News Post

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama State Bar on Thursday announced the theme for the 2015 Law Day which is held each year on May 1. In recognition of the 800^th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta, “Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law” honors the document that embodies the fundamental concepts of liberty.

“The Magna Carta represents a turning point in the effort to establish freedom under the law,” said Alabama State Bar President Richard Raleigh of Wilmer & Lee, P.A. (Huntsville). “The importance of the document as a stepping stone on the path to freedom cannot be understated, and I encourage students across Alabama to participate in this year’s competition and to consider how the rule of law is important to our society.”

The Law Day competition is open to students in grades kindergarten through 12^th. Students are asked to submit entries based on the criteria for each grade level. A total of $2,400 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners during a special ceremony on April 30. Teachers of those winning students will also receive a monetary gift for use in the classroom.

Montgomery attorney Kelly Pate of Balch and Bingham, LLC, is Chair of the 2015 Law Day Committee. Additional information and entry forms are available by contacting the Alabama State Bar at 800-354-6154 extension 2126. The deadline for student submissions is April 3, 2015.

Law Day was established in 1958 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1 as Law Day to strengthen our heritage of liberty, justice and equality under law. The nationally recognized day is set aside to celebrate the rule of law and to underscore how law and the legal process contribute to the freedoms we share.