Recognition of Law Day 2025

by the Idaho State Bar Board of Commissioners

The Idaho State Bar has long recognized and celebrated Law Day and the opportunity it provides to promote civics education, the appreciation of fundamental legal principles, and the rule of law. 

Law Day was established in 1958 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Proclamation No. 3221 designating May 1st as a day of national dedication to the principle of government under law. Following the Proclamation, in 1961, the United States Congress issued a Joint Resolution recognizing Law Day as a special day of celebration dedicated to the appreciation of liberty, the ideals of equality and justice under law, and “the respect for law that is so vital to the democratic way of life.”[1]

When admitted to the Idaho Bar, lawyers swear an oath to support the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Idaho and to maintain the respect due to courts and judicial officers. The Preamble to our Rules of Professional Conduct states that:

As a member of a learned profession, a lawyer should cultivate knowledge of the law beyond its use for clients, employ that knowledge in reform of the law and work to strengthen legal education. In addition, a lawyer should further the public’s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority.

The Preamble further provides that:

An independent legal profession is an important force in preserving government under law, for abuse of legal authority is more readily challenged by a profession whose members are not dependent on government for the right to practice.

In accordance with the spirit of this Preamble and the foundational principles of Law Day, Idaho lawyers are encouraged to engage in civic education opportunities[2] to celebrate these fundamental legal principles and discuss topics such as: 

• The importance of promoting the administration of justice and upholding the rule of law—core principles essential to the proper functioning of our democracy, which is comprised of three co-equal branches of government.
• The role of the rule of law in ensuring that our legal system—particularly the judicial branch—operates with fairness, stability, and predictability, affording all individuals equal access to justice under established principles. 
• The belief that a strong and independent judiciary is fundamental to our democracy, as it safeguards constitutional rights, resolves disputes impartially, and applies the law free from external influence. Judges must never face threats or intimidation for rendering decisions.
• The importance of the ability of lawyers to advocate for clients, even when those clients and their cases may be difficult or controversial. Lawyers and law firms must not face retaliation when advocating claims or defenses on behalf of any person or cause, even when the person or cause may be difficult or controversial.  Our democracy depends on lawyers being able to provide representation to others as a means of ensuring that legal rights are properly asserted and that courts are presented with full and fair arguments. 

The Board of Commissioners thank our members for continuing the nearly 70-year tradition of celebrating Law Day to promote the rule of law in a free society and to foster the public’s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and judicial system. 

*** This statement is made by the individual members of the Idaho State Bar Board of Commissioners and does not represent the view or position of their employers, individual bar members, or the Idaho State Bar.

[1] Public Law 87-20 (Apr. 7, 1961), codified in 36 U.S.C. § 113).

[2] A list of the civic education opportunities can be found at the Idaho Law Foundation website: https://ilf.idaho.gov/.