06.08.2026
A more inclusive legal profession is not just fairer, but stronger, more representative and better equipped for the future.
Thank you
In intellectual property, we know that the intangible has value. A brand, a reputation, a creation, a commercial identity or an idea can define the future of a company, a career or a community. And yet, the legal profession sometimes struggles to apply that same logic internally: belonging, safety, authenticity and the possibility of developing professionally without hiding an essential part of who we are are also valuable.
That is why speaking about Pride in the Latin American legal profession should not be a symbolic gesture in June. It should be a serious conversation about talent, leadership, retention, institutional reputation and professional future.
I also say this from my own story. I grew up in Venezuela, lived and worked in Chile, and today I continue to develop my career in the United Kingdom. Each of these realities taught me something different about what it means to be a gay person within a professional environment. In some contexts, the conversation around LGBTQ+ diversity barely existed in institutional terms. In others, the law moved faster than workplace culture. In the United Kingdom, I have found a more visible structure of policies, networks and diversity committees, but even there the data shows that there is still much work to do.
Latin America is not a single reality. Not legally, not culturally, and not within its legal markets either. There are countries with important legislative progress, firms with increasingly sophisticated initiatives, companies demanding higher standards, and professional associations that have decided to open spaces for conversation. There are also silences, resistance, fears and careers that are still built with an unnecessary degree of self-censorship.
The progress is real. Chile, for example, approved equal marriage in 2021 and has an increasingly active corporate ecosystem when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Initiatives such as Equidad CL have measured and recognised companies for their inclusive policies; in 2025, 141 companies took part in the assessment and 67 were certified as best places to work for LGBTQ+ people. Across the region, networks, committees and conversations have also multiplied in ways that, only a few years ago, would have seemed unlikely.
But legal or corporate progress does not always automatically translate into everyday safety. A recent study on LGBTQ+ workplace experiences in Chile showed that more than one third of respondents had experienced violence, harassment or discrimination at work; among those who had experienced it, 73% said it affected their work performance, and many people did not report it. This gap between policy and lived experience is one of the great outstanding challenges in Latin America.
The legal sector is no exception. In fact, because of its hierarchical, traditional and highly reputational nature, it can be especially difficult for an LGBTQ+ person to decide how much of themselves to show. Law remains a profession where networks, partners, clients, trust, availability, travel, dinners, recommendations and informal conversations matter. If a person feels that their sexual orientation or gender identity may affect how they are perceived, that person is not merely managing their privacy. They are managing a professional risk.
That is why recent regional efforts are so relevant. In 2026, ALLY was launched as a Latin American network of legal professionals focused on promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility within the legal sector. The initiative was created precisely to address issues such as low representation, lack of visibility, the absence of effective policies, and barriers to retention, promotion and leadership within firms. The fact that this conversation is taking place regionally matters: the challenges are often shared, even though the responses must be adapted to each country.
ASIPI has also taken significant steps. Its Diversity and Inclusion Committee has promoted campaigns and spaces within professional gatherings, including initiatives such as “Come as you are” and “WE… RESPECT”. The fact that an intellectual property association is officially opening these spaces is not minor. In an industry where reputation, relationships and trust are fundamental, sending the message that people can participate fully without leaving part of themselves outside the room has a real impact.
The region can also learn from other jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Solicitors Regulation Authority publishes periodic diversity data on law firms. Its 2025 data shows that 4.5% of lawyers declared that they were lesbian, gay, bisexual or preferred another description, an increase from the 3.0% recorded in 2015. But it also shows a leadership gap: representation is 4.8% among solicitors and falls to 3.0% among partners. In other words, there is more visibility, but there is still no full correspondence at the highest levels of power.
The Law Society has also studied the LGBTQ+ experience within the profession. Its research showed that 82% of respondents were out to their colleagues, compared with 63% in 2009, and that 38% were out to clients, compared with 24% in 2009. It is a sign of progress, but not of a completed task: the same study identified experiences of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia at work, as well as a lack of confidence in reporting certain incidents.
The United States offers another useful lesson. NALP’s 2024 report showed that LGBTQ+ people represented 5.13% of lawyers in participating firms, with greater presence among associates than among partners, and an even higher representation among summer associates. The reading is clear: new generations are arriving with greater visibility, but leadership still does not fully reflect that diversity.
For Latin America, the lesson is not to copy foreign models without context. That would be a mistake. Our firms, boutiques, legal departments, associations, public offices and intellectual property markets have their own histories and dynamics. The most useful lesson is another: what is not measured is not understood; what is not understood is not corrected; and what is not corrected becomes normalised.
The region also has much to offer. Latin America knows how to build community. It knows how to work through networks of trust, strong professional associations, regional collaboration and spaces where human connection matters. The challenge is to turn that cultural strength into institutional structure. Warmth does not replace a clear policy. Goodwill does not replace a safe reporting channel. A panel on diversity does not replace real opportunities for promotion. A photograph during Pride Month does not replace the active sponsorship of LGBTQ+ talent.
Latin American legal culture itself shows that we can institutionalise values when we decide to do so. The regional pro bono movement is one example. The Vance Center and Latin Lawyer have shown how many firms in the region have incorporated coordinators, committees and institutional alliances to sustain pro bono work in an organised way. LGBTQ+ inclusion requires a similar ambition: not depending on one well-intentioned person, but on systems that survive changes in leadership.
What does this mean in practice? It means collecting data voluntarily, confidentially and responsibly. It means including LGBTQ+ people in conversations about careers, not only about diversity. It means reviewing promotions, client allocation, performance evaluation, internal language, benefits, leave policies, codes of conduct and protocols for dealing with discrimination. It means ensuring diversity committees have a budget, partner support and the ability to influence. It means professional associations not only inviting people to speak about inclusion, but also looking at who moderates, who leads, who receives awards and who gains access to the most influential networks.
It also means understanding that not everyone comes out in the same way or at the same time. In some countries, industries or family environments, doing so may involve real risks. The aim of inclusion should not be to demand individual visibility, but to create conditions in which no one has to hide out of fear.
To those in positions of power in firms, companies, associations and legal teams, the call is simple: do more than the minimum. Sponsor LGBTQ+ talent. Recommend colleagues for visible opportunities. Ask whether your policies work in practice. Intervene when discriminatory comments are made. Protect more junior people. Include paralegals, assistants, trade mark administrators, support teams and non-lawyer professionals in the conversation. Diversity should not be reserved for those who have already reached the meeting room.
And to LGBTQ+ people building a career in the legal profession, especially in Latin America, I would say this: there is nothing in your identity that diminishes your professional excellence. On the contrary, having often learned to read contexts, anticipate risks, listen carefully and navigate complex realities gives us a sensitivity that is especially valuable in law, negotiation and client relationships.
Intellectual property protects what makes a creation unique. The legal profession should do the same with people.
Pride, in our region, should not only be a celebration. It should be a form of leadership.
This article first appeared in Mundo ASIPI, ASIPI’s biannual magazine. The complete magazine is available in English and Spanish.
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