Anthony May, Lauren DiMartino, and Monica Basche attended FreeState Justice’s Annual Sunset Soirée. BGL was a proud sponsor of the event to celebrate Pride Month, our dedication to LGBTQIA+ rights, and long-standing partnership with the organization. – Technologist

Brown, Goldstein & Levy attorneys Anthony May, Lauren DiMartino, and Monica Basche attended the 2024 FreeState Justice Sunset Soirée, on May 31st at The Garage at R House. This year’s Sunset Soirée theme was “Shine Bright!”  included excellent performances by local LGBTQIA+ artists throughout the night, and honored Ebony Thompson, Baltimore’s first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ City Solicitor. The event serves as FreeState Justice’s kickoff celebration for Pride Month. Pride Month, which is celebrated every year in June, was established to celebrate and uplift LGBTQIA+ voices and call attention to the ongoing pursuit of justice for the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride Month occurs annually in June because the Stonewall Riots, which many view as the beginning of the modern LGBTQIA+ movement, happened in June 1969. 

BGL was a proud sponsor of the Sunset Soireé, in support of FreeState Justice’s vital work to improve the lives of Maryland’s LGBTQIA+ community through free legal services, legislative advocacy and education and outreach programs. FreeState Justice is the only statewide LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization working in both legal services and policy advocacy—both of which provide critical advancements toward a Maryland where all LGBTQIA+ people are free to live authentically and free from discrimination. BGL partner Jessie Weber previously served on FreeState Justice’s Board of Directors and attorney Lauren DiMartino now volunteers as a member of the Programs Committee. 

We are proud partners of FreeState Justice in much of our own work at BGL to provide pro bono representation to transgender individuals seeking name and legal gender identity changes and asylum protection. We also provide legal representation for plaintiffs facing various types of LGBTQ+ discrimination. In April 2023, we filed Chelsea Gilliam, et al., v. Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, et al., a case in which we represent transgender women who are or have been incarcerated in men’s correctional facilities where they have experienced sexual assault, denial of hormone treatment, and ongoing harassment. In December 2023, we were proud to obtain a temporary restraining order (TRO) for one currently incarcerated client, Chloe Grey, requiring, among other things, that prison officials video record each administration of hormone treatment to ensure timely and consistent provision of necessary medical care. In 2022, we obtained a federal district court victory on behalf of a gay employee who challenged Catholic Relief Services’ withdrawal of health insurance benefits for his husband.

BGL has been consistently recognized for our commitment to LGBTQIA+ rights. The National Law Journal and Elite Lawyers selected BGL as the nation’s “Civil Rights Law Firm of the Year” for 2018. Our partners are recognized annually as the best by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers, with Best Lawyers awarding BGL’s Civil Rights practice with its highest ranking and even citing one of our lawyers as their Civil Rights “Lawyer of the Year.”

ABOUT ANTHONY MAY

Anthony J. May has represented clients in a variety of complex litigation matters including assisting employees with disabilities in obtaining accessible technology and accommodations in the workplace, representing individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, commercial litigation disputes, and fighting workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Read more about Anthony.

ABOUT LAUREN DIMARTINO

Lauren DiMartino joined Brown, Goldstein & Levy to represent clients across various areas of civil rights law, including fair housing, education and disability rights, government misconduct, and workplace discrimination. Her practice also includes appeals and commercial litigation. Read more about Lauren.

ABOUT MONICA BASCHE

Monica Basche represents clients in civil rights cases, including disability rights, housing discrimination, employment discrimination, and prisoners’ rights. She also has experience with commercial litigation and business disputes, including breach of contract, business torts, and Randolph-Sheppard Act cases. Read more about Monica.

ABOUT BROWN, GOLDSTEIN & LEVY

Founded in 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, with an office in Washington, DC. The firm is nationally recognized in a wide variety of practice areas, including complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, health care, family law, and criminal defense. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered law firm that brings decades of experience and passionate, effective advocacy to your fight for justice.