Letter to Prospective LGBT Harvard Law Students

Dear Prospective Student,

As the current Co-Presidents of HLS Lambda, we would like to encourage you to apply to Harvard Law School.

HLS Lambda is a social and political student organization dedicated to serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community at Harvard Law School. Lambda is one of the most active and visible student groups on campus, organizing a variety of academic, political and social events throughout the year.

Social Activities

We have drawn upon the benefits of having a large and vibrant student body, allowing for us to have a critical mass of LGBT students that truly constitutes a community rather than a small group. None of our members has had to fear being the lone queer voice in his or her section, and there are ample opportunities to find peers and allies with similar political and social interests. Through the year, we host dinners, brunches, and parties as a chance to socialize and have fun. We have had a number of informal get-togethers to watch movies, The L Word, and other LGBT-themed programming. We continue to look for new ideas for social interaction; this year may bring activities from theater and museums to bowling and a trip to Provincetown.

We also take advantage of the great resources that surround us. This year, we will hold our 15 th annual OutLaw Dance, which is one of the largest parties on campus, drawing hundreds of students and community members from the Boston area. (Last year’s event filled the Ropes-Gray Room with over 500 attendees.) We have begun a series of mixers with different graduate schools in the area, from the other Harvard grad schools to Tufts and MIT and others. Several other university organizations oversee Harvard-wide social events for the LGBT community at large and also specifically queer women on campus.

Political Activities

Harvard’s prominence and financial resources have greatly facilitated our efforts in political programming. Last year, we hosted numerous scholars, practitioners, and government figures for panels and speeches. Prior to the Goodridge decision that brought same-sex marriage to Massachusetts , members of HLS Lambda advocated for the establishment of marriage equality in rallies and demonstrations, and by working with the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) who brought the case. Now that we have marriage equality in Massachusetts (two of our recent board members are currently engaged to their partners), Lambda members have worked to defeat proposed constitutional amendments that would take that equality away. Through the efforts of students, the University non-discrimination policy now includes both sexual orientation and gender identity.

As Rumsfeld v. FAIR was working its way through the courts, five of our members helped with research for the amicus brief written on behalf of LGBT law school student groups, the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. When the Supreme Court ultimately issued a defeat, we coordinated an effort to bring together LGBT groups from other top law schools for a joint statement on the issue. We now host a listserv for these groups as a venue for further collaborative work.

At our first-annual Gay and Lesbian Legal Advocacy (GALLA) Conference last year, one panelists mentioned the idea of hosting a conference of power players to discuss and debate the merits of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. We are now working with the Dean’s Office and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to host a major conference this spring, with proposed panelists ranging from scholars and practitioners to senators and generals and other government leaders who either oversaw the policy’s outset or have the potential to seek its repeal. We are especially excited to see this conference come to fruition. Look for more details in the future on our website.

Academic Activities

We are fortunate to have a welcoming student body and faculty and a very supportive administration that has helped expand academic opportunities to deal with the intersection of law and sexuality. Last year saw the establishment of an LGBT legal clinical, where students were able to get hands-on experience helping LGBT clients and persons with AIDS with critical legal aid. This year we hope to connect that clinical to a classroom experience, so that students can deepen their understanding and study of the issues at play.

This year, HLS offers several related classes. Sexual Orientation and the Law represents a foundation for general legal issues affecting sexual minorities. Students in the Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy reading group read law review articles and materials and help to determine which articles should be republished and awarded the Dukeminier Awards for LGBT academia. Other recent courses have addressed transgender issues and new influences on family law. HLS Lambda seeks to ensure that course offerings regularly include LGBT topics.

Applying to Harvard Law School

With all of these activities and opportunities, we believe that Harvard Law School provides a uniquely rich, rewarding, and satisfying experience for its LGBT students. If you are excited by the prospect of a rewarding and meaningful legal education and career, and are interested in becoming a member of the Harvard Law School community, we encourage you to submit an application. The Law School will waive the application fee for students who demonstrate financial need. You may submit the enclosed fee waiver application after applying for admission at http://www.law.harvard.edu/admissions/jd/apply.php.

We invite you to e-mail us with any questions about the application process, academics and student life at the law school, or any other concerns. You can find more information about Lambda on our website at . You may also wish to contact the Admissions Office directly at (617) 495-3179 . Good luck with your year; we look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Brian Schroeder ‘08, Adam Sorkin ‘07

2006-2007 Co-Presidents, HLS Lambda