National Law Day
Volume 39 Issue: 3
The pdf for the issue in which this article appears is available for download: Bifocal, Vol. 39 Issue 3.
National Law Day is held on May 1st every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
About the 2018 Law Day Theme: Separation of Powers: Framework for Freedom
“Ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” James Madison explained in Federalist 51.
Why? Madison believed that the Constitution’s principles of separation of powers and checks and balances preserve political liberty. They provide a framework for freedom. Yet, this framework is not self-executing. We the people must continually act to ensure that our constitutional democracy endures, preserving our liberties and advancing our rights.
The Law Day 2018 theme enables us to reflect on the separation of powers as fundamental to our constitutional purpose and to consider how our governmental system is working for ourselves and our posterity. Law Day often has an Elder Law component. In some communities, the bar association, agencies on aging and other partners have collaborated to plan presentations by lawyers on the legal rights of older persons.
To learn more about Law Day and to view a video of ABA President Hilarie Bass's Law Day 2018 Message, visit the ABA website.