It’s just after Pride season. A time of reflection, celebration and recommitment to fighting battles for equality. Those fights take place in many forms, and the venues range from marches held on city streets to arbitration in court rooms. Often in the courtrooms are the attorneys fighting for the civil rights of all who are the drum majors for the justice we seek.
Attorney at Law, Connie J. Vetter has served the community from her office in Charlotte, North Carolina since 1994, meeting the legal needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and non-binary/gender-diverse individuals and couples. Vetter has been one of our DEI champions in Charlotte for longer than some who have benefited from her services and expertise have been alive. That said, it’s quite fitting she would be an honored recipient of the 2026 Leading Family Law Practitioner Award.
The award is given by The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association who recognizes lawyers whose work supports LGBTQ+ families, in all of their configurations. The ceremony will be held at the Annual Lavender Law Conference (July 13–15, 2026) in Chicago.
The official press release states: Family law involves more than family creation and relationship dissolution. LGBTQ+ family law may also include allied practices in immigration, tax, military, benefits, children’s rights and welfare, disability rights, employment, bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, health care, decision-making and managing costs.
The award is given each year to one individual who is in the private practice of law and has improved the lives of members of LGBTQ+ families, parents or children through outstanding legal work, demonstrated by a longstanding commitment to providing legal services of a high quality to the LGBTQ+ community; by commitment to significant pro bono work for LGBTQ+ families, parents or children; or by leadership in significant impact litigation or advocacy affecting or in support of LGBTQ+ families, parents or children while engaged in the private practice of law.
Qnotes spoke with Vetter about the award and why the work she does is so important.
“It is important because as rights are being threatened and some are being taken away, I can still help make a difference in people’s lives. [Al]though North Carolina is no longer providing gender affirming care for people under 19, I help by affirming those individuals through name changes and, depending on the state, correcting the gender marker on their birth certificates. It’s a step I hope makes people feel affirmed. Confirmation adoptions are another way of assisting LGBTQ community members [when one parent is giving birth and the other parent is adopting], so there’s no question about legal parentship. On paper it’s a stepparent adoption, but my colleagues and I call it confirmation adoption because those people are already parents, they’re just confirming it legally.”
Congratulations, Connie! We appreciate your work and honor you as well.
