On June 8, Brown, Goldstein & Levy attorneys Lauren DiMartino and Anthony May led a presentation entitled, “[P]erform[ing] work connected with the activities of [a] religious entity: The State of LGBTQ+ Workplace Rights in Maryland,” during the Maryland State Bar Association’s 2023 Legal Summit & Annual Meeting.
During their program, Lauren and Anthony provided an overview of Doe v. Catholic Relief Services, a case wherein they represent the plaintiff. They examined federal employment discrimination law, including the precedent set by Bostock v. Clayton County, and Maryland’s fair employment and equal pay laws.
Defending and advancing the civil rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community is an important part of both Anthony’s and Lauren’s law practices. In Doe v. Catholic Relief Services, they obtained a federal district court victory on behalf of a married gay employee who challenged CRS’s withdrawal of dependent health insurance benefits for Mr. Doe’s husband under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Pay Act. They recently represented Mr. Doe in the Supreme Court of Maryland regarding the interpretations of the Maryland Equal Pay Act and the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act. On June 2, Anthony argued before the court that Maryland’s anti-discrimination statutes are intended to include sexual orientation and that religious organizations are not exempted from that requirement (unless the role is ministerial). Watch the arguments here.
Lauren and Anthony also presented a national webinar for the Federal Bar Association, entitled, “Bostock and The First Amendment: The Rights of LGBTQ+ Employees in the Religious Workplace” in honor of Pride Month. They were joined by co-presenter Bradley Girard, counsel for Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
ABOUT LAUREN DIMARTINO
Lauren joined Brown, Goldstein & Levy in 2021 and primarily represents clients across various areas of civil rights law, including LGBTQ+ rights, fair housing, education and disability rights, police misconduct, appellate litigation, and workplace discrimination. Lauren’s experience has centered on education equity, constitutional law, anti-discrimination, and government misconduct. Read more about Lauren here.
ABOUT ANTHONY MAY
Anthony has represented clients in a variety of complex litigation matters including assisting employees with disabilities in obtaining accessible technology and accommodations in the workplace, representing individuals who have been wrongfully convicted, commercial litigation disputes, artificial intelligence, and fighting workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Read more about Anthony here.
Founded in 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, with an office in Washington, DC. The firm is nationally recognized in a wide variety of practice areas, including complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, health care, family law, and criminal defense. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered law firm that brings decades of experience and passionate, effective advocacy to your fight for justice.