May 1, 2026 By Rachel K. Lozosky 4 min read

The commemoration of Law Day is a high point in the Washington County Bar Association’s yearly calendar, and one of the cornerstones of our community outreach programming. Our annual collaboration with the judiciary, county and local government, service organizations, schools, and other friends and neighbors has come to exemplify respect for the rule of law, appreciation of civility, and exercise of citizenship at its best.

Law Day was first officially recognized on May 1, 1958, by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In doing so, Eisenhower stated, “If civilization is to survive, it must choose the rule of law.”

While it is vital to set aside a day to appreciate our American legal system, the WCBA’s commemoration of Law Day and provision of law-related programming has always extended beyond a short 24 hours in May. Our members deliver presentations to high school seniors in Washington County’s schools every spring on the topic, “Turning 18: Legal Issues in the Real World.” In the months surrounding Law Day, we often host public seminars on civility and the rule of law, civic engagement, and various other topics related to the justice system.

When school is out for the summer, our members are still educating and Washington County students are still learning at the LeMoyne Center’s Camp Challenge, where weeks of volunteer hours culminate with the students staging their very own “Fairy Tale Mock Trial” at the courthouse.

Each September, we mark Constitution Day by sponsoring a live reading of the Constitution on the courthouse steps, and by sending our members into elementary schools to present lessons on basic constitutional law. The students particularly enjoy the opportunity to sign a larger-than-life replica of the U.S. Constitution with a quill pen.

At any given point throughout the year, you can find our members coaching and judging high school and college mock trials, toting the “Civics Prize Wheel” game to Kids Fest and other community events, collaborating with Washington & Jefferson College to host quality legal seminars free of charge for our neighbors of all ages, and volunteering our time to prepare basic estate planning documents for first responders and others with specialized needs.

In short, the spirit of promoting esteem for our legal system and fostering civility within our community, which is at the heart of Law Day, also informs the WCBA’s outreach to our community all year long.

Law Day 2026 carries particular weight, as it will be celebrated during this 250th anniversary year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The theme chosen by the WCBA for Law Day 2026 is “America 250: Honoring Our Founding and Dreaming for the Future.”

From the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, through the present day, Americans have dreamed, and continue to dream, of ways to grow in upholding the Declaration’s ideals of equality and justice for all. Under our government’s structure of three co-equal branches which write, interpret, and carry out the rule of law, we strive to create a society in which no person is above the law, and all can pursue their dreams of life, liberty and happiness.

The marquee event of Law Day 2026 will be our celebration on May 27 at the courthouse honoring the student recipients of our annual Law Day Contest Awards. We will also be presenting our annual Liberty Bell Award to a non-lawyer member of our community whose life’s work has both promoted a greater understanding of American government and advanced respect for the rule of law.

In addition, our “kick-off” event will be a panel discussion among Washington County attorneys, entitled “Civics 101 and America 250.” This will be held at 6 p.m. May 19 at the Howard J. Burnett Center, Yost Conference Room on the W&J campus. Both of the events are open to the public. We would be delighted to have you join us.

Many other new and exciting events marking this significant year in our country’s history are in final planning stages. Please watch for upcoming information, and join us in “honoring our founding and dreaming for the future” during this 250th year of our nation.

Rachel K. Lozosky chairs the Washington County Bar Association Public Relations and Services Committee.