A Transition in the Legal Profession

An interview with M. Dru Levasseur

For many years, Dru Levasseur fought for LGBTQ+ rights in courts across the nation. Now, he works to improve the experience of LGBTQ+ attorneys in the legal profession. In this conversation, Dru shares from his experiences as a transgender attorney and insights learned in his current role as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association. He examines the representation of LGBTQ+ attorneys in the profession and the discrimination and bias they can face in the workplace. Dru also touches on the fears and insecurities that many lawyers may have when it comes to working with trans colleagues or clients, including concerns about pronouns and sensitive questions about transitioning. The conversation provides resources for lawyers and legal employers to develop a more open and welcoming environment to practice law for trans attorneys, improve understanding among colleagues and to empower LGBTQ+ allies, and to integrate smart policies to improve firm diversity and inclusion.

Watch Part 2 of A Transition in the Legal Profession.


  • Attorney CLE accreditation 

Prof. Glenn Cohen discusses Abandoned DNA and the Ownership of Sperm
Abandoned DNA and the Ownership of Sperm
Prof. Glenn Cohen discusses Abandoned DNA and the Ownership of Sperm (Part 2)
Abandoned DNA and the Ownership of Sperm (Part 2)
Prof. Deborah Tuerkheimer discusses A Credibility Gap in Cases of Rape
A Credibility Gap in Cases of Rape
Judge Raja Rajeswari discusses A Different Path to the Bench
A Different Path to the Bench
Prof. Nathalie Martin discusses A Mindful Practice (Part 2)
A Mindful Practice (Part 2)
Christine Mott discusses Animal Cruelty and Domestic Abuse
Animal Cruelty and Domestic Abuse
Prof. Douglas NeJaime discusses Assisted Reproduction and Parental Rights
Assisted Reproduction and Parental Rights
M. Dru Levasseur discusses A Transition in the Legal Profession (Part 2)
A Transition in the Legal Profession (Part 2)
Prof. Lenni Benson discusses Children at the Border
Children at the Border
Judge Jenny Rivera discusses Diversity in Justice
Diversity in Justice
Alexia Korberg discusses Dobbs v. Jackson, a Battleground for Abortion Rights
Dobbs v. Jackson, a Battleground for Abortion Rights
Aviva Will & Keith Harrison discusses Economic Incentives for Diversity
Economic Incentives for Diversity
Amy Barasch discusses Empowering Women — Combatting Economic Abuse in a Pandemic
Empowering Women — Combatting Economic Abuse in a Pandemic
Prof. Peter Joy discusses Ethics and Batson
Ethics and Batson
Attorney General Sean Reyes discusses Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach
Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach
Attorney General Sean Reyes discusses Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach (Part 2)
Fighting Sex Trafficking - A New Approach (Part 2)
Prof. Peter Huang discusses Fighting the Zombie-Lawyer Apocalypse
Fighting the Zombie-Lawyer Apocalypse
Nicole Hyland discusses From Facebook to Tinder:  The Ethics of Social Media
From Facebook to Tinder: The Ethics of Social Media
Evon Idahosa discusses Human Trafficking Fueling Modern Day Slavery
Human Trafficking Fueling Modern Day Slavery
Susanna Saul and Diane Feniello discusses In Defense of Abused Women (Part 2)
In Defense of Abused Women (Part 2)
Prof. Stephen Vladeck discusses Inside the Shadow Docket
Inside the Shadow Docket
Prof. Peter Joy discusses Investigating the Client
Investigating the Client
Phillip Miller discusses Jailhouse Law—Lawyering from Inside Prison
Jailhouse Law—Lawyering from Inside Prison
Columbia Law School Faculty discusses Law in the Time of COVID-19
Law in the Time of COVID-19
Nicole Hyland discusses Lawyer Ads Gone Wrong
Lawyer Ads Gone Wrong
Sarah McShea discusses Lawyering Beyond State Lines
Lawyering Beyond State Lines
Eileen Travis and Meredith Heller discusses Lawyers and the Bottle (Part 2)
Lawyers and the Bottle (Part 2)
Professor Tanina Rostain discusses Lawyers + LLMs: AI Ethics
Lawyers + LLMs: AI Ethics
Paulette Brown discusses Lawyers with Bias
Lawyers with Bias
Prof. Lenni Benson discusses Lawyers without Papers - Immigration and Legal Ethics
Lawyers without Papers - Immigration and Legal Ethics
Prof. Lisa Pruitt discusses Legal Deserts (Part 2)
Legal Deserts (Part 2)
Prof. Anthony Sebok discusses Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits
Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits
Prof. Anthony Sebok discusses Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits (Part 2)
Legal Innovation – Investing in Lawsuits (Part 2)
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Line Prosecutors v. Main Justice
Line Prosecutors v. Main Justice
Paulette Brown discusses #MeToo Challenges in the Legal Profession
#MeToo Challenges in the Legal Profession
Hina Shamsi discusses Military Drones and Targeted Killing
Military Drones and Targeted Killing
Prof. Nathalie Martin discusses Mindfulness & Attorney Stress
Mindfulness & Attorney Stress
Prof. Peter Huang discusses Model Minority & Associates
Model Minority & Associates
john a. powell discusses Modern Discrimination, Race & Inequality
Modern Discrimination, Race & Inequality
Terri Adler discusses Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women
Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women
Terri Adler discusses Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women (Part 2)
Negotiation Strategies for Powerful Women (Part 2)
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses Out of Bounds – Negotiations Ethics
Out of Bounds – Negotiations Ethics
Lisa Smith discusses Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction
Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction
Lisa Smith discusses Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction (Part 2)
Overachieving, Anxiety, & Addiction (Part 2)
Prof. Rachel Harmon discusses Police Commands & Police Coercion
Police Commands & Police Coercion
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Poor People Science & Wrongful Convictions
Poor People Science & Wrongful Convictions
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Prosecutorial Discretion – Police Killings and Sexual Abuse
Prosecutorial Discretion – Police Killings and Sexual Abuse
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Prosecutorial Discretion – Power & Responsibility
Prosecutorial Discretion – Power & Responsibility
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics
Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics
M. Chris Fabricant discusses Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics (Part 2)
Pseudoscience and Dubious Forensics (Part 2)
Alicia Bannon discusses Recusal & the Bounds of Judicial Bias
Recusal & the Bounds of Judicial Bias
Jennifer Justice discusses RocJustice - Law of Hip-Hop
RocJustice - Law of Hip-Hop
Scott Skinner-Thompson discusses Sexual Privacy and Government "Outing"
Sexual Privacy and Government "Outing"
Gary Reing discusses Substance Abuse and Recovery - A Lawyer's Story
Substance Abuse and Recovery - A Lawyer's Story
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 2)
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 2)
Brian Cuban discusses The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 3)
The Addicted Lawyer - A Profession in Crisis (Part 3)
Robin Steinberg discusses The Case for Holistic Defense
The Case for Holistic Defense
Jeena Shah discusses The Case of Scott Lively: Gay Persecution in Uganda
The Case of Scott Lively: Gay Persecution in Uganda
Sarah McShea discusses The Dangers of a Lateral Move
The Dangers of a Lateral Move
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses The Ethical Limits of Negotiations
The Ethical Limits of Negotiations
Prof. Carrie Menkel-Meadow discusses The Ethical Limits of Negotiations (Part 2)
The Ethical Limits of Negotiations (Part 2)
Judge Raja Rajeswari discusses The Language Conundrum - Access to Justice
The Language Conundrum - Access to Justice
Joel Cohen discusses The Leaked Opinion, Dobbs v. Jackson
The Leaked Opinion, Dobbs v. Jackson
Prof. Leslie Levin discusses The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma
Prof. Leslie Levin discusses The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma (Prior)
The Malpractice Insurance Dilemma (Prior)
Jon Krop discusses The Mindful Lawyer
The Mindful Lawyer
Jon Krop discusses The Mindful Lawyer (Part 2)
The Mindful Lawyer (Part 2)
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses The Power of the Prosecutor (Part 2)
The Power of the Prosecutor (Part 2)
Kenneth Feinberg discusses The Price of Death - Compensating Victims
The Price of Death - Compensating Victims
Robin Steinberg discusses The Problem with Bail
The Problem with Bail
Seymour James discusses The Right to an Attorney - Currently Under Threat
The Right to an Attorney - Currently Under Threat
Mara Keisling discusses Transgender Battles - Access and Equality
Transgender Battles - Access and Equality
Mara Keisling discusses Transgender Battles - Access and Equality (Part 2)
Transgender Battles - Access and Equality (Part 2)
Profs Bruce Green & Rebecca Roiphe discusses Trump Trials – A Survey in Legal Ethics
Trump Trials – A Survey in Legal Ethics
Prof. William H. Simon discusses Using Lawyers to Launder Money
Using Lawyers to Launder Money
Columbia Law School Faculty discusses Vulnerable Populations in a Pandemic
Vulnerable Populations in a Pandemic
Hal R. Lieberman discusses When Lawyers Break the Law
When Lawyers Break the Law
Prof. John Morley discusses Why Law Firms Implode
Why Law Firms Implode