This year marks the 59th anniversary of Law Day in the United States, and the 59th year the Daily Law Bulletin has honored the day with a special edition.
This year, we’re continuing that tradition in a new way: As you’ve presumably figured out by now, this year’s Law Day edition includes this new magazine nestled inside the newspaper generations of readers have come to know and trust. We hope you enjoy the change.
The staff here at the Daily Law Bulletin have the privilege of speaking with lawyers and sharing their stories every time we come to the office. We know the time, training and dedication you put into your careers and the critical role you serve in society.
But for many in the public, the roles of lawyers, courts and the rule of law are easy to take for granted — it’s all too easy to overlook the norms, values and rules that enable all of us to live our lives when things work the way they’re supposed to.
Law Day reminds us each year that justice requires plenty of work and participation and that it’s something we should cherish. For lawyers putting in that work, it’s a chance for the rest of us to say thank you.
This year’s Law Day theme is The 14th Amendment: Transforming American Democracy. The American Bar Association chose the topic a few years ago to commemorate a pivotal change to our Constitution and our national understanding of individual’s rights roughly 150 years ago. We couldn’t agree more with their choice.
Don’t confuse the theme as a history lesson — the story of the 14th Amendment and its incredible impact is still being written.
Inside these pages, you’ll see notes from several bar group leaders celebrating their accomplishments and affirming their values and missions for the year ahead.
You’ll also get a look at some of the major issues that define the year, including legal aid groups struggling and starved by a state government that hasn’t passed a budget in nearly two years, and a wave of volunteerism responding to the leadership change in Washington.
The legal community will tackle these challenges ahead creativity and a sense of purpose — and that’s just one more tradition we love to share.