Newton native fulfills a need for justice

The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association has named Lavender Legal Center Executive Director Kendra Weston to its list of 2025 40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40.

Weston, a Newton native, started Lavender Legal Center in 2020 from their home in Cedar Rapids. The nonprofit provides legal services, almost always free of charge, to LGBTQ+ people across Iowa.

“Many people see injustice in their communities and wish they could do something about it,” Lavender Legal Board Chair Alison Gowans said. “Kendra actually did. They saw a need in the LGBTQ+ community for compassionate and knowledgeable legal services, and they dedicated themselves to the cause.”

Weston’s dedication and hard work has paid off. Since 2020, Lavender has grown and made an immense impact in the state. This year, Lavender Legal served over 200 Iowans, helping with name changes and updated documents for transgender Iowans, confirmatory second parent adoptions for non-biological queer parents, helping clients with documentation for civil rights investigations and more.

“I continue to hear from my law student interns that the lack of inclusivity and bullying by fellow students (and professors) continues to be a common problem in law schools. When it is allowed in law school, it continues into our profession and in our courts. Exclusion and inequity is a problem in the legal profession. Thankfully, not everywhere. But anywhere is unacceptable. We can do better. Having the National LGBTQ Bar Association moves us in the right direction. When we can have community in the legal profession, we have visibility and more people working toward a common purpose — a better legal world for ALL people.” Weston said in their 40 Under 40 speech.