OCLBA Statement Updated June 2025

The Orange County Lavender Bar Association connects LGBTQ+ attorneys, judges, law students, and community members—as well as our straight allies—to strengthen representation within the county. Founded fifteen years ago in the shadow of Proposition 8, OCLBA is committed to producing a dynamic series of programs each year for the Bar and lay communities to increase visibility of LGBTQ+ issues and advance equality through education, charity, mentorship, networking, and social activities.

This year, these programs included a series of MCLE trainings in May, like our Harvey Milk Day Luncheon on May 22 that featured Will Tentindo from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. There will also be several opportunities to meet and socialize with members at our Pride Mixer on June 12, National Coming Out Day event in October, and joint mixers with affiliate bars throughout the year, like our annual Halloween Bash co-hosted with the Public Law Center and a third-annual Costumes & Coffee co-hosted with Orange County Women Lawyers Association on October 31.

OCLBA’s signature Anniversary Gala that honors community and legal leaders in the fight for justice and equality will be held on July 16 at the 3 Park Plaza Commons in Irvine. Our first gala fifteen years ago featured remarks by the attorneys who completed closing arguments in the landmark Perry v. Schwarzenegger case, and each year we continue to celebrate advances in LGBTQ+ legal protections, both in California and across the nation. During the event, OCLBA also awards its $5,000 M. Katherine B. Darmer Equality Scholarship to a law student committed to LGBTQ+ issues in Orange County.

Please visit oclba.org to register for our newsletter, join as a member or ally for only $30, donate to our scholarship fund, and stay up to date on OCLBA and community events.