News Post

The 2014 Law Day theme is “Why Every Vote Matters,” which celebrates the anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Alabama State Bar is calling for entries from students in grades K-12 across the state for a creative competition based on that theme. Students may submit entries by creating social media posts, drawing posters or writing essays. More than 750 entries were received last year.

State Bar President Anthony A. Joseph of Birmingham (Maynard Cooper & Gale PC) said, “The right to vote is the very foundation of government by the people. For this reason, striving to

protect every citizen’s right to vote and encouraging all citizens to exercise the right to vote has been a central theme of American legal and civic history.”  He noted local bar associations across the state will also sponsor Law Day activities during May.

For information and entry forms, call 800-354-6154, extension 2126. The deadline is March 21, 2014. Montgomery attorney Chad Stewart (Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles PC) is Chair of the Law Day Committee.

The poster and essay entries will be presented in two (2) classifications – grades K-3 and 4-6 for posters; grades 7-9 and 10-12 for essays and the social media category. A total of $2,400 in cash prizes will be awarded to winners. Teachers also receive a monetary gift for use in the classroom.

In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established May 1st as Law Day to strengthen our heritage of liberty, justice and equality under law. This is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law and to underscore how law and the legal process contribute to the freedoms we share.