from cleveland.com: Cultivating justice – celebrating Law Day with service: David M. Hopkins

By Guest Columnist, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND -- Law Day, celebrated on May 1, has been honored since established in 1958 to celebrate the rule of law in a free and just society.

The theme of Law Day 2023 is Cornerstones of Democracy, Civics, Civility, and Collaboration. The American Bar Association “invite[s] all the people of the United States to join us in rebuilding trust in our institutions, respect for one another, and our willingness to collaborate to address the challenges that face our nation.”

As an attorney, I believe our profession has a unique obligation to work toward the improvement of the communities that have nurtured us and provided us with opportunity. For this nation to live out the true meaning of its creed, we must take active steps to remedy the oppression and injustice that fueled much of its growth.

While we have come a long way, we still have endless ground to cover. As officers of the court, we all took an oath to honor the United States Constitution and to discharge our duties faithfully and impartially. Righting the wrongs in our society almost always requires substantial legal representation. But legal services are expensive, and in many cases prohibitively so. This necessarily and disproportionately affects the very individuals who suffer at the hands of the systemic injustices we seek to remedy, including the massive number of socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals that have been left behind in the wake of explosive growth for the fortunate. Not all people who need an attorney can afford one.

As attorneys, we have a unique tool at our disposal to rectify this inexcusable disparity: pro bono legal representation. If we believe in liberty and justice for all, we have no real choice but to use our unique and privileged positions to advocate on behalf of those in acute need. Without this work, hard as it may be, we have no hope of moving toward the deep and necessary systemic change required to bring safety and security to all Americans.

I choose to celebrate Law Day by using my skills as an attorney to provide pro bono services to low-income individuals facing legal barriers that affect the very building blocks of life that so many of us take for granted: health, safety, shelter, and economic security, among others. I do most of my pro bono work with Legal Aid because they are a nonprofit law firm focused on equal access — and the topic of rule of law is central to their mission. To me, rule of law means:

• Everyone is treated equally under the law,
• Everyone is held accountable to the same laws,
• There are clear and fair processes for enforcing laws,
• That process flourishes independent of politics,
• There is an independent judiciary, and
• Human rights are guaranteed for all.

I do this work because I have to. As the famous saying goes, “Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.” I volunteer alongside many local attorneys, and we center our work on Legal Aid’s continuing efforts to secure justice, equity, and access to opportunity for and with people who have low incomes.

As we reflect on Law Day and its theme for 2023, let us work together to build a society that values justice, fairness, and equality for all. But no one can do it alone.

If you are an attorney, use your gifts to provide pro bono services to make the world a better place. Remember where you came from and help it become better than it was when you arrived. Be the answer that so many are looking for, today.

David M. Hopkins is an attorney with the law firm of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP in Cleveland. His practice generally involves commercial litigation as well as a robust pro bono docket assisting low-income and systemically disadvantaged individuals with their legal needs.

Source: cleveland.com - Cultivating justice - celebrating Law Day with service: David M. Hopkins