Jennifer Levi - Professor of Law

Education

A.B., Wellesley College
J.D., University of Chicago Law School

Background

Professor Levi has dedicated her career to fighting for the rights of women; children; the poor; and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clients. Most recently, Professor Levi was Senior Staff Attorney for Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders in Boston. Prior to that, she was a Visiting Professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law in Chicago, worked as an Associate Attorney for two Chicago law firms, and clerked in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston. Professor Levi served as Co-counsel for the seven same-sex couples who sued the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for denying them the right to obtain marriage licenses in Goodridge et al v. the Department of Public Health. The appeal led to the landmark Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling that stated it was unconstitutional for the Commonwealth to deny gays and lesbians the right to marry.

Jennifer Levi's Google Scholar Profile

Courses Taught

Alternative Reproductive Technology
Constitutional Law
Contracts
Family Law
Federal Courts
Gender & the Law
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, & the Law

Scholarly Works

Books

Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy (Jennifer L. Levi & Elizabeth E. Monnin-Browder eds., 2012). SSRN Digital Commons

Book Chapters

Jennifer L. Levi, Transgender Parents and Children Born Outside of Marriage, in Paternity and the Law of Parentage in Massachusetts 8-1 (Pauline Quirion ed., 3d ed. 2018). SSRN

Jennifer L. Levi & Catherine Connors, Transgender Youth, Medical Professionals, and the Law: What You Should Know, in Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews: Lgbtq Youth: Enhancing Care for Gender and Sexual Minorities 131 (Michelle Forcier et al. eds. 2018). SSRN

Jennifer Levi & Shannon Minter, Litigation Modeling from Problem to Success: Questions About Toilets for Transgender People in the United States, in How to Keep the Man Down—Strategic Litigation of Public Interest Cases: Us and Russian Best Practices (Todd Brower & Anton Burko eds., Moscow 2017) (in Russian). Download [«КАК ПОЛОЖИТЬ ЧИНОВНИКА НА ЛОПАТКИ, или Cтратегические тяжбы: опыт работы американских и российских сутяжников по общественно значимым делам» / Под ред. Тодда Брауэра, Антона Буркова. — М., 2017. — 176 с. Доступно для скачивания на https://goo.gl/aiezgx.]

Jennifer L. Levi, Clothes Don't Make the Man (or Woman), But Gender Identity Might, in Gender Identity And Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace: A Practical Guide 47-1 (Christine Michelle Duffy et al., eds., 2014). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, contributor, Federal Equal Protection, in Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace: A Practical Guide 15-1 (Christine Michelle Duffy et al., eds., 2014). Digital Commons

Caitlin C. Egleson & Jennifer L. Levi, Gender Identity Discrimination, in 2 Massachusetts Employment Law (John F. Adkins & Nancy S. Shilepsky, eds., 3d ed. Supp. 2013).

Jennifer L. Levi & Bennett H. Klein, Pursuing Protection for Transgender People Through Disability Laws, in Transgender Rights (Paisley Currah, Richard M. Juang, Shannon Price Minter, eds., 2006).

Jennifer L. Levi, Marriage and Civil Unions, in Representing Nontraditional Families (Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. 2001).

Journal Articles

Jennifer Levi & Kevin Barry, “Made to Feel Broken”: Ending Conversion Practices and Saving Transgender Lives, 136 Harv. L. Rev. 1112 (2023) (reviewing Florence Ashley, Banning Transgender Conversion Practices: A Legal and Policy Analysis (2022)). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer Levi & Kevin M. Barry, Transgender Rights & the Eighth Amendment, 95 S. Cal. L. Rev. 109 (2021). SSRN Digital Commons

Kevin M. Barry & Jennifer L. Levi, The Future of Disability Rights Protections for Transgender People, 35 Touro L. Rev. 25 (2019). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi & Kevin M. Barry, Transgender Tropes & Constitutional Review, 37 Yale L. & Pol'y Rev. 589 (2019). SSRN Digital Commons

