THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 46 | MAY 2025 Law Day 2025 Celebrate Law Day 2025 By Mary Clement and Ed Wunch EACH YEAR, LAW DAY IS the day set aside to celebrate the law and its importance in our lives. It is our role as lawyers to enhance public understanding of the law and the role it plays in maintaining a fair and just society. Although Law Day has been celebrated nationally on May 1 since 1958, Law Day has a special significance for those of us admitted to practice in Oklahoma – Law Day had its inception in our state when Seminole lawyer Hicks Epton launched the “Know Your Courts, Know Your Rights” initiative in the early 1950s. It is our turn to proudly carry this tradition forward. This year’s theme is “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.” This theme has guided us to think about our civic duties as well as our professional responsibility as lawyers to take a proactive stance in educating the public. Law Day is a time for all of us to think about the framework that unites us as citizens. As we take this moment to reflect on these principles, we can also take pride in that for nearly 50 years, the OBA has celebrated Law Day by hosting the Ask A Lawyer community service event, sponsoring educational content aimed at public audiences and holding art and writing contests for Oklahoma students in pre-K through 12th grade. ASK A LAWYER Every year, on May 1, Oklahomans are offered the opportunity to speak to a licensed attorney on any topic at no cost. We provide phone banks of lawyers standing by to take calls or answer questions submitted via email. Dozens of lawyer volunteers from around the state participate each year, answering hundreds of questions. No topic is off-limits! Although the main phone banks are set up in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, nonmetro communities are encouraged to participate as well. In 2025, lawyers in Beaver, Bartlesville, Enid, Hugo, Stillwater and Stilwell served their communities by hosting Ask A Lawyer call-in events for at least part of the day. Not only are these days important for helping the public, but they are also fun! Volunteering together provides a great opportunity for meaningful engagement with friends and colleagues. We hope you will consider participating in this pro bono justice event in the future or coordinating and hosting a local event that will serve your community in 2026. We would love to help you get started! Nearly 1,600 students from across the state in grades pre-K to 12th submitted entries into the annual Law Day art and writing contests. The winning students were recognized during a ceremony at the state Capitol in April.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTk3MQ==