Two in-house corporate counsel are among the 40 under 40 lawyers being recognized for their distinguished careers and their profound commitment to LGBTQ+ equality.

The National LGBT Bar Association recently announced this year's winners, who will be recognized during a ceremony at the 2020 Lavender Law Conference and Career Fair in Washington, D.C., in August.

The winning list includes Chris Miritello, vice president and general counsel for Tennessee-based Mueller Industries Inc., a global manufacturer of pipe and plumbing products; and Lindsey Adams-Hess, senior corporate counsel for Tesla Inc. in Palo Alto, California.

D'Arcy Kemnitz, the bar association's executive director, told Corporate Counsel that besides career excellence, the awards highlight the lawyers' "history of supporting the LGBTQ+ movement in their professional careers at firms, schools, companies and agencies. The LGBT Bar issues these awards both to honor these young lawyers and to highlight the important contributions they've made to social justice as an example to all."

Adams-Hess said that while she feels "humbled and honored" by the award, she still sees much work to be done.

"In California, the legal profession and the work environment are very comfortable here," she told Corporate Counsel. "We don't feel like we're under attack every time we come around the corner. I would like to see that same kind of opportunity, fairness and inclusiveness in each state, not just California and New York."

Before taking the Tesla job earlier this year, Adams-Hess was a partner at Bowman and Brooke in San Jose, where she worked for eight years. She found both the law firm and Tesla to be gay-friendly.

"Law firms are in the process of improving their policies and protections for gender expression and same-sex families," she said. "But it would be nice if you couldn't get fired for being LGBT in most states."

The bar association said Adams-Hess was being recognized for supporting LGBTQ rights "for the entirety of her professional career," including serving as chair of the Santa Clara County Bar Association's LGBTQ Rainbow Committee, participating in Bowman and Brooke's diversity committee, and managing the law firm's involvement in the Bay Area Minority Summer Clerkship Program.

She also has served on the National LGBT Bar Association's membership and diversity advisory committee since 2018. She is a graduate of the University of California at Davis.

Miritello joined Mueller Industries five years ago as deputy general counsel and was named general counsel in 2017. He previously worked for seven years as a litigation lawyer at Willkie Farr & Gallagher in New York and served as a legislative aide in the New York State Senate. He is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law.

Miritello, who could not be reached for comment, was nominated for promoting diversity and nondiscrimination with Mueller Industries' board of directors and for prior work at Willkie Farr, including representing LGBTQ tenants facing eviction and advocating for more LGBTQ law students to be admitted to the firm.

He is scheduled to speak on a career panel at the upcoming law conference.

While most of the other 38 winners work at law firms, the list also includes law professors, members of the judiciary, government attorneys, politicians, and several lawyers who work for nonprofit organizations.

The bar association called it a "highly competitive year" for the award, with nearly 90 nominations.