Local lesbian attorney Kathleen Womack has been elected to the State Bar of Georgia's Board of Governors, according to the organization.
Womack, a past president of the Stonewall Bar Association and former chair of Georgia Equality's Board of Directors, was named to the State Bar of Georgia in 2011 but won election for the first time in April.
Her election may just be the first time an openly gay or lesbian attorney was elected to the state bar.
A gay Atlanta voter filed an ethics complaint against Fulton Magistrate Judge Melynee Leftridge on Wednesday accusing Leftridge of an “apparent elaborate scheme to funnel some $18,500 to a company responsible for maintaining a website www.pirouettesexy.com” that features “pictures of scantly clad women.”
But Leftridge counters that the company she paid — Pirouette Companies — provides legitimate campaign services, and notes it has also been used by several other candidates, including openly gay State Rep. Simone Bell.
Leftridge faces openly gay attorney Jane Morrison in a non-partisan race for an open Fulton County State Court seat to be decided in the primary just five days away. Morrison could not immediately be reached for comment on the complaint against her opponent.
The attorney for the Alpharetta teen who's suing his high school over his removal from his position as the school's student body president says that his client's name is being “dragged through the mud” and accuses some students of Alpharetta High School of bullying his client on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
In a statement released over the weekend, James Radford says that he and his client, Reuben Lack, may have been overwhelmed by the attention that Lack's lawsuit has generated. Lack alleges in his lawsuit that he was kicked off the council after he proposed making the school's prom gay inclusive.
The story may have gotten too big, too fast, and I believe the students, faculty, and administration at Alpharetta High School have found themselves overwhelmed. I know Reuben and his family have felt overwhelmed.
Lawyer of victim in anti-gay videotaped beating speaks out against those defending alleged attackers
Gay activists with Change Atlanta met with the mother of a suspect accused of brutally attacking a gay man in southwest Atlanta and are now planning a town hall meeting with her and the suspect's attorney. The lawyer representing the victim, however, believes their approach is not helpful to the case that is being investigated as a federal hate crime.
Brandon White, 20, who is gay, was brutally attacked Feb. 4 by three male gang members who repeatedly called him "faggot." The assailants then uploaded a video of the attack on a hip hop website where it went viral. The three suspects — Christopher Cain, Dorian Moragne and Darael Demare Williams — have all been arrested.
CBS Atlanta was invited to the meeting with Change Atlanta and Dorian Moragne's mother and reported on the meeting Wednesday, Feb. 22.
Jane Morrison, lesbian attorney and partner of Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, the first openly gay person elected to the commission, was sworn in before the Thanksgiving holiday as Sandy Springs Assistant Solicitor.
From the Sandy Springs press release:
“Jane brings a wealth of experience to the Solicitor’s Office,” said Sandy Springs Municipal Court Chief Solicitor Bill Riley. ”Jane has worked with me since she was a prosecutor under the 3rd Year Practice Act in the Fulton County D.A.’s office under Lewis Slate. Her career not only includes prosecution skills, but Jane also served as a judge in the criminal courts of Fulton County. That experience adds a unique perspective to our solicitor office.”
Atlanta attorney Jeff Cleghorn was interviewed by Fox 5's Paul Yates regarding yesterday's Senate vote on the Defense Authorization bill that included an amendment that would have allowed President Barack Obama to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after the completion of a Pentagon review. Cleghorn also discussed Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss and the accusations someone from his staff posted a threatening comment on gay-blog Joe.My.God.
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Should Mayor Reed apologize on behalf of the city for the Eagle raid?
Re: “Mayor Kasim Reed, Atlanta Eagle attorney have testy exchange at LGBT town hall forum” (www.thegavoice.com, July 23)
I have to side with the mayor a bit on this one... even if the parties to the current suit were to all agree in writing that they would drop the suit for an apology, that would not bind the others from the Eagle raid from suing and using the mayor’s words of apology to prove guilt and get a huge legal win against the city. How responsible is it to the “gayest city in America” to subject the city to a multi-million payout to one person in order to save a few thousand earlier. That would hurt us all as well. (Not to mention the rates the city pays for legal insurance could skyrocket based on such moves being made by the mayor.) Is the goodwill worth the risk? Reed is putting the good of the city above his chances of re-election.