Janice Grubin, partner and Restructuring, Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Practice Area co-chair, was featured in the Law360 Pulse article “LGBTQ Attorneys Seek to Navigate a Changing Legal Industry” about how LGBTQ attorneys are grappling with growing uncertainty as political and cultural shifts cast doubt on the stability of inclusion efforts in the legal industry. Janice shared a candid assessment of the moment: “Personally, and not on behalf of my firm, I will tell you that I’m very concerned about what’s going on in our country in terms of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Janice noted that attorneys’ reactions to these developments vary widely. “Everyone has a different response to what is going on, ranging from concern to terror depending on how they identify and what stage in their careers they are,” she said. Despite this climate, she emphasized that Barclay Damon remains steadfast in its support for LGBTQ attorneys and broader inclusion. Barclay Damon has updated its internal and external messaging to comply with new EEOC guidance while still affirming its values. “We believe that only through a tapestry of voices can we reach the highest levels of client and job satisfaction,” she said. “We believe having people from different backgrounds and perspectives will lead to better client service.”
Janice also observed that participation in LGBTQ-focused professional initiatives has waned: law firm sponsorships of the Lavender Law conference dropped notably, and she’s seen fewer judicial candidates respond to interview requests from her committee. These signs point to a chilling effect across the profession.
Nonetheless, Grubin remains committed to creating a safe and welcoming space. While she acknowledges the backward drift in some areas of the legal world, she also noted that in places like New York, “it is still the norm for people to acknowledge and respect LGBTQ attorneys.”
Law360 Pulse subscribers can read the full article here.