Fordham Law Professor Elizabeth Cooper, a former member of the LGBTQ+ Law Section’s Executive Committee, reflects on what Pride means to her as a lawyer and shares the advice she would give to the next generation of law students who are interested in promoting LGBTQ+ rights, in this Q&A with the New York State Bar Association.
Who are your heroes in the legal world?
Like many of us, my heroes are those who were tenacious enough, and smart enough, and wise enough to challenge barriers to full equity and equality for all – Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Tom Stoddard & Abby Rubenfeld (early leaders at Lambda Legal). One of my personal heroes is the wonderful judge for whom I clerked, Anne E. Thompson, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey: the first woman and first African American federal judge in the state, appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1979.
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As an attorney, what does Pride mean to you?
I had just finished my 1L year when the Supreme Court handed down the devastating Bowers v. Hardwick (1986) decision, upholding Georgia’s sodomy laws. And I recall the later, wonderful decisions of Romer v. Evans (1996), Lawrence v. Texas (2003), U.S. v. Windsor (2013), and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). Justice didn’t come quickly enough, but these later cases reflected the culmination of brilliant legal work, terrific community organizing, smart legislative advocacy, and dogged work with the media. I know our communities now are experiencing direct threats to safety and well-being in ways we haven’t experienced in decades. I believe that our ongoing collaboration—within our communities and with our allies, in the courthouses and in the streets, will continue to allow the arc of the moral universe to bend toward justice.
What advice would you give to the next generation of law students who are interested in promoting LGBTQ+ rights?
Do it! Get internships and externships with organizations you admire, pursue part-time jobs in law offices that represent LGBTQ+ individuals, volunteer with organizations that provide direct services, write law review articles and blog posts. Remember that the needs of our communities are diverse, implicating issues of poverty and homelessness, as well as more traditional civil rights. There are so many ways to make a difference, including getting involved with NYSBA and its LGBTQ+ Law Section!