest Annual Conference and Career Fair yet, and as we help organize and lead the discussions that will move our community forward in the months to come, the board has a meaningful role to play. With their leadership, we are better positioned than ever before to raise the bar on excellence in the profession, and equality within our community."
Published: Thu, Apr 30, 2015
