Mazzoni Center Mourns the Loss of Legal Director David M. Rosenblum
It is with extremely heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Mazzoni Center Legal Director David M. Rosenblum, who died on Friday, May 2, after suffering a heart attack.
UPDATE: A memorial service for David will take place on Tuesday, June 3 from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
“David was a tremendous friend and colleague, and a passionate and tireless advocate for the LGBT community,” Mazzoni CEO Nurit Shein said. “He had dedicated his professional career to standing up for those who most needed a voice, and his work at Mazzoni made a difference in the lives of hundreds of people each year.”
She added: “His enthusiasm when it came to his work was positively infectious. He was generous, funny, smart and caring. A great teacher and a loyal friend and colleague."
David joined our staff in August 2011, leading the only program in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide direct legal assistance for individuals facing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Mazzoni Center offers free legal services tailored towards low-income LGBT individuals, and also takes on cases that further advance the rights and protections of the LGBT communities.
David was vigorous in promoting the work of our legal program, and spreading awareness about the issues that impact our clients and our communities, through community and media outreach, via a quarterly newsletter he helped to launch, and through the numerous presentations he made at public and private events throughout the region.
He ran a dynamic internship program that engaged anywhere from 6 to 20 law students each semester. David also served as an adjunct professor for Temple Law School’s clinical program in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law.
He earned his B.A. degree from Brandeis University and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. He was a founding board member of the organization first known as the Center for Lesbian and Gay Law and Public Policy, which has become Equality Pennsylvania. He served as chair of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP) and helped to create the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Committee on the Legal Rights of Lesbians and Gay Men, for which he served as co-chair. In addition, David was a co-founder of the New Jersey State Bar Association's LGBT Committee, as well as co-founder and co-chair of Proud2WorkNJ, the State of New Jersey's first employee resource group. He also chaired the 2002 Lavender Law Conference in Philadelphia, the national conference of LGBT lawyers, law students, judges, professors and allies for what was then the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association and is now the National LGBT Bar Association.
He was recognized with many awards for his contributions to battling discrimination, most recently with the 2013 Diversity Award from Drexel University’s Earle Mack School of Law, for extraordinary advocacy for diversity in the legal profession.
In addition to his professional dedication, David will be remembered for his boundless good humor, his love of music and musical theater, and his unfailing willingness to engage with colleagues and clients alike.
“David was loved and admired by all of us, and by countless others who worked with him. His loss will be deeply felt,” Shein said. “Our condolences go out to his husband and family. Our Mazzoni family is at a loss for words. One thing we do know and promise - to continue his work and legacy.”
David is survived by his husband, Stephan Stoeckl; parents Ruth and Howard; brother Darren and sister-in-law Dana, niece Rachael and nephews Kyle and Ryan; and sister Dawn and brother-in-law Pierre Pavot, and nieces Rebecca and Lauren.
In lieu of flowers, his family has requested donations to Mazzoni Center Legal Services.
A memorial service for David will take place on Tuesday, June 3 from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
Our thanks to the Prince Music Theater for generously donating the space.
*Above photo from the 2014 Justice in Action luncheon: Tara Beth Photography
