Contributors

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Womble Bond Dickinson attorney Kevin Hall served as the Keynote Speaker for the Carolina Equality Alliance’s Annual Pride Luncheon, which took place Oct. 17 at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Hall’s presentation was titled “It’s Not Over—True Equality is Elusive”. While LGBTQ South Carolinians have made many important strides toward equality in recent years, Hall said much work remains left to be done. In particular, he discussed legal inequities that still need to be addressed in such areas as:

  • Housing
  • Employment
  • Public accommodations
  • Hate crimes
  • Fair courts
  • Law enforcement
  • Adoption
  • School bullying

Hall particularly focused on “No Promo Homo” laws, which expressly forbid educators from discussing LGBTQ people in a positive light, if at all. Such laws generally exist in health/sex education regulations, but often are vague and misapplied to other parts of the curriculum.

These laws increase the likelihood of stigmatization, name-calling and bullying. In addition, they limit the ability of faculty to provide support to LGBTQ students.

The luncheon was attended by faculty and students at the law school as part of their Pride Week activities.

Kevin Hall is a skilled commercial litigator and political law attorney whose practice intersects at the four corners of law, business, politics and public policy. He has represented Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation and elected officials facing ethics charges, criminal prosecution, and/or impeachment and removal from political office. On the business side, Hall has tried commercial cases to verdict in state and federal courts including claims such as breach of contract, business torts, unfair trade practices, unfair competition, commercial disparagement, and federal and state class actions.