Law Firm Fighting For Defense Of Marriage Act Faces Backlash From Legal Groups, Colleges
Members of the LGBT legal community are seriously considering breaking ties with the firm King & Spalding in light of this week’s news that one of its partners, former Bush Solicitor General Paul Clement, has signed on to defend the federal ban on same-sex marriage on behalf of House Republicans.
Despite the firm priding itself on creating a diverse and welcoming workplace, leaders of gay and lesbian legal groups already predict a backlash against the firm that is poised to rake in up to $500,000 in taxpayer dollars to support the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines federal marriage as between one man and one woman.
Jon Davidson, legal director of Lambda Legal, the nation’s oldest and largest legal organization working for LGBT equality, had one word on the firm’s decision to take the case: “Depressing.”