ABA Law Day events to focus on the ‘The Rule of Law and the American Dream’

April 21, 2026

ABA Law Day events to focus on the 'The Rule of Law and the American Dream'

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2026 - The American Bar Association will host various events to mark Law Day 2026 that address the theme, "The Rule of Law and the American Dream."

May 1 is designated as the official Law Day.

"Most Americans have their own personal American Dream," said ABA President Michelle A. Behnke. "That dream might include personal security, economic opportunity or social equality, but it's all based on the rule of law. As a national organization of lawyers committed to defending liberty and pursuing justice, the ABA encourages all Americans to recognize Law Day on May 1 and to reflect on how the rule of law ensures all Americans have the ability to fulfill their dreams. The law belongs to all of us and together, it's ours to protect and advance."

The programs include:

Wednesday, April 29, 1-3 p.m. EDT

"The Rule of Law and the American Dream"
The Georgetown Law Center on Transnational Business and the Law
(Hotung Faculty Dining Room)
550 First Street NW
Washington, D.C.

The public is welcome to join the ABA Standing Committee on Public Education and partners for the Law Day 2026 program, titled "The Rule of Law and the American Dream."

Behnke will deliver welcome remarks. A panel discussion, moderated by 2026 Law Day Chair Michael Flowers, with panelists Don DeAmicis, professor, Georgetown Law Center; Jac Garner, retired CEO, Webcrafters; Melissa Mendizabal, innovation manager, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation; and Sandy Paik, general counsel, The Tower Companies, also will be held.

To register for the program, click here.

Thursday, April 30, 3-4 p.m. EDT

"Law Day 2026: The Declaration of Independence and the Rule of Law"

The Law Library of Congress and the ABA will co-host their annual Law Day celebration with a virtual panel discussion. The program, "Law Day 2026: The Declaration of Independence and the Rule of Law," will celebrate Law Day and America 250 by discussing the philosophical and historical context of the Declaration of Independence and how it relates to and what it could teach us about the rule of law in America.

The discussion will be between Andrew Shankman, president-elect of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic and president of the executive council of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, and Kevin Butterfield, acting chief of the Library of Congress Manuscripts Division. He is a historian of the post-revolutionary United States.

The program will be introduced by Flowers and the Law Librarian of Congress Aslihan Bulut.

To register for the program, click here.

Friday, May 1, at various times

Law Day events will take place around the country at various times, so please check local listings for activity.

"In a nation as diverse as the United States, there is no single common vision of the American Dream," Flowers said. "However, what is common about every vision of the American Dream is that its ability to go from a dream to reality is made possible because of the freedoms enjoyed and opportunities enabled by the rule of law."

All events are free and open to members of the media and the public.

The ABA provides resources for schools, state and local bar associations, civic organizations and others who are planning programs and activities for public audiences to discuss the theme either live or virtually. To view various resources and upcoming programs, go to ABA Law Day website

To view Behnke's Law Day video message, click here.

To view the Law Day launch program, click here.

Law Day resources can be viewed online.

About Law Day

Envisioned in 1957 by then-ABA President Charles S. Rhyne as a national day to recognize the country's commitment to the rule of law, Law Day was established by President Dwight Eisenhower the following year. Congress issued a joint resolution in 1961 designating May 1 as the official Law Day. Many civic groups and bar associations celebrate with programs, presentations and events.

Law Day is sponsored by the ABA Division for Public Education, whose mission is to promote public understanding of law and its role in society.