I often find it curious that Law Day falls on May 1st. Growing up, May 1st was always the day the news carried pictures of over the top parades in Red Square in Moscow where the USSR would display its missiles, goose stepping soldiers and mummified Politburo. In hindsight, that seems quite antithetical to what I now celebrate on May 1st – the rule of law that sets our country apart from all others. Being a lawyer should be and most often is a noble profession. Incrementally, lawyers and judges shape the rules of conduct for society. We protect the rights of individuals who are victims of crime. We hold the government’s feet to the fire when it seeks to deprive a person of liberty. We work to ensure that injured persons are fairly compensated when they prove their case to a jury of their peers. We provide the vehicles for businesses to form, grow, prosper and provide jobs. We protect assets at death so that heirs can enjoy the fruits of their loved ones’ hard work. So on May 1, 2012, remember the great things lawyers and judges do for society and all of us, and not the punch lines of inane lawyer jokes.
Matt is a partner with Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell in Concord, New Hampshire. He is the DRI Immediate Past President. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the NFJE and LCJ.
