Education Committee Partners with
The Williams Institute

by Mark Leban, IALGJ Education Committee co-chair

At its annual meeting held in San Francisco on September 5, 2008, the Education Committee of the IALGJ met with members of the Williams Institute, a national think tank based at UCLA School of Law, which, amongst other activities, offers continuing legal education courses to lawyers, judges, and law students throughout the country each year. Co-chair of the Education Committee, Judge Mark King Leban, of Miami, Florida, welcomed Williams Institute Executive Director, Brad Sears, along with other Williams leaders, Brondi Borer and Todd Brower, Judicial Education Directors, and UCLA Professor, Nan Hunter. The Williams professionals reached out to IALGJ members to participate in judicial education seminars and conferences throughout the country and offered their vast resources and materials, as well as assistance with funding to IALGJ members to participate in training judges throughout the nation.

Participating on behalf of IALGJ, along with Judge Leban, were outgoing President, Gary Cohen, of British Columbia, Canada, Judges Zeke Zeidler and Barry Kohn, of Los Angeles, incoming IALGJ President, Paul Feinman,of New York City, and former Presidents, Michael Sonberg of New York City and Linda Giles, of Boston. Also invited to participate was Kathleen Sikora, consultant out of the UCLA Law School who offered a myriad of education materials on sexual orientation issues.

The Education Committee invites all members of IALGJ to participate in judicial education presentations both in the United States and abroad, and is excited about partnering with the Williams Institute. After the Education Committee meeting, the Williams professionals left the meeting and the IALGJ annual general meeting commenced, during which board meeting the members unanimously voted to accept the Williams Institute's invitation to partner with IALGJ in offering comprehensive programs on sexual orientation issues.

Kudos to Education Committee Co-Chair, Mary Celeste, of Denver, Colorado, who, although unable to attend the meeting, is largely responsible for introducing Williams Institute leaders to the IALGJ and encouraging this education partnership. This fulfills one of the missions of the IALGJ, "to promote education among its members and among the general public on legal and judicial issues related to the gay and lesbian community [as well as] to serve as role models for other lesbian and gay people and to bring to the attention of the general public the prominence of these judicial officers." Article IV, Bylaws of the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Judges.