Patrick A. Guida
President, Rhode Island Bar Association
“What we know intuitively and what numerous studies have shown is that among those of our citizens most likely to be receptive to our efforts are the youth of America.”
We live in challenging times. Fundamental principles upon which our democracy was built, particularly the rule of law, equal access to justice, due process, and civil debate, are all being threatened. Our legal profession is very much at center stage. As lawyers, we are both committed by our oath of office1 and best prepared by our training and experience to serve as practitioners, guardians, and defenders of these principles. This process relies not only upon the effective functioning of our federal, state and local legislatures, executive offices and court systems, but perhaps more fundamentally upon an awareness of, respect for, and appreciation of these values by our fellow citizens.
The socialization practices woven into our democratic process, which are necessary for its most effective operation, include civics education and role models demonstrating an appreciation for civil debate and deliberation. Lawyers can make a substantial positive impact on our society by informing and encouraging our pre-adolescent and adolescent fellow citizens about these practices. What we know intuitively and what numerous studies have shown is that among those of our citizens most likely to be receptive to our efforts are the youth of America.2
We are fortunate to live in one of the states where a course in American civics education is required by law to be completed before graduation.3 This graduation requirement, as administered by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, takes effect this year and for all graduating classes thereafter. The course is both curriculum content and project based and assessed in conformity with quantifiable standards. There is ample opportunity for attorneys to provide support in the implementation of this law.
Already in place, the Bar Association has a num- ber of law-related education programs designed to engage our secondary school students. These programs not only afford students an opportunity to learn about the law but, for most, represent their first opportunity to learn about what a lawyer does and the opportunities for a career in the law.
These Programs Include:
1) Law Day, driven by the Rhode Island Supreme Court Law Day Committee and facilitated by the RIBA and court staff, involves a visit to a classroom at the beginning of May by an attorney/judge team for presentation of a designated topic. The topic this past year was The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One, with a focus on the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights, particularly the First Amendment. We delivered approximately 75 such presentations statewide. I had the opportunity to present alongside Judge Nugent in May. The students were engaged, but in addition to the designated topic, they were just as much interested in what lawyers and judges do. This proved to be an excellent opportunity to encourage the students to consider a career in law. I found the experience to be as rewarding for the presenters as it may have been for the student participants. I encourage all of us to give strong consideration to participating in Law Day next year.
2) Lawyers in the Classroom, facilitated by RIBA staff, allows for attorney volunteers to visit and make a presentation to secondary school classrooms at the request of a teacher to address one or more specific legal topics. This Program has been underutilized and can manageably be made far more robust. Our new website can now more readily accommodate teacher requests for this service and attorney availability. This Program is not date specific and can be accommodated at mutually convenient times for both attorney and educator.
3) Speakers Bureau, facilitated by RIBA staff, provides for attorney volunteers to engage with adult civic and non-profit organizations that may request a legal professional to speak on a given law-related subject. This Program is also underutilized and now more readily available to be administered through our new website.
4) Constitution Day, facilitated by RIBA staff and in partnership with the DEI Committee and the Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Ethnic Fairness, is another opportunity in the fall for an attorney/judge team to make a classroom presentation similar to the Law Day presentations. The Constitution Day program focuses on schools with diverse student populations and aims to inspire students by highlighting that attorneys and judges come from a wide range of backgrounds, demonstrating that the legal profession is accessible to everyone.
5) Shadow a Lawyer Program, a new program that will be facilitated by RIBA staff, connects high school students aspiring to become legal professionals with experienced lawyers for a brief interview or a one-day shadowing experience at the legal professional’s workplace.
We are even exploring a new initiative— Lawyers and Judges Read-a-Book Day— bringing members of the legal community into elementary schools to read to students. The launch of this program and success of all LRE programs depends on member interest and support, so we encourage you to get involved and help make these opportunities possible.
In all of these endeavors, it is our desire to both introduce students to the opportunities of pursuing a career in the law and how legal training can afford them the ability to understand and advance the fundamental principles of our democratic republic.
With the launch of our new website, signing up to participate is easier than ever. Once signed in, simply navigate to your My RIBA dashboard, locate the “Join a Program” box, and click on “Join an LRE Program.” From there, you can select the programs you are interested in and indicate the area(s) of law you feel comfortable speaking on.
RIBA staff welcome your inquiries regarding participation in any one or more of these Programs.
Quotes
1 Text of oath administered to attorney when sworn in before Rhode Island Supreme Court, https://www. courts.ri.gov/attorney-resources/Documents/SupremeRules-Article2.pdf, the Oath is Rule 8.
2 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5614112/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6221149/.
3 R.I. Gen. Laws Title 16, Chapter 22.3.
