Law Day: An Epilogue
By Dan Murdock, OBA General Counsel

Last week just before Law Day, I received an e-mail from a friend of mine who asked me about “Lawyer’s Day.” She said she had received an e-mail advising her of the opportunity for free legal advice and was given a telephone number for those wanting that advice to call. Naturally, I was amused. I knew what she had received and was able to quickly explain about Law Day and the reasons for its creation. I explained that it was not “Lawyer’s Day” but a day set aside to celebrate the rule of law and how the legal process contributed to the many freedoms that we all share today.

I have been told by those whose opinions I value and trust that Law Day was the idea in 1954 of Hicks Epton, a lawyer in Wewoka. This is in contrast to the ABA’s position that the 1957 ABA President Charles S. Rhyne, a Washington, D.C., attorney, conceived the idea for Law Day. In any event, President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally established Law Day in 1958 to recognize and strengthen our time-honored beliefs of liberty, justice and equality. I have known all about Law Day and the reasons for its creation for a long time and quickly, but politely, corrected my friend for her misunderstanding. I was proud to be able to do so and expound on the great things that have resulted as a result of the efforts of so many in the legal profession. Yet I was also ashamed that I was amused. Why was it funny? Why was I amused?

Maybe my amusement comes from the perception of some members of the public that lawyers should not be respected or valued for their work. We need to change that perception. For too long we have not taken an assertive position to correct that perception. In a recent OBA CLE program presented in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven W. Taylor said it well. He said that lawyers had done great things for our country. He specifically discussed the areas of social justice, civil rights and human rights and said that each time advancements were made lawyers were there. Justice Taylor was very emphatic when he said that lawyers deserve and should demand the respect of the public for their efforts to protect and preserve the rights that are or should be guaranteed to all. I admit that I have been too meek in promoting our profession. So have most of you. That should change.

36 USCA § 113 designates May 1 as Law Day, U.S.A. Its declared purpose is to create a special day of celebration by the people of the United States in appreciation of our liberties. It’s a day we reaffirm our loyalty to the United States and rededicate ourselves to the ideals of equality and justice under law in our relations with each other and with other countries. And, just as importantly, it’s a day we cultivate respect for the law that is so vital for the democratic way of life.

I make special note of the way in which the law is worded. The terms “reaffirmation” and “rededication” are used. This tells us that nothing has been abandoned but reminds us of what is needed from us. What is needed from us, as lawyers, is a greater pride in who we are, a stronger recognition of the past efforts of so many lawyers who have come before us, and a more assertive position about who we are and what we do.

I understand the thought of Justice Taylor that we demand respect. Law Day gives us the perfect opportunity to think more about how we can earn it.

Originally published in the Oklahoma Bar Journal May 12, 2007 - Vol. 78; No. 15.