Celebrating the LGBT Bar NY 2026 Annual Gala
A Night to Remember: The 2026 Annual Gala
View the Gala Photo Gallery (coming soon)
What an incredible evening we shared at City Winery! On May 12, 2026, the LGBT Bar NY community gathered to celebrate our collective progress and honor those leading the way toward a more just future. The room was filled with energy, advocacy, and a shared commitment to the legal and social rights of our community.
From recognizing our distinguished 2026 Annual Gala Honorees to celebrating the immense support of our partners, the night served as a powerful reminder of the impact we have when we stand together.
Thank You for Standing With Us
To everyone who attended: thank you.
Thank you for showing up, for your generosity, and for standing with, and for, the LGBTQ+ Community. Whether you joined us as an honoree, a sponsor, a member, or a guest, your presence makes our mission possible.
We are especially grateful to our supporters, including our Diamond Sponsor, Steno, our Platinum Sponsor, Akin, our Gold Sponsors A&O Shearman, Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek, JP Morgan Chase, Quinn Emanuel and Stacey Friedman, along with the many firms and individuals listed below.
Your support ensures that we can continue our vital work throughout the year. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Susan L. Bender, Esq.
Partner, Bender & Crane, LLP
Community Vision Award Winner
Susan L. Bender is recognized by judges and colleagues as one of the top matrimonial attorneys in New York. She is routinely listed as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” and has received a Preeminent Rating for both legal ability and ethical standards (“AV”) in the Martindale Hubbell directory of attorneys.
Susan penned notable references in New York law. Her first article, “The Finality Rule Barrier to Court of Appeals Review of Appellate Division Orders in Matrimonial Litigation” was published by the New York Domestic Relations Reporter. She also authored a chapter entitled, “Enforcement of Money Judgments” in one of the most regarded references in New York law, New York Practice Guide (Matthew Bender Publisher, 1988). Most notably, she wrote the chapter, “Bringing Justice to a Flawed System” in the New York Family Law Strategies (Thompson Reuters/Aspatore Press, 2009). Often, Susan lectures on family law and procedure.
Susan’s career is defined by distinguished leadership and peer recognition. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a past recipient of both the Joan L. Ellenbogen Award from the New York Women’s Bar Association and the Founders Day Award from the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York.
Beyond her practice, Susan serves as a vital resource to the New York judiciary. She has been repeatedly appointed to high-level commissions and advisory committees by the state’s Chief Judges and Administrative Justices, directly contributing to the reform and administration of matrimonial law in New York.
Hon. Cynthia S. Kern
Justice, NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division (Ret.)
Community Excellence Award Winner
The Hon. Cynthia S. Kern concentrates her practice on alternative dispute resolution, drawing on more than 25 years of distinguished service at all levels of the New York State court system. Most recently, she served for nine years as an Appellate Division Justice in the First Department, where she handled a vast range of appeals. Prior to her appellate appointment, Justice Kern spent over 16 years as a trial judge presiding over bench and jury trials. During that time, she mediated and settled thousands of cases on a variety of matters and wrote numerous decisions, many of which were reported.
Justice Kern’s career on the bench was preceded by eight years as a Principal Court Attorney for Supreme Court Justice Joan B. Lobis, where she focused extensively on matrimonial law and settlement negotiations. Her foundational years in practice were spent as a litigation associate at two prominent law firms, handling all aspects of federal and state court litigation.
Beyond her judicial service, Justice Kern is a recognized leader and advocate within the legal community. A staunch champion for diversity and professional excellence, she served as President and First Vice-President of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York. Her influence extends to numerous City Bar committees, including those dedicated to LGBT Rights, Women and the Courts, and Health Law, and her community service includes a former board membership with the Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert.
Justice Kern graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she received highest honors, graduating in the top 2% of her class. She received her law degree from New York University School of Law, where she graduated cum laude and Order of the Coif (top 10% of class).
Miss Peppermint
Artist and Activist
Community Vision Award Winner
Miss Peppermint is a multi-talented actress, singer, songwriter, drag queen and activist, best known as a finalist on the ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. A true trailblazer, she made history as the first out trans woman to originate a lead role on Broadway in the Go-Go’s-inspired musical Head Over Heels. Beyond the stage and screen, she is a dedicated advocate, co-founding the Black Queer Town Hall alongside Bob the Drag Queen.
Miss Peppermint started performing as a child in youth theatre, and later moved to New York to study musical theatre at AMDA. While attending college, she landed work at the Tunnel nightclub’s Kurfew parties, quickly establishing herself as a fixture of New York City nightlife. She started recording music in 2005, leading to her debut single, "Servin’ It Up." She has since gone on to release numerous singles and EPs, as well as two studio albums: 2009’s HardcoreGlamour and 2017’s Black Pepper. Miss Peppermint's latest EP was released in 2022, titled Moment of Weakness: Letters to My Lovers.
In 2017, she was one of fourteen contestants to feature in the ninth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and then in 2018, she made her historic stage debut on Broadway. She currently plays a recurring role on Netflix's Survival of the Thickest and has made notable appearances on Pose, Saturday Night Live, Call Me Mother and The Traitors.
