The American Bar Association will host various events to mark Law Day 2025 that address the theme, “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.” May 1 is designated as the official Law Day.
“This year’s Law Day theme is about the promise of our Constitution and what unites us as a country and people,” said ABA President William R. Bay. “We examine why the promise of E pluribus unum — or Out of Many, One — was so important then and now. Many people doubted that the framers could create one country and one union out of many states. But they found a way to bridge their differences and ratified the Constitