Darren Spedale
Encyclopedia
Darren Spedale is an entrepreneur and author who is known both as the Founder of the nonprofit organization StartOut
as well as one of the world's foremost experts on the Scandinavia
n registered partnership laws, which beginning in 1989 (in Denmark
) allowed same-sex couples to enter into legal unions and thereby receive the rights and benefits of marriage. Spedale began his research on same-sex unions while an undergraduate at Duke University
, where he wrote a thesis on domestic partnership
laws in the United States
, later published internally within Duke University. The arguments in his thesis were later used by Duke faculty and staff to help secure domestic partnership benefits for Duke employees.
In 1996, having been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship after his undergraduate work, Spedale enrolled at the University of Copenhagen
and spent two years in Denmark researching the experiences of the first countries in the world to offer the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. His published articles and public lectures have reflected on the results of the Scandinavian experiences with same-sex unions, and have helped Americans reflect upon what they might expect as a result of same-sex marriage if it were legalized in the United States. (For example, Spedale's research was widely discussed in Hawaii in the aftermath of Baehr v. Lewin). In June 2006, his book, entitled Gay Marriage: For Better or For Worse? was published by Oxford University Press (with co-author Professor William Eskridge).http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Law/FamilyLaw/?view=usa&ci=0195187512 He has published articles on his research in such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Slate Magazine, and has appeared on such TV shows as the O'Reilly Factor to discuss his findings.
After his Fulbright research, Spedale received his JD and MBA degrees at Stanford Law School
and Stanford Graduate School of Business
, respectively. He became a corporate attorney with the international law firm of White & Case
in their New York
office, and thereafter worked as an investment banker for Lehman Brothers
in New York City.
Mr. Spedale is also known for his work in entrepreneurship. He spent two years as the co-founder of a technology-based start-up as vice president of marketing prior to attending Stanford. More recently, he co-founded the media company A-List Global Media LLC, the creators of PopCardz trading cards.
Based on his experiences in entrepreneurship, in 2009 Spedale created the idea for and co-founded StartOut
, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the gay and lesbian community. StartOut currently attracts over 2,500 entrepreneurs to its events in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and has been covered in such publications as the New York Times. In June 2010 Spedale rang the Opening Bell on the New York Stock Exchange for StartOut, and has appeared on such shows as CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss StartOut's work to help build entrepreneurship in the LGBT community.
StartOut
StartOut is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community...
as well as one of the world's foremost experts on the Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n registered partnership laws, which beginning in 1989 (in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
) allowed same-sex couples to enter into legal unions and thereby receive the rights and benefits of marriage. Spedale began his research on same-sex unions while an undergraduate at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, where he wrote a thesis on domestic partnership
Domestic partnership
A domestic partnership is a legal or personal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are neither joined by marriage nor a civil union...
laws in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, later published internally within Duke University. The arguments in his thesis were later used by Duke faculty and staff to help secure domestic partnership benefits for Duke employees.
In 1996, having been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship after his undergraduate work, Spedale enrolled at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
and spent two years in Denmark researching the experiences of the first countries in the world to offer the rights and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. His published articles and public lectures have reflected on the results of the Scandinavian experiences with same-sex unions, and have helped Americans reflect upon what they might expect as a result of same-sex marriage if it were legalized in the United States. (For example, Spedale's research was widely discussed in Hawaii in the aftermath of Baehr v. Lewin). In June 2006, his book, entitled Gay Marriage: For Better or For Worse? was published by Oxford University Press (with co-author Professor William Eskridge).http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/Law/FamilyLaw/?view=usa&ci=0195187512 He has published articles on his research in such publications as the Wall Street Journal and Slate Magazine, and has appeared on such TV shows as the O'Reilly Factor to discuss his findings.
After his Fulbright research, Spedale received his JD and MBA degrees at Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
and Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
, respectively. He became a corporate attorney with the international law firm of White & Case
White & Case
White & Case was founded in New York in 1901 and has grown into one of the world's leading global law firms. The firm has since expanded, and has practice groups in emerging markets including Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as well as in Europe...
in their New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
office, and thereafter worked as an investment banker for Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
in New York City.
Mr. Spedale is also known for his work in entrepreneurship. He spent two years as the co-founder of a technology-based start-up as vice president of marketing prior to attending Stanford. More recently, he co-founded the media company A-List Global Media LLC, the creators of PopCardz trading cards.
Based on his experiences in entrepreneurship, in 2009 Spedale created the idea for and co-founded StartOut
StartOut
StartOut is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community...
, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the gay and lesbian community. StartOut currently attracts over 2,500 entrepreneurs to its events in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and has been covered in such publications as the New York Times. In June 2010 Spedale rang the Opening Bell on the New York Stock Exchange for StartOut, and has appeared on such shows as CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss StartOut's work to help build entrepreneurship in the LGBT community.
External links
- New York Times article on Spedale and StartOut
- Book Website for Spedale's Gay Marriage: For Better or For Worse?
- Spedale article on Scandinavia as appeared during the Hawaii debate over Baehr v. Lewin
- A more recent article on the Scandinavian registered partnership laws
- For a more in-depth analysis by Spedale (with Eskridge and Hans Ytterberg)
- Wall Street Journal article (27 October 2006)
- Spedale debates Bill O'Reilly on same-sex marriage (with co-author Eskridge)