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 Chosen Family Law Center, Inc.

Greetings, and happy summer! Thank you for subscribing to the newsletter for Chosen Family Law Center!  CFLC is a registered 501(c)(3) that supports LGBTQ+ families, polyamorous families, and other chosen and underserved families with legal support, public education, and professional training for lawyers, mental health professionals and others to make sure these communities have access to culturally competent services they deserve. This periodic newsletter keeps you informed about the legal and activism work we are doing to support LGBTQI, polyamorous, chosen families, and families of all kinds!

In this newsletter:

  • Current Project Updates: Taking More Pro Bono Clients! 

  • Medium.com post from our Senior Legal Director on the Trans Umbrella Project

  • Hiring a Graphic Designer

  • Internships/Externships for Fall 2019/Spring 2020

  • Our ED Diana’s Podcast interview on Bisexuality for Stuff Mom Never Told You

  • Hear Diana & Andy speak at Lavender Law in Philadelphia on August 7-9th!

  • Follow us on social media!
Current Project Updates: Taking More Pro Bono Clients!
We are continuing to roll out projects on an ongoing basis. The general categories of cases we are now taking are Trans Umbrella Project for name change and legal protection package for trans and nonbinary folks; Parentage Protection Project for Known Sperm Donor Insemination Agreements & 2nd Parent Adoptions to protect non-biological parents who are in same-sex couples or LGBTQIA; and Wills & Life Planning documents for same-sex couples, LGBTQI individuals, platonic co-parents, polyamorous families, parent groups of 3 or more, caretaking partnerships, kinship networks, and other non-nuclear families.  

Our eligibility criteria are:

  • Household income at 250% or less of the federal poverty level ($31k for an individual, $42k for a couple, $53 for a couple with a child or triad - see the income and eligibility chart here)

  • Approximate net worth of less than $50k

  • NY or NJ residents (additional limitations based on project type, see below)

  • We serve same-sex couples, LGBTQI individuals, and non-nuclear and underserved family forms, including platonic co-parents, polyamorous families, parent groups of 3 or more, caretaking partnerships, and kinship networks. 

  • Services are fully free and pro bono unless additional fees are noted

Project Summaries:

Trans Umbrella Project:  To protect you from whatever storms may come

Trans Umbrella Project is intended as a name change & legal protection package for low-income trans and nonbinary folks who are among the most vulnerable in our LGBTQIA community and under attack.

With this project, we'll be serving TGNCNB youth and adults up to 250% of the federal poverty level based on household size, approximately $31,000 annual income for an individual. 

For residents of all of NJ: 

  • Name change petitions & Gender marker change on birth certificate when legally allowed 

For NY residents in the 5 boroughs of New York City plus Westchester County, Putnam County, Dutchess County, and Ulster County:

  • Name change petitions 

  • Gender marker change on birth certificate when legally allowed 

  • Name and gender marker changes on state and federal identity documents 

  • A protective Advance Directive package including: Healthcare Proxy and HIPAA forms; Medical Advance Directive and Living Will; Mental Health Crisis Directive; Hospital Visitation Authorization; Powers of Attorney

Parentage Protection Project

For residents of 5 boroughs of NYC, OR anywhere in New York State if sperm donor and intended parents all agree to attend one video meeting & to travel to NYC for a signing meeting, who are intended parent(s) using a known sperm donor:

  • Known Donor Insemination Agreements: To clarify waiver of rights & responsibilities by known sperm donors & support the legal rights of non-biological intended parents.

  • Additional fee: 1-2 hour consult review with a sliding scale attorney for sperm donor.

For NY residents in the 5 boroughs of New York City plus Westchester County, Putnam County, Dutchess County, and Ulster County:

  • Second Parent Adoptions to secure legal parentage for non-biological parent. This process usually costs families $5,000 or more.

  • Additional fee: Approximately $700 fee for court ordered social worker study.

Wills & Life-Planning

For residents of 5 boroughs of NYC, OR anywhere in New York State if all parties agree to attend at least one video meeting & to travel to NYC for a signing meeting:

  • Serving same-sex couples, poly families, co-parenting & other non-romantic partners, and LGBTQI individuals.

  • Wills, Health Care Proxies, Living wills, Guardianship of Children, Power of Attorney, Medical Advance Directives, Hospital Visitation Authorizations, Advice on beneficiary designation on financial accounts.

