WashU Law’s OUTLaw student group welcomed students, attorneys, advocates, and community members to campus for its annual Midwest LGBTQ+ Rights Conference. Organized by OUTLaw President Eliana Jacobsen and a dedicated student planning committee, the conference brought together speakers from across the nation to address pressing legal and policy issues affecting LGBTQ+ communities.
Held in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom, the conference featured panels on litigation strategies following recent court decisions, efforts to challenge anti-transgender legislation, and evolving legal questions surrounding family planning and marriage equality. WashU Law Professors Karen Tokarz, Charles Nagel Professor of Public Interest Law & Policy; Denise Lieberman, Adjunct Professor; and Susan Frelich Appleton, Lemma Barkeloo & Phoebe Couzins Professor of Law, moderated the discussions. Steve Alagna, Assistant Profsesor of Practice and Director of the Appellate Clinic, participated as a panelist.
Featured speakers included Missouri State Representative Elizabeth Fuchs, attorneys Jon Schmid and Jamie Sgarro of the ACLU, PROMO’s Katy Erker-Lynch, and local advocates Heather McCabe, Elizabeth Schlesinger, and Joanna Beck Wilkinson. Their insights highlighted both the legal challenges ahead and the critical role of attorneys in advancing equity through the courts, legislatures, and communities.
Following the conference, attendees gathered in the Janite Lee Reading Room for a reception, creating space for conversation and mentorship between students and legal professionals. The event also recognized Rep. Fuchs and Sandberg Phoenix attorney Keith Price for their exceptional service and leadership in advancing LGBTQ+ rights.
WashU Law congratulates Jacobsen, the OUTLaw leadership team, and conference committee members 2Ls Andre Jones and Yung Seo Lee and 1Ls Joe Wenger, Haven Butler, Lexie Cheek, and Kelly Lennon for organizing a successful and impactful event that continues to strengthen WashU Law’s tradition of advocacy and inclusion.
