Ropes & Gray is committed to ensuring that our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lawyers feel welcomed and valued in the workplace. In addition to an active diversity committee, which addresses policy issues, the firm’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Lawyers Forum (LGBTQ+ Forum) welcomes LGBTQ+ attorneys to Ropes & Gray and provides ongoing support to their professional growth, integration, and development.
LGBTQ+ Forum
The LGBTQ+ Forum sponsors events throughout the year, including a gathering for summer associates and receptions that feature speakers on current legal topics important to the LGBTQ+ community. The forum also sponsors firm attendance at events such as the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association Annual Spring Dinner in Boston and the Lambda Legal Liberty Awards National Dinner in New York City. Members of the forum participate in the hiring process and act as resources for LGBTQ+ summer associates. Forum members also help to identify and coordinate firm-sponsored lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pro bono matters.
Ropes & Gray has a notable history of advocating for LGBTQ+ individuals in groundbreaking policy and civil rights cases. In 2015, Ropes & Gray played a pivotal role in the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic Obergefell v. Hodges decision—a victory for marriage equality. Litigation & Enforcement partner Doug Hallward-Driemeier, who leads the firm’s Appellate & Supreme Court practice, argued this landmark case. The firm continues to represent LGBTQ+ individuals in key cases to advance and defend their rights, including the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court ruling – Bostock v. Clayton – that prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