 

GET HELP 

The Trans Umbrella Project has an online intake form HERE

For assistance in the other areas, please contact us at contact@chosenfamilylawcenter.org or call (732) 639-1657. 

 

PLEASE SPREAD THE NEWS BY SHARING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HERE!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChosenFamilyLaw/status/1149334985788276736

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChosenFamilyLawCenter/posts/628942107590040
Medium.com post from our Senior Legal Director
on the Trans Umbrella Project
Our Senior Legal Director Andy Izenson recently wrote a medium.com piece explaining the need for the Trans Umbrella Project and what it entails:

So we started up this new nonprofit structure so that we could focus on the work that we really care about, and the first project we’re kicking off is called the Trans Umbrella Project. There are two parts to the Trans Umbrella Project. The name and gender marker change part is simple; there are lots of organizations that do that, and there’s a lot of need, and it doesn’t take a lot of explaining. The other part is harder to explain, in part because it sounds really boring. Please try to bear with me while I explain it, and I promise when we get to the end I’ll tell you a joke.

Okay, so: Advance directives. No, wake up, I know, wake up. Advance directives….

Read the full story and get the joke here:
https://medium.com/@AndyEyeballs/the-trans-umbrella-project-6a6686573c48
Hiring a Graphic Designer

We are looking for a graphic designer to help us build our brand!   

We are looking for designers who support and understand our mission. Those who are LGBTQ, gender non-conforming, differently-abled, and persons of color are especially encouraged to apply.

Please visit our website for more information, and please spread the word!

https://chosenfamilylawcenter.org/now-hiring
Internships/Externships for Fall 2019/Spring 2020

CFLC is now recruiting interns to assist in development and execution of our projects, educational materials, and drafting legal forms such as name change petitions for our clients.

Please visit the current list of projects in development. Your internship could have a significant impact during this important growth period!

This internship is appropriate for rising 3rd year law students with experience in family law, LGBTQIA+ issues, and/or nonprofit development and organizational experience with an interest in contributing to the development of our organization and projects. The internship will involve hands-on training in family law practice, LGBTQIA+ rights and issues, and non-profit management with direct supervision and mentoring.

 Please visit our website for more information, and please spread the word!
 
Diana’s Podcast Interview on Bisexuality
for Stuff Mom Never Told You!

Our Executive Director Diana Adams was interviewed on a popular podcast for millenial women, Stuff Mom Never Told You, about bisexuality within the LGBTQIA+ continuum. They did a pride podcast that misdefined bisexuality as reinforcing a gender binary to the exclusion of trans people. Diana called this out on twitter as an outmoded definition, and they graciously agreed to listen and learn. They interviewed Diana along with other leading bisexuality activists in a two part series that is very informative about issues facing bisexuals including disproportionate homelessness and biphobic violence, the ways that bisexuality does NOT reinforce gender binary or negate our trans allies, and some powerful stories of discrimination Diana and other interviewees have faced. We encourage you to take a listen and share on social media. Thanks!

Part 1: https://www.stuffmomnevertoldyou.com/podcasts/bisexuality-part-1.htm

Part 2: https://www.stuffmomnevertoldyou.com/podcasts/bisexuality-part-2.htm
Diana & Andy speak on LGBTQIA+ law at
Lavender Law in Philly on Aug 7-9!

Our Executive Director Diana Adams and Senior Legal Director Andy Izenson will each be speaking at Lavender Law, the annual conference of the National LGBT Bar Association. Diana will speak on bisexuality and intersectionality, the forefront of assisted reproductive technology and LGBTQIA parenting, and polyamorous families with children. Andy will speak on resources about and for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming lawyers. These classes qualify for Continuing Legal Education credit for attorneys and are especially suited to attorneys, law students, and legal workers. Register and join us for this queer lawyer reunion!
Follow us on social media!

As we get started, we need more followers to follow and share to spread the news about our work. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and help us by sharing the news of our new service areas by sharing these posts:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChosenFamilyLaw/status/1149334985788276736

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChosenFamilyLawCenter/posts/628942107590040
Wishing you and your family,
        in whatever shape it may take,
               joy, solidarity, and resistance,
                    from the team at Chosen Family Law Center,
                            Diana, Bill, Andy, and Amy
DONATE to Chosen Family Law Center
Copyright © 2019 Chosen Family Law Center, Inc., All rights reserved.


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