Law Day

 

Law Day is observed every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.

Each year, the Alabama State Bar commemorates the day with community outreach and Law Day activities for local school children. Any Alabama teacher can sign up to have a lawyer visit their classroom in-person or virtually on (or around) May 1, 2024, to give a 45-minute presentation to students of all ages. Students will get to ask the lawyers questions about their careers, how and why they became lawyers, and any other questions they have about the legal profession. In addition, middle and high school students will have an opportunity to watch a short video about this year’s Law Day theme, “Voices of Democracy,” which encourages Americans to lift our voices to maintain our system of laws and to ensure that our democracy endures.

Teacher-Sign-ups

To register as a teacher to have an attorney(s) visit your class, please fill out the registration form below, which must be completed by April 12, 2024. You will be contacted by a volunteer attorney during the week of April 22 to finalize the details. You can email LawDay@alabar.org with questions anytime.

The deadline to sign-up has now passed for 2024. Please check back in 2025!

Attorney Sign-Ups

Nearly 300 teachers have requested an attorney to visit their class on May 1, 2024. Now, we need your help filling those requests. We have organized the teachers’ requests by county, then by school. Volunteers will speak for 45 minutes.

If you are interested in speaking to a class, please click here volunteer and coordinate with the teacher using the provided contact information.

Age-appropriate materials and suggested topics of discussion can be found at the bottom of this page for all volunteer lawyers. In addition, we encourage you to let students ask questions about your careers, how and why you became a lawyer, and any other questions they have about the legal profession.

Those speaking to middle and high school students will be provided short video about this year’s Law Day theme, “Voices of Democracy,” which encourages Americans to lift our voices to maintain our system of laws and to ensure that our democracy endures.

Attorney Volunteer Sign-Ups

Classroom Resources

We find that, most often, students are mainly interested in hearing about your decision to become a lawyer, and the journey by which you became a lawyer and/or judge. We recommend that you share your own personal story and open up the floor for questions about the profession, how court works, what is a lawyer’s role in the process, and other ways in which you have put your law degree to use in your career.

You can also communicate with the teacher to find out if any of their current topics of study relate to the law.

Possible Questions to Ask Students

  1. What is the rule of law? Why is it important?

  2. What is the role of law, and how does it differ from the rule of law? Can you give an example of each?

  3. If a judge doesn’t agree with the law, can he change it in his or her courtroom?

  4. As a student, how can you be involved in the rule of law?

  5. As a student, where are you interested in engaging with the rule of law to change and make it better?

  6. What role does civility play in our society? Why is it important?

  7. What is a rule of law that you sometimes disagree with but is good for our society?

  8. How have civics, civility, or collaboration shaped your community? How might they help shape your community in the future?

  9. Is there someone who you admire as an upholder of the rule of law?

  10. How does being a lawyer help protect individual rights in your community?

Elementary School Lesson Plans
Middle & High School Lesson Plans

Photos from Past Law Days