The National LGBTQ+ Bar Leading Family Law Practitioner Award recognizes lawyers whose work supports LGBTQ+ families, in all of their configurations. 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.

Please join the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association in honoring the 2026 Leading Family Law Practitioner Award Winner

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.

Since 2013, Connie has been a member of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association, and is a highly valued long term member of the LGBT Family Law Institute®. Connie is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the Mecklenburg County Bar, and the Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association. She has also been involved in groups including the Human Rights Campaign (co-chairing its 2013 NC Gala), Equality NC, North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Attorneys, MeckPAC, Time Out Youth, and the LGBTQ Community Center. She was appointed to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee by the Charlotte City Council in 2004. In 2006, she was the Parade Marshall for North Carolina Gay Pride.

Connie's numerous awards recognizing her legal work and victories for her clients as well as her policy and legislative advocacy work in family law and her volunteer service to the broader LGBTQ+ community of North Carolina include: the Julius Chambers Diversity Champion Award by the Mecklenburg County Bar Association; LGBT Award of the Social Justice Conference; the Volunteer Mediator of the Year Award by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dispute Settlement Program; the Don King Community Service Award for her years of service to the LGBTQ+ community; and the “25 in Twenty-Five” by the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. The ACLU of North Carolina has, moreover, recognized Connie for her ”extraordinary efforts toward advancing equal rights for LGBTQ+ persons in North Carolina”.

In addition to her legal practice, Connie dedicates her time to educating people about the law, speaking frequently on LGBTQ+ legal issues to organizations, college classes, and professional forums. Her papers are archived with the Manuscript Collections of the J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives at UNC Charlotte, an indication of the important role that Connie's work has held in North Carolina history and development of its law. Connie is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and The Ohio State University.

Congratulations, Connie!

Connie will be honored at the Family Law Institute's annual luncheon at Lavender Law® - all FLI members are welcome to join.