21 The Mintz Levin 2008 Pro Bono Report Greater Boston Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Almost every day, Pam Garramone, Executive Director of Greater Boston Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and her helpline staff answer questions like these: •  I can’t afford to lose my job, but my boss harasses me about my sexual orientation. What can I do? •  Our daughter is a soldier in Iraq, and she just told us that she’s gay. Will they throw her out of the military? •  My family is very religious. How can I tell them that I’m one of “those” people they talk about? •  I think I might be gay, but I don’t know for sure. How will I know? •  I’m a Muslim and want to find other lesbian Muslims in the Boston area. How do I find them? To ensure that Pam and her staff have the resources and time they need to address these multi-faceted needs, Mintz Levin provides a wide range of pro bono services to the organization. A team of attorneys and staff, led by Katherine Holliday, has assisted Greater Boston PFLAG with several projects, including review of its tax filing practices, policies for better corporate governance, and revising PFLAG’s corporate charter and bylaws. Thanks to Mintz Levin’s work on important corporate and tax issues relating to PFLAG’s status as a charitable organization, Board President Stan Griffith stated that he could now sleep at night, knowing that PFLAG would be able to continue providing services and outreach to the individuals and families who depend on the organization for support. As an added benefit, Mintz Levin’s relationship with PFLAG has allowed unparalleled first-hand opportunities for summer associates. “Working with PFLAG was a wonderful experience, not merely because it afforded me the opportunity to work directly with a client, but also because the organization is so passionate about the efficacy of its programs and the valuable service they provide. It made the experience incredibly rewarding,” said summer associate Jake Romero, who drafted a comprehensive criminal background check policy for PFLAG. Summer associate Paula Lyons, who worked on a conflict of interest policy, added, “PFLAG is a very necessary and thoughtful organization and I appreciated getting to know more about the important work PFLAG does. Through this work, I learned more about this impressive organization and at the same time learned how best to tailor corporate documents to meet client needs. I was able to participate in making them a stronger organization going forward.” In partnering with PFLAG, Mintz Levin is able to affirm its own commitment to diversity, and to further the mission of an organization working to ensure that all people can live with dignity and respect through support, education, and advocacy. “ [T]he Massachusetts 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Study found that lesbian, gay and transgendered youth were over four times more likely to have attempted suicide than their straight peers in the last year, three times more likely to have missed school for feeling unsafe, and over four times more likely to have been injured or threatened with a weapon at school. It’s why I am so committed to PFLAG.” - Katherine Holliday