Luke E. Debevec partner with Reed Smith. Courtesy Photo Luke Debevec, Reed Smith
In 2019, Debevec put together a multi-office team of firm lawyers who collaborated with co-counsel Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) to challenge a Pennsylvania law that prevented transgender people with felony convictions from legally changing their names to align with who they are. The Debevec-led pro bono team represented three transgender women who live openly as females but were forced to use male legal names because they were convicted of felonies years before. Debevec became aware of the need to bring this challenge after previous clients referred to the firm by TLDEF were denied name changes in Pennsylvania courts.Power Players 2022: Luke Debevec
On Dec. 15, 2021, Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Christine Ward granted transgender plaintiffs, two former felons represented by Luke Debevec and his colleagues, the right to change their names and simultaneously declared the Pennsylvania name change statute to be unconstitutional as it relates to the prohibition on name changes for convicted felons.
June 19, 2022 at 02:39 PM
3 minute read
Q&ABy The Legal Intelligencer
Luke E. Debevec partner with Reed Smith. Courtesy Photo
Luke Debevec, Reed Smith
In 2019, Debevec put together a multi-office team of firm lawyers who collaborated with co-counsel Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) to challenge a Pennsylvania law that prevented transgender people with felony convictions from legally changing their names to align with who they are. The Debevec-led pro bono team represented three transgender women who live openly as females but were forced to use male legal names because they were convicted of felonies years before. Debevec became aware of the need to bring this challenge after previous clients referred to the firm by TLDEF were denied name changes in Pennsylvania courts.
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