Introducing Q Law NJ, Inc.

In an unwavering commitment to queer and trans liberation, we as members of the Board of Directors are proud to announce the formation of Q Law NJ, Inc. (“Q Law”), New Jersey’s independent LGBTQ+ affinity bar association. We take these steps with the firm belief that now more than ever we need an independent voice for LGBTQ+ legal professionals in New Jersey. Until today, our State has remained one of the few states in the country without an LGBTQ+ affinity bar association.

For decades, LGBTQ+ legal professionals in New Jersey have formally and informally pushed leaders in our State to do more and fight for change on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. This often thankless work has made meaningful and tremendous strides on behalf of our community. But the work is far from over. 

From local boards of education to state office seekers, the attacks on trans people nationally and in New Jersey have been relentless, demoralizing, and with significant consequence. These attacks make certain that some people wish to outright erase and eliminate LGBTQ+ people. In the face of this reality, members of Q Law assert our rights to equality under the law, to be free from discrimination, and to exercise autonomy over our lives as LGBTQ+ people. When confronting such hostilities, as history and our own personal experiences tell us, building community and taking organized collective action is a means of our very survival. Having a law license will not save us from that reality.

Today, we open Q Law membership to all legal professionals (including law professors, paralegals, law students, and others) who agree with Q Law’s Mission and Core Principles regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or residency. The LGBTQ+ community is diverse, and Q Law aspires to make space for the inclusion of a wide array of lived experiences. As current leaders throughout New Jersey, we also believe in developing and encouraging a future class of professionals who will make their own advancements and who may build on the countless hours already devoted to our struggle.

If you meet the criteria, we look forward to your membership with Q Law. Rather than accept the present reality and the failures of a status quo that brought us to this moment, we can build the New Jersey we wish to live in. With bravery and courage, that work can carry on with Q Law.

In solidarity and aspiration for LGBTQ+ liberation,

Derek J. Demeri, President

Liz Pudel, Vice President

Q Law’s Board of Directors