‘Legal eagles’ Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia to honor advocates of LGBT equality

Vandy Beth Glenn, who won a federal case against the state after she wrongly was fired as a legislative editor when she informed her boss she would be transitioning from male to female, will be awarded the first-ever Spirit of Courage Award.

Kathleen Womack, former president of the Stonewall Bar Association, will be honored with the Outstanding Service to the Stonewall Community award for being a “tireless advocate on behalf of equality and inclusion as a lawyer and community leader in numerous organizations and capacities.” Womack is also a member of the board of governors of the State Bar of Georgia.

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The Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, a longtime ally of the Stonewall Bar Association. GABWA has partnered with the LGBT legal group on such issues as marriage equality education programs and this year’s AIDS Walk. The organization will receive the Conspicuous Service to the Stonewall Community award.

The keynote speaker will be Christine P. Sun, deputy legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. Sun is a civil rights attorney who works a great deal in protecting the rights of LGBT clients.

“We are thrilled and grateful to be honoring the community leadership efforts of Vandy Beth Glenn, Kathleen Womack and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, while also hearing from Christine Sun, one of our most effective advocates, on the same night,” said Stonewall Bar President Robert M. Lewis, Jr., in a statement.

“This will be a great evening to cap off a very productive and amazing year. This year, we have continued to offer important and relevant educational programming to both lawyers and laypersons, completed the third year of our mentoring program, reached out to the community through service and educational efforts, sponsored networking and social functions, awarded scholarships to two law students, and focused on solidifying existing and forming new relationships with our sponsors, law schools, other bar associations and community groups, and others with whom we have synergies,” Lewis added.

Check out photos from last year’s event in which Atlanta Eagle attorney Dan Grossman was the keynote speaker and those receiving awards were Christine Koehler, Outstanding Service to the Stonewall Community; and Brian Bates, Conspicuous Service to Stonewall.

Top photo: Vandy Beth Glenn. Second photo: Kathleen Womack. (by Dyana Bagby)