The National LGBT Bar Association has recognized P. Brian Bartels as a 2018 top LGBT legal professional under 40 for distinguishing himself in his field and demonstrating a commitment to LGBT equality. He will accept his award at the Annual Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair in August in New York City.
Brian, who practices employee benefits law, is a partner in Kutak Rock’s Omaha office, and co-chairs the firm’s LGBTQIA + Allies Affinity Group. He was also an invited testifier of the Judiciary Committee of the Nebraska Legislature following the 2013 United States v. Windsor civil rights decision that helped define marriage in the United States. That same year, Brian co-authored an article for The Nebraska Lawyer on the decision’s impact on employee benefit plans and human resource practices.
“Brian is truly deserving of this recognition for his outstanding service to our clients and his dedication to LGBT equality,” said Drew Marlar, a partner in the firm’s Atlanta office and member of the National Inclusiveness and Diversity Committee.
Each year, the National LGBT Bar Association, an affiliate of the American Bar Association, honors attorneys who have been nominated, evaluated based on letters of recommendation and found to be major influencers in the LGBT legal community. Brian is one of only 40 attorneys to receive the award this year.
Kutak Rock opened its doors in 1965 with a stated commitment to a diverse and equal opportunity work environment and to improving diversity in the legal profession. More than 50 years later, the firm has LGBT partners at over two times the national average, and maintains a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.