The Law Offices of Jeffrey G. Marsocci, PLLC was pleased to accept the City of Raleigh’s Human Relations Business Award last night at a banquet held at the Sheraton Raleigh. Jeffrey G. Marsocci and former publishing assistant Lauren Burianek accepted the award on behalf of the law firm. Unfortunately, Kathleen Marsocci was unable to attend because she was hosting a promotional event for the Human Rights Campaign’s Gala Dinner on February 26, 2011 at the Raleigh Convention Center. (www.hrccarolinas.org).
The law firm was honored for its volunteer and legal work in Raleigh, primarily because of the work done to help members of the LGBT community. Some of the items referenced by Commissioner A. Mercedes Restucha-Klem were:
- Pro-bono work obtaining 501(c)(3) status for the LGBT Center of Raleigh, supervising two healthcare power of attorney clinics for domestic partners with the UNC Chapel Hill Law School’s Lambda Legal Society, and developing legal documents specifically to help LGBT couples when other firms would not;
- Being a sponsor of the Alliance of AIDS Services Carolinas’ Drag Bingo events for three years;
- Working with the Gay Straight Alliances in Wake County and throughout North Carolina;
- And working with the LGBT Center of Raleigh and the GLBT Center at NC State University to create and lead the Aspyre to Lead weekend camp for GSA leaders and at-risk LGBT youth.
“While it was supremely satisfying to receive this award, there is still much to be done,” Mr. Marsocci said. “As a lawyer, there is a tremendous need to help LGBT couples obtain the same or better rights that other couples can get with a marriage certificate, and that is why we lead The National Institute for Domestic Partner Estate Planning to help train attorneys and other professionals on Partner Protection Planning. There are LGBT individuals being fired from their job based on nothing else than sexual orientation and gender identity, and so we fight for change with the Human Rights Campaign. And there are LGBT teens being bullied to the point of suicide, and so we’ll work with the GSA Networks to help support Gay Straight Alliances throughout the country.”
This was Raleigh’s 22nd Annual Human Relations Awards Banquet. In addition to the city-appointed members of the Human Relations Commission, in attendance were Raleigh’s Mayor Meeker, City Council Member Eugene Weeks, City Council Member Nancy McFarlane. Wake County Clerk of Courts and Human Relations Commission Vice Chair N. Lorrin Freeman acted as MC for the evening. Dr. Irma McClaurin, anthropologist, and president of Shaw University, gave the keynote address focusing on her experiences as written in her book “Women of Belize” and how preconceptions based on demographics can interfere with Human Relations.
Information on the National Institute for Domestic Partner Estate Planning can be found at www.NIDPestateplanning.com. Information on the Human Rights Campaign can be found at www.hrc.org, and information on HRC’s North Carolina Gala Dinner can be found at www.hrccarolinas.org. Information on GSA Networks can be found at www.gsanetwork.org. Mr. Marsocci can be contacted at his law office at 919-844-7993, or please visit the office on the web at www.livingtrustlawfirm.com.