Kevin Barry & Jennifer Levi, Blatt v. Cabela's Retail, Inc. and a New Path for Transgender Rights, 127 Yale L.J.F. 373 (2017). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer Levi et al., Brief for LGBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders et al. as Amici Curiae Supporting Respondent, Gloucester County School Board v. G.G., No. 16-273 (U.S. Mar. 2, 2017). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer Levi, Bullying and the Laws Pertaining to It, GPSOLO, Jan./Feb. 2017, at 30. SSRN Digital Commons

Kevin M. Barry, Brian Farrell, Jennifer L. Levi, & Neelima Vanguri, A Bare Desire to Harm: Transgender People and the Equal Protection Clause, 57 B.C. L. Rev. 507 (2016). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi et al., Petition for Writ of Certiorari, Kosilek v. O'Brien (2015). SSRN Digital Commons

Harper Jean Tobin & Jennifer L. Levi, Securing Equal Access to Sex-segregated Facilities for Transgender Students, 28 Wis. J.L. Gender & Soc'y 301 (2013). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Symposium: Radical Nemesis: Re-Envisioning Ivan Illich's Theories on Social Institutions: Foreword, 34 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 341 (2012). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer Levi & Giovanna Shay, The Dangers of Reform, Women's Review of Books, July/Aug. 2012, at 30 (2012) (reviewing Dean Spade, Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law (2011)). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi & Daniel Redman, The Cross-Dressing Case for Bathroom Equality, 34 Seattle U. L. Rev. 133 (2010). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples: Where We Are and Where We Are Going, 22 J. Am. Acad. Matrim. Law. 55 (2009). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Misapplying Equity Theories: Dress Codes at Work, 19 Yale J.L. & Feminism 353 (2008). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Symposium: Issues in Estate Planning for Same-Sex and Transgender Couples: Foreword, 30 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 671 (2008). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Some Modest Proposals for Challenging Established Dress Code Jurisprudence, 14 Duke J. Gender L. & Pol'y 243 (2007). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Clothes Don't Make the Man (or Woman), But Gender Identity Might, 15 Colum. J. Gender & L. 90 (2006). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Probation Restrictions Impacting the Right to Procreate: The Oakley Error, 26 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 81 (2004). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Toward a More Perfect Union: The Road to Marriage Equality for Same-Sex Couples, 13 Widener L.J. 831 (2004). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, A Prescription for Gender: How Medical Professionals Can Help Secure Equality for Transgender People, 4 Geo. J. Gender & L. 721 (2003). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Protections for Transgender Employees, Hum. Rts., Summer 2003. at 12. SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, A Review of Transgender Jurisprudence: Dysphoric Bodies of Law, 24 Adelaide L. Rev. 99 (2003). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Brief for the Plaintiff-Appellant Lucas Rosa in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Lucas Rosa v. Park West Bank and Trust Company on Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, 7 Mich. J. Gender & L. 147 (2001). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Epilogue, 7 Mich. J. Gender & L. 179 (2001). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Paving the Road: A Charles Hamilton Houston Approach to Securing Trans Rights, 7 Wm. & Mary J. Women & L. 5 (2000). SSRN Digital Commons

Jennifer L. Levi, Massachusetts' Domestic Partnership Challenge: Hope for a Better Future, 9 Law & Sexuality 137 (1999-2000). SSRN Digital Commons

Shorter Writings

Jennifer Levi, What the Biden-Harris Team Means for LGBTQ Equality, Af-Am Point of View, March 1, 2021, at 23.

Jennifer L. Levi & Kevin M. Barry, Embracing the ADA: Transgender People and Disability Rights, Harv. L. Rev. Blog (Feb. 22, 2021).

Jennifer L. Levi, LGBT Rights on Trial at the U.S. Supreme Court, Af-Am Point of View, Aug. 1, 2019, at 23.

Shannon Minter & Jennifer Levi, Op-Ed: Massachusetts Could Roll Back Trans Rights This Year — And We Need to Fight Back, Them (Sept. 10, 2018).

Shannon Minter & Jennifer Levi, Op-Ed: With Justice Kennedy Gone, LGBTQ+ People Must Fight Harder Than Ever, Them (June 30, 2018).

Jennifer L. Levi, Is This Really Still Happening?: Why Massachusetts Should Pass a Ban on Conversion Therapy, Af-Am Point of View, Aug. 1, 2017, at 23.