The leadership of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has released the calendar of events leading to the 2023 celebration of Law Day.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, May 1, 2023 at the head office of the LNBA, Ashmun Street, the National Secretary General of the Bar, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, disclosed that the 2023 Law Day celebration will take place on Friday, May 5, 2023 at the E.J.S. Ministerial Complex, Congo Town, at 10:00. The celebration, he said, will begin with a parade of all lawyers at 8:00 a.m. at the SOS Clinic to the Ministerial Complex.
According to Cllr. Varmah, this year’s celebration will be held under the theme, “Episodes of Electoral Violence and Prospects for Constitutional Democracy in Liberia”, and that His Excellency, Beng’yela Augustine Gang, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cameroon and Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps, will serve as the keynote speaker.
“The 2023 Law Day activities will include a parade, opening remarks by the National President of the Bar, complimentary greetings from relevant partners, a special statement from the Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a keynote address and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions,” Cllr. Varmah stated.
He explained that in Liberia Law Day is held on the first Friday in May of every year to celebrate the rule of law and cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. “Law Day, held annually, is a national day set aside to honor the achievements in the legal profession. It provides an opportunity to understand how law and the legal process protect our liberty, strive to achieve justice and contribute to the freedoms that we share,” he added.
Historicizing the day, Cllr. Varmah said, “The celebration of Law Day around the world dates back to 1957 when the President of the American Bar Association, Charles Rhyne, envisioned a special day for celebrating the American legal system. In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day as a day of national dedication to the principles of government under law. In 1961, the US Congress designated May 1 as the official date for celebrating Law Day. However, it is celebrated in many jurisdictions in the first week of May. This has generated interest and has spread through the world.”
Consistent with the LNBA constitution, the LNBA leadership encourages all members of the bar, including the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, judges of courts of records, counselors and attorneys-at-law, magistrates and law students to be in attendance.