b'EMBRACED AT MINTZAn Interview withMember Steve WeinerQ:How long have you been with Mintz? What was your experience like when you first started?Steve:IwasbeingrecruitedtoMintzin 19891990. Few firms at the time had LGBTQ policies,andmanyhadseniorpartners whowerebasicallyhomophobic.Mynow-husband, Don, and I had been together for almost two years. He was not visible at my previous firm. Because we did not see our relationshipaspolitical,wehaddecided not to proactively announce that we were a couple when I arrivedbut also not to deny it if anybody asked. When I was being recruited, the only person I knew well at Mintz was Peter Demuth (who wouldlaterbecomeaCorporatepartner inthefirm).Peterswife,Linette,wasthe chair of the AIDS Action Committee, and I was on the board. I discreetly reached out to her for a read on the firm. She had two responses: She said, first, that Peter was a sixth-year associate and working like a dog, but loved the firm. That was a pretty good recommendation.Butshealsosharedher own experience with Mintz. DuringthepanicengenderedbyHIV/AIDS in the early- to mid-80s, many HIV-positive p. 12'