2008 LAW DAY TIPS AND IDEAS
OUR COURTS
Our Courts is a community event where the work is done for you! Our Courts is a joint activity of the Colorado Bar Association and the Colorado Judicial Institute. Our Courts is a nonpartisan educational program dedicated to providing information and resources about Colorado’s courts to citizens across the state. It is available to civic, leadership, community and business groups. The presentations are done by Judges and other speakers. This interactive educational program is designed to give participants the background and tools they need to stay informed and get involved with Colorado’s legal system. Presentations are free of charge, and depending on the time allotted, 20 to 40 minutes. To schedule a presentation or to learn more, contact Carolyn Gravit at (303) 860-1115 or ourcourts@cobar.org.
USING MEDIA
Media is the fastest way to engage members of the community and to generate interest in your Law Day Event!
- Publish a Law Day Proclamation in local newspapers and in your bar association's newsletter to attract media and member attention [Sample Proclamation]
- Leverage any media contacts you have
- Try to get local TV and radio stations to promote your events
- Consider inviting local media personalities to serve as speakers or moderators
- Partner with local colleges to promote your event in student publications and campus newsletters
COMMUNITY OUTLETS
Law Day celebrations are grassroots celebrations. Think about your community and where people gather. Where are the hubs of community activity within your community? Maybe it is a community center, a church, a library, or even a grocery store.
- Brainstorm on ways to bring Law Day programs to the places community members visit daily. Don't forget government buildings and shopping malls. One successful Law Day event was a walk-up legal clinic held at a local shopping mall.
- Conduct simple tours in your local government offices including courthouses, the mayor's office, and other appropriate places where the rule of law is in action.
- Host an open house where community members can learn about the rule of law in a hands-on environment. Consider an enrichment program or mock trial.
LEADING COMMUNITY DIALOGUES
Law Day is the perfect time to start a dialogue within your community. This year's theme, The Rule of Law, challenges communities to think critically about the rule of law and its impact on a free society.
Equal Protection
Challenge high school students to think about Equal Protection with an issue to which they can relate. “Does A Curfew Discriminate Against Young People” is a lesson plan that introduces students to the principles of Equal Protection and encourages them to think critically about Equal Protection and its application to simple laws.
Required Materials:
Free Speech
Many libraries and schools have installed filters on their computers to restrict Internet access. This model lesson plan—which can be done by a lawyer or other resource person as well as the teacher—provides an opportunity for students to think about their free speech rights in the context of the Internet and apply various legal principles to fashion solutions for student Internet use.
Required Materials:
Equal Protection
Challenge middle school students to think critically about the historical meaning of equality under the Fourteenth Amendment and to examine how courts apply the concept of “equal protection of the law.”
Required Materials:
Due Process
Voir Dire is one of the most important aspects of any trial. Through role-play students will learn about jury selection and employ deductive reasoning skills to select a jury for the mock case included with this lesson plan.
Required Materials:
Mediation and the Adversary Process
Teach children how to peacefully resolve conflicts in a non-adversarial way. This lesson plan is a quick one-day introduction to mediation and its role in conflict resolution.
Required Materials:
NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION (NIE) PROGRAM
Download the Newspapers in Education (NIE) Program today. This year's theme, Landmark Documents of the Rule of Law, engages students in legal issues, while having them research and study current events in newspapers and news media outlets.
The documents featured in NIE include:
FUNDING YOUR LAW DAY EVENT
Are your Law Day event ideas bigger than your budget? Fundraising and sponsorship plans can supplement your budget and create visibility of your Law Day program within the community.
- Contact local law firms or businesses. Start with a formal letter and follow up with a phone call. Tell them about your current plans and any of your past Law Day events. Sell the community benefits of your event, but don't be afraid to position their sponsorship as an advertising opportunity.
- Create levels of sponsorship, such as "Bronze Donors to the Law Day Program include ABC Law Firm." Businesses are more likely to donate if it sees both philanthropic and financial benefits.
- Hold a "black-tie" event prior to the program. Have a local band or a school chorus group perform as entertainment. Black-tie not your style? Consider a pancake breakfast or a barbecue.
- Create an online fundraising web site that states your fundraising goal and charts your progress. For example, the Colorado Bar Association participates in the Denver Dumb Friends League's "Furry Scurry" fundraiser. CBA team donors can visit the team page to follow the CBA's fundraising progress.
- Always be sure to acknowledge your supporters wherever possible -- on your website, press releases, newsletters, etc.
OP-ED MATERIAL
Law Day is the legal profession's opportunity to recognize the role of law in our society. By celebrating the 50th anniversary of Law Day, you are given a powerful opportunity to promote this annual observance. The following documents highlight the establishment of Law Day and its relevance in today's society, and sending one to your editor and/or local newspaper will point out where the rule of law intersects with communities, both local and global:
As part of Law Day 2008, CBA President William D. Lytle, is encouraging observances in towns and cities across Colorado. Clearly, there are simple ways to get involved, and sending a document to your local newspaper is just one way to mark the occasion.
