2010 Annual Banquet

Join us as we celebrate QLaw's Fifth Anniversary!  The 5th Annual QLaw Banquet will take place Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the beautiful Hyatt @ Olive 8 in downtown Seattle.  The registration deadline is Friday, April 23rd.  

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

We are excited to announce that our keynote speaker for 2010 is Darren Manzella, a former sergeant in the U.S. Army who served two tours of duty in Iraq.  He was promoted three times in his six years as an Army sergeant.  In 2006, Mr. Manzella admitted his sexuality to his superiors but was sent back to Iraq for a 15-month tour of duty, serving as an openly gay soldier.  In 2008, after coming out publicly on CBS's "60 Minutes," Mr. Manzella was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).  Mr. Manzella is an outspoken advocate for the repeal of the policy  (see e.g., CNN, The Advocate) and is a volunteer for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.  Mr. Manzella will be joined by Aaron Tax, legal director of SLDN. 

The ACLU of Washington and Jim Lobsenz, of the law firm Carney Badley Spellman, will be recognized for their ongoing work against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," including their representation of Major Margaret Witt, a Washington-native and decorated flight nurse who was dismissed from service under the policy.

SPECIAL HONOREE

This year QLaw is proud to honor Governor Chris Gregoire for her continuing work on behalf of the LGBT community.  Governor Gregoire has signed more LGBT-friendly legislation than any governor in Washington history, including the Anderson-Murray anti-discrimination bill and all three versions of the state domestic partnership bill.  She defended the most recent “everything but marriage” domestic partnership law by campaigning for the approval of Referendum 71.  We look forward to Governor Gregoire's remarks at the banquet.

Thank you to our 2010 banquet sponsors:

PLATINUM

Perkins Coie
Stoel Rives

GOLD          

Davis Wright Tremaine
Microsoft Corporation

SILVER

Fenwick & West
Gordon Thomas Honeywell

K&L Gates

Lane Powell

Seattle University School of Law
University of Washington School of Law

BRONZE

Alaska Airlines

Bennett Bigelow & Leedom

Bullivant Houser Bailey

Carey & Lillevik

Carney Badley Spellman
Dorsey & Whitney
Foster Pepper

Frank Freed Subit & Thomas
Garvey Schubert Barer

Helsell Fetterman
HSBC Bank, Redmond Branch
Ivy Law Group

Lambda Legal
McKinley Irvin
Moschetto Koplin McGuire

Spencer Anderson & Buhr

Stokes Lawrence

Summit Law Group

Williams Kastner