New Rapid-Response Program Creates Free Legal Resource for New England Transgender Community
BOSTON—Global law firm Ropes & Gray, together with GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), today announced the launch of their collective effort, the Transgender ID Project.
The initiative is designed to provide legal guidance and representation to transgender people living in the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) in completing legal name changes and updating identity documentation including social security cards, U.S. passports, driver’s licenses or state identification cards, and birth certificates issued in New England.
“Our partnership provides a critical legal service and practical resource to the transgender community free of charge,” said Ropes & Gray tax partner Kat Gregor, who, with mergers & acquisitions partner Jane Goldstein, is supervising the firm’s effort. “Our team recognizes how important it is for transgender individuals to quickly resolve documentation questions.”
“Accurate identity documents are critical for the safety and dignity of transgender people,” said Jennifer Levi, director of GLAD’s Transgender Rights Project. “This project allows us to quickly and efficiently provide immediate support to people who need it. We’re grateful to Ropes & Gray for stepping up.”
Ropes & Gray attorneys working on the Transgender ID Program may also be able to provide guidance with respect to updating other forms of identification, as well as personal and commercial documents (including birth certificates issued outside of New England), to reflect proper name and gender.
“For transgender people, having accurate identification not only facilitates everyday interactions, but also safeguards their right to be treated fairly in the eyes of law enforcement and authority figures, something that is of utmost importance in today’s social and political climate,” said Mason Dunn, executive director, MTPC. “We’re proud to partner with Ropes & Gray and GLAD to help make this a reality for the people we represent.”
Transgender individuals seeking to update their legal names and gender designations on federal and state documents can receive free legal representation through this program. To sign up, visit glad.org/ID, call GLAD Answers at 1-800-455-GLAD, or send an email to gladanswers@glad.org. Financial assistance for government filing fees may also be available.
About Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray is one of the world’s premier law firms, with more than 1,200 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology and government.
The firm has offices in Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, and has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, life sciences, health care, finance, investment management, hedge funds, tax, intellectual property, securities litigation, government enforcement, and privacy & data security.
About GLAD
Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.
About MTPC
Founded in 2001, MTPC is dedicated to ending discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression. The organization works to educate the public about transgender identities, advocates in state and local governments and encourages empowerment of community members through collective action.
[From a News Release]
