Victor M. Marquez, principal with The Marquez Law Group in San Francisco, has been named the 2018-19 chair of the American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification (SOGI) by ABA President Bob Carlson.
The Marquez Law Group, founded in 1999, provides general business litigation and transactional real estate services to clients throughout California. Marquez is a governmental relations specialist and assists both private companies and nonprofit organizations develop mixed-use residential and commercial real estate development projects.
A 2016 recipient of the ABA Spirit of Excellence Award for his commitment to promoting a more racially and ethnically diverse legal profession, Marquez has served as one of 13 SOGI commissioners and served as co-lead on SOGI’s inaugural LGBT Legislative Advocacy Day on the Hill in 2015, which included a White House briefing and visits to the offices of Congress.
“I am honored and humbled to have the collective support of the LGBTQ leadership at the ABA, and the confidence and support of President Carlson,” Marquez said. “At a time when our community is facing tough challenges locally, throughout the states and territories, and nationally, I look forward to working tirelessly to lead the SOGI Commission to be a strong voice and advocate for equality and inclusion for all. Together we can!”
Marquez is a former president of the Hispanic National Bar Association (2007-08), the first openly gay person to lead the organization. He led the HNBA in developing the Public Interest Law Track, restarting the Voting Rights Section and in developing the organization’s LGBTQ section, the first within the national affinity bars. Even before he became national president, Marquez was a pioneer in pushing for the full acceptance and recognition of the LGBTQ membership by the leadership of the HNBA.
Marquez received his B.A. from the University of California in Santa Barbara and his J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law.
A photo of Marquez is available for download here.
The mission of the ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is to promote full and equal participation in the legal profession by persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities.