The Dallas Bar Association’s board of directors voted today (Thursday, Oct. 20), to elevate the ex-officio board for the president of the Dallas LGBT Bar Association to a voting director’s seat for both the president and president-elect of DLGBTBA. Callie Butcher, an associate with Sidley Austin LLP, is the current president of the Dallas LGBT Bar Association.
The vote was unanimous. The change goes into effect on Jan. 1, DBA board members will vote to amend the bylaws to confirm this action at the board’s annual meeting.
In a written statement emailed to Dallas Voice, Butcher said, “This vote is historic for both the Dallas LGBT Bar Association and the DBA. With this vote, the Dallas LGBT Bar Association will become the first independent LGBT bar association in Texas to be officially recognized as an affiliate bar by its local bar association.”
She added. “Today’s vote is the result of many years of work by so many at the Dallas LGBT Bar Association. In a time where the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals are in the crosshairs of our government, this vote is all the more meaningful. We have a seat at the table!”
The Dallas Bar also has designated seats on its board for the presidents and presidents-elect of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, the Dallas Asian American Bar Association, the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association and the Dallas Women Lawyers Association.
The Dallas LGBT Bar Association, founded in 1999, is composed of lawyers, law students, para-professionals and related professional allies who share an interest in the laws that affect and protect the LGBTQ community. The Dallas LGBT Bar Association was founded in 1999.
— Tammye Nash
