8:55 Welcome and Introductions
9:00 OUTLaw: A Moderated Panel Discussion on Serving the Needs of LGBTQIA+ Clients and Families
Michelle A. "MJ" Julyan, Julyan Law Firm PLLC, Raleigh
Katie Hardersen King, Wake Family Law Group, Raleigh
Jennifer S. "Jen" Tharrington, Village Law Group, Chapel Hill
Connie J. Vetter, Connie J. Vetter Attorney at Law PLLC, Charlotte
Bradley J. Weidemann, Weidemann Law Firm PC, Winston-Salem
This panel discussion features family law and estate planning practitioners who offer insights and practice tips on serving the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients and their families. Topics addressed include tips for achieving equality and inclusivity in your office and interactions with clients, marketing to the LGBTQIA+ community, and substantive topics for serving LGBTQIA+ clients in family law and estate planning matters.
12:20 Adjourn
This program includes two 10-minute breaks
Thank you for joining us for OUTLaw: A Moderated Panel Discussion on Serving the Needs of LGBTQIA+ Clients and Families.
This panel discussion features family law and estate planning practitioners who offer insights and practice tips on serving the needs of LGBTQIA+ clients and their families.
Michelle A. "MJ" Julyan is a domestic practitioner at North Hills Family Law/Julyan Law Firm, PLLC in Raleigh. She focuses "exclusively" on family law, including LGBTQ domestic issues. In 2015, MJ prepared and presented North Carolina's first legal manuscript on The Representation of Transgender Clients in Domestic Court for the Wake County Bar's Marriage Equality Continuing Legal Education Committee. She is a former contributor to North Carolina Lawyer's Weekly regarding family law issues.
MJ obtained a Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University College of Law in California, where she participated in her school's family law legal clinic.
MJ's personal interests include martial arts as a Certified First-Degree Black Belt under the American Kenpo Karate Institute and studio recording and performances as a professional musician.
Click here for more information about MJ. She may be contacted by phone at 919.851.0001 or by email.
Katie Hardersen King is a partner at Wake Family Law Group (Schilawski O’Shaughnessy Grace King & Mauney PLLC) in Raleigh. She works with clients in matters involving North Carolina family law litigation, mediation, negotiations, and appeals. She is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist, Certified Parenting Coordinator, and Certified Family Financial Mediator.
Katie is the Immediate Past Chair of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. She recently completed a 3-year term as a Council Member for the Family Law Section and was Secretary of the Section from 2011-2020. She serves on the Section's Adoption and Modern Family Committees. Katie is also a member of the Wake County Bar Association and served a 3-year term on the Board of Directors ending in 2021. She is currently the Chair of the Tenth Judicial District's Grievance Committee, which investigates complaints involving lawyers' ethical conduct. She has previously served on the Tenth Judicial District's Fee Dispute Resolution Committee. Katie is also an ally attorney member of the LGBT Family Law Institute, a group of family law practitioners from across the country who are experienced in representing members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Katie earned her B.A. in English and Political Studies, cum laude, from Meredith College and her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law.
Click here for more information about Katie.
Jennifer S. "Jen" Tharrington received her J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Wake County Bar Association, the National LGBT Bar Association, and the LGBT Family Law Institute. Jennifer is the chairperson of the Modern Family Committee of the Family Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and is a voting member of the Family Law Council of the North Carolina Bar Association. Jennifer is also a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
Jennifer currently works exclusively with clients growing their families through assisted reproduction, adoption, and surrogacy. Jennifer is an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) fellow of the prestigious Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), one of only four attorneys in North Carolina with such a distinction.
In her Reproductive Law practice, Jennifer has been a pioneer in the state of North Carolina in protecting the rights of intended parents, donors, and surrogates. Jennifer works closely with many local and national IVF clinics and surrogacy agencies to assist couples who are growing their families with the assistance of an egg donor, sperm donor, embryo donor, and/or surrogate. She as given numerous presentations and lectures on Reproductive Law throughout the state and has taught on assisted reproductive technology law at law schools and medical schools throughout the region.
Jennifer is also a firm believer in equal rights and respect for all families. Jennifer has served the LGBT community since she was a law student, and she believes that every family deserves acknowledgment, protection, and respect regardless of how that family is formed or defined.
Click here for more information about Jennifer.
Connie J. Vetter is the go-to LGBTQ Law attorney in the Charlotte area for over 25 years. Her legal practice focuses on the needs of LGBTQ individuals and couples as well as the larger community. Her practice areas include Estate Planning, Adoption and Surrogacy, Name and Gender Marker Changes, and Adult Guardianship. She is also a mediator for the U.S. Postal Service.
Connie received the Julius Chambers Diversity Champion Award from the Mecklenburg County Bar and has been honored by the ACLU of North Carolina. In 2020, she received the Person of the Year Award from QNotes newspaper.
Connie currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association.
Click here for more information about Connie.
Bradley J. Weidemann practices family law and criminal law in Winston-Salem.
Mr. Weidemann earned his J. D. degree from Wake Forest University in 1996. While in law school, he clerked for the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco. Since 2005, he has been a member of NCLR's National Family Law Advisory Council. Also while in law school, he volunteered for the AIDS Task Force, assisting lawyers preparing estate planning documents for people living with HIV.
Mr. Weidemann earned his B. A. degree in History and Political Science, with honors in History, from Alma College in 1993. Mr. Weidemann is also a past president of North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Attorneys.
Click here for more information about Mr. Weidemann.
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