Partner Scott Malzahn Assists Equality California as it Navigates New Legal Waters

Under the guidance of Baker Marquart partner Scott Malzahn, the firm is assisting Equality California on a pro bono basis as it navigates the new legal waters created by the COVID-19 crisis. Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and the pandemic has interfered with its ability to hold large in-person events to raise funds for its important work. Scott sits on Equality California’s Board of Directors and serves as its Vice President. This is part of the firm’s large commitment to providing free legal assistance to those in need, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At this time, many organizations are faced with a wide range of difficult and challenging issues—not only about how to deal with the immediate shut-down orders but how to plan for an uncertain future,” said Malzahn. “In the contractual context, as parties try to sort out their rights and obligations to one another, force majeure provisions in contracts and rarely-used common law doctrines like impossibility and frustration of purpose suddenly have taken on new importance. When coupled with sound practical advice, these doctrines can be used as tools to help organization chart a successful course through this crisis.”

For more information on Equality California and to contribute, please see this link: https://www.eqca.org/.