The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York (LeGaL) was one of the nation’s first bar associations serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) legal community, and remains one of the largest and most active organizations of its kind in the country, serving the New York metropolitan area.
Our Origins & Evolution
Our organization began as a social group. In May 1978, ten people met in Professor Art Leonard’s living room and formed the New York Law Group, meeting monthly for informal social gatherings. Art began publishing a newsletter, Law Group Notes, reporting on lesbian and gay community events and legal developments.
Our Organizational Evolution
The group grew and in 1984 incorporated as the Bar Association for Human Rights. In September 1991, the name was changed to the Lesbian and Gay Law Association of Greater New York, giving rise to the shorthand LeGaL. Today, we operate as the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, and on November 18, 2026, our members will vote to formally adopt that name, which better reflects the diversity of our mission, our membership, and the communities we serve.
Today, the Association and its charitable Foundation together are known as the LGBT Bar Association and Foundation of Greater New York, and continue to go by LeGaL and LGBT Bar NY.
The Foundation (Established 1994)
In 1994, our 501(c)(3) charitable arm was formed with Erica Bell as its founding President. Formally the Lesbian and Gay Law Association Foundation of Greater New York, it operates today as the LGBT Bar Association Foundation of Greater New York. Through the Foundation, our organization supports vital community programs and public resources:
- LGBT Law Notes Growing out of Art Leonard’s original newsletter, the nation’s longest-running publication tracking legal developments affecting LGBTQ+ people.
- Free Legal Clinics Our weekly walk-in clinic every Tuesday at The Center in Manhattan, a virtual clinic by appointment, and a monthly drop-in clinic for LGBTQ+ youth at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, along with pro bono partnerships for legal name and gender marker changes.
- Dr. M.L. "Hank" Henry Judicial Fellowship Supporting law student fellows in rotations with openly LGBTQ+ judges to promote representation in the judiciary.
- Career Development Mentoring, internships, and our annual Multi-Bar Association Practice Area Fair, helping LGBTQ+ law students and early-career attorneys find their path in the profession.
Our Founding Commitments
Since our earliest days, our growing membership has been committed to:
- Promoting the expertise and advancement of LGBTQ+ legal professionals;
- Educating the public on legal issues facing LGBTQ+ people;
- Fostering membership participation in pro bono activities in the LGBTQ+ community;
- Working with LGBTQ+ organizations, community groups, and other groups and individuals to gain equal rights for all people;
- Eliminating homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the justice system;
- Encouraging judicial and other governmental appointment of those who oppose discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression;
- Encouraging lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and gender-nonconforming people to choose law as a career; and
- Promoting solidarity among LGBTQ+ people in the law.
From the Archives: Manhattan Lawyer coverage of the Bar Association for Human Rights annual gala, 1989.