Before I Do! A Conversation with Elizabeth Schwartz

Join LAWN and the Center for a conversation with National LGBTQ Task Force and ACLU recognized, powerhouse Elizabeth Schwartz as she discusses her book, Before I Do: A Legal Guide to Marriage, Gay and Otherwise, and the current LGBT legal climate with our very own Wendy Hartmann. LAWN member, and fellow attorney and force of nature, Wendy Hartmann will guide this colorful discussion of do's and don't's before you take the plunge. This is a conversation not to be missed by anyone interested in wading through today's legal waters. 6:30pm Reception 7:00pm Discussion 9:00pm Book Signing VIP Ticket (including book and signing opportunity) - $20 General Admission Ticket - $10 suggested donation Free to LAWN members http://elizabethschwartz.com/beforeido/liz.html Elizabeth Schwartz has been recognized by The Anti-Defamation League, the ACLU of Florida Greater Miami Chapter, and the Task Force to name a few. She has been practicing law since 1997 and is a nationally recognized advocate for the legal rights of the LGBT community. She is the author of the book Before I Do: A Legal Guide to Marriage, Gay and Otherwise (The New Press, 2016). While her firm equally works with straight and gay clients in matters of family law, estate planning and probate, she has been at the forefront of providing crucial legal protections for LGBT families. She lectures locally, nationally and internationally about the impact of nationwide marriage equality, and the continued importance of LGBT couples protecting their loved ones through estate planning, stepparent and second parent adoption. She focuses her practice both on family formation (adoption, insemination, and surrogacy) and dissolution, and handled the first divorce for a same-sex couple in Florida. Elizabeth served as counsel on the case challenging Florida's marriage ban brought by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) on behalf of six same-sex couples and members of the Equality Florida Institute seeking the right to marry (Pareto v. Ruvin) and also on the Chin v. Armstrong case, suing Florida for fair issuance of birth certificates to same-sex married couples. She also served as pro bono counsel in several cases that helped overturn Florida's bigoted 1977 ban forbidding gays and lesbians from adopting children. Wendy Hartmann, recognized as a Southern California Super Lawywer, specializes in the areas of estate planning, trust administration, probabe, taxation, business formation and devleopment in her law firm. A significant portion of her practice is devoted to advising same sex-couples and the LGBT community regarding estate planning, family formation, adoption and taxation matters. Ms. Hartmann is a frequent lecturer in the areas of taxation, as well as the evolving laws affecting the LGBT community, and has present programs locaaly to community and professional groups, as well as at legal conferences around the country. All proceeds directly support the Los Angeles LGBT Center's services and programs.