New Mexico Supreme Court Justice C. Shannon Bacon announced Law Day observance on Monday through a proclamation released Friday.
Law Day is celebrated every May 1 to help the public understand the legal profession better and to celebrate the role of law in our society, according to the American Bar Association which began hosting Law Day events in the late 1950’s following a proclamation by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
“Law Day reminds us that we must continue to work to improve access to justice, particularly for those unable to obtain legal assistance for civil matters,” Bacon said in a statement. “We must take steps together to reduce the access justice gap that many New Mexicans face, whether too often they cannot afford an attorney or they live in a part of the state where few lawyers and legal aid services are available.”
Bacon’s proclamation lists ways people are helping to make courts more accessible and more equitable.
These include legal service organizations that provide legal services for people who cannot afford them otherwise, Pro Bono Publico which private lawyers accept cases at no fee to the client, lawyer referral programs that help people find the legal services that best suits their case or situation and court programs that inform the public about laws, legal procedures and provide interpreters as needed
“We salute these efforts, but let us offer greater support to those who work daily to provide legal services to those who most need them,” Bacon’s proclamation states. “Let us dedicate ourselves to improving our courts and our justice system, so that we will truly have ‘justice for all’.”
