December 18 was an historic day: The Senate finally followed the House to repeal the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. On this vote, Congress lived up to the values that lesbian, gay and bisexual servicemembers swore to defend.

In response to today’s Senate vote that sets the stage for an end to the U.S. military’s 17-year-old “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy barring gays and lesbians from serving openly, Lambda Legal issued the following statement from Executive Director Kevin Cathcart.

(Atlanta, Georgia December 16, 2010) - Plaintiff's lawyers and public safety organization will hold a town hall meeting on Monday, December 20, 2010, to educate Atlanta community members about the recent settlement in the Atlanta Eagle raid case and what the systemic reforms within the Atlanta Police Department means for the community.

(San Francisco, December 14, 2010) - The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California will hear oral arguments this Friday, December 17, in a Lambda Legal case that could result in the next major court decision regarding the federal so-called "Defense of Marriage Act," or DOMA.

(Chicago, IL, December 14, 2010) - To provide information and clarification to same-sex couples who are considering entering into a civil union when the new law takes effect in June, or whose out-of-state marriages will be treated automatically as civil unions under Illinois law, Lambda Legal has posted an FAQ on its website.

When Lambda Legal takes a case, we're in it to win. We're seeking equality and while many of our cases are uphill battles and some may be stepping stones to that ultimate goal, our mission is to make full equality real for LGBT people and people living with HIV nationwide. We even try to calibrate our losses to have impact that advances the civil rights of our particular constituencies.

Having accurate, government-issued identification documents such as a driver's license or birth certificate helps people define themselves with dignity, move about in the world with autonomy and even sometimes stay physically safe. Without such documents, it can be difficult to do such basic things as write a check or use a credit card, let alone get through security to fly on an airplane.

"A federal judge approved a legal settlement Wednesday requiring that Atlanta pay more than $1 million to people illegally detained during a raid on a gay bar, change police department policy and investigate the conduct of its officers.

"...Greg Nevins, an attorney in Lambda Legal's southern regional office, praised the plaintiffs in the case for stepping forward. The settlement effectively ends the lawsuit.

A settlement in the Atlanta Eagle raid lawsuit will force the Atlanta Police Department to rewrite unconstitutional policies regarding arrest, search and seizure, and make other changes to protect the public from police misconduct.

(Los Angeles, December 6, 2010) — In response to today's oral arguments in the appeal of a federal case striking down California's Proposition 8, Lambda Legal National Marriage Project Director Jennifer C. Pizer issued the following statement: