Observed annually May 1, Law Day is a national day for celebrating the rule of law. Law Day provides an opportunity to understand how the law and the legal process in the U.S. protects the liberty of its citizens, strives to achieve justice and contributes to the freedoms all Americans share.
President Dwight Eisenhower established the first Law Day in 1958 to mark the nation’s commitment to the rule of law. In 1961, Congress issued a joint resolution designating May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day.
Observed by the members of the Chattanooga Bar Association May 17 at The Westin Chattanooga, the 2023 theme was “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration.”
The program featured keynote speaker Alberto Gonzalez, who served as a member of the Texas Supreme Court from 1999-2001 and as the 80th attorney general of the United States during the George W. Bush administration from 2005-2007. Born to a working-class family in Humble, Texas, Gonzales was raised with seven siblings in a modest two-bedroom home and went on to become the highest-ranking Hispanic American in executive government to date.
Gonzalez engaged in a one-on-one conversation with CBA President and Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Rob Philyaw, during which he answered questions about his time as White House counsel from 2001-2005 and as U.S. attorney general.
The CBA also presented its Liberty Bell Award to retired Hamilton County Chief Deputy Allen Branum, who retired in 2018 after 42 years of service in law enforcement in Hamilton County.
Each year, the CBA honors an outstanding citizen in the Chattanooga area with the Liberty Bell award for public service. Attorneys and judges are not eligible to receive the award.
Source: Chattanooga Bar Association