Litchfield Named Best LGBT Lawyer Under 40 by National LGBT Bar Association
Foley is pleased to announce that John L. Litchfield, associate in the firm’s Chicago office, has been named a 2011 Best LGBT Lawyer Under 40 by the National LGBT Bar Association. The award was established by the LGBT Bar to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legal professionals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBT equality.
Though still early in his career, Litchfield has established an impressive record of accomplishments towards the advancement of LGBT equality. He played a pivotal role in moving forward Illinois public policy supporting LGBT equality, drafting a new internal department policy for the office of the Illinois State Treasurer for domestic partner benefits that provided equal benefit protection to LGBT employees in a committed relationship. The policy, which includes granting of leave for health or child care issues, was a first for any constitutional office in state government.
Litchfield is also active within several local organizations dedicated to furthering rights for the LGBT communities of Illinois. As president of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, he devotes more than 200 pro bono hours annually to expand the organization’s service and outreach initiatives. As a member of and frequent volunteer with Equality Illinois, Litchfield was influential in a grassroots lobbying effort that resulted in the Illinois Legislature’s approval of the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act. The Act enabled couples in civil unions with the responsibilities, protections and benefits available to married couples.
Within Foley, Litchfield assists LGBT attorneys through his involvement in the LGBT subcommittee on recruiting, part of the firm’s LGBTA Affinity Group created as an open forum for peer support and channel for communication with firm leadership. In this leadership role, Litchfield interviews openly LGBT law students who are candidates for Foley’s Diversity Scholarship program, for summer clerkships and for hiring as full-time associates.