In times of crisis, when we are tested by uncertainty and division, the Rule of Law stands as one pillar of stability. It seeks to ensure fairness, accountability, and equal justice, even when the winds of chaos threaten to uproot these principles. The temptation to sidestep the law –to cut through the red tape in the pursuit of perceived “justice” – threatens us all.
The United States has prospered not through divine providence but because the world sees it as a place where no one’s labor can be taken without cause or recourse. The Scale of Justice is blindfolded not because our justice system ignores race, socio-economic status, or ethnicity. The Scale of Justice is blindfolded but because our system aspires to rise above human prejudice. While imperfect, as all human systems are, it tries to promote fairness by shielding itself from biases inherent in those who create and uphold it.
Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons captures the importance of the Rule of Law in a powerful exchange between Sir Thomas More (the unofficial Patron Saint of Attorneys) and his son-in-law, William Roper. Their dialogue reminds us why laws are not obstacles to be cleared but shields that protect us:
William Roper: “So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!”
Sir Thomas More: “Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?”
William Roper: “Yes, I’d cut down every law in England to do that!”
Sir Thomas More: “Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned ’round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast — Man’s laws, not God’s! And if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake!”
Even when faced with forces we deem evil or unjust, adherence to legal principles ensures that no one is abandoned to lawlessness.
My “Mouthpiece”
This commitment is perhaps most evident in the role of criminal defense attorneys. In some circles, defendants refer to their lawyers as ‘mouthpieces,’ often intending it as a slur — a term suggesting that attorneys merely parrot whatever their clients tell them to say. I see this label differently; I wear it as a badge of honor.
Why? Because when all others have abandoned a criminal defendant — when society has turned its back on that person and declared the individual undeserving of compassion or fairness — there is still one person who will fight for them, advocate for them, and literally stand by their side. That person is their lawyer.
An attorney’s role is not to condone or excuse wrongdoing but to ensure that every individual receives the protections guaranteed by the Rule of Law. It means fighting for their client’s rights even when public opinion demands otherwise. It means ensuring that evidence is scrutinized, procedures are followed, and justice is served — not through mob rule but through a “due process.”
Now More Than Ever
In today’s America — where students and strangers can be whisked off the street by masked “officials” hiding their identities — the Rule of Law faces unprecedented challenges. Leaders may be tempted to bend or break legal norms for short-term gains; institutions may falter under pressure; and public trust in justice systems may waver. But these are precisely the times when our collective commitment to the Rule of Law must remain steadfast.
As Sir Thomas More warns in A Man for All Seasons, cutting down laws in pursuit of an enemy leaves us defenseless when new threats arise. The Rule of Law ensures that no individual or institution can act arbitrarily or without accountability. It protects not only those accused but also society as a whole by upholding fairness and preventing abuses of power: it safeguards us “for my own safety’s sake.”
A Call to Action
May 1 is “Law Day” in the United States. Established by President Eisenhower in 1958 and formalized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1961, Law Day celebrates the Rule of Law and its role in the United States. This May 1, attorneys, allies, friends, and colleagues will gather before Federal Courthouses in every state and before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to reaffirm their oaths to uphold the Rule of Law and the principles of our imperfect Republic.
I hope you will join us in person or in spirit!
For more information about Law Day events in your state, please visit: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/dc-law-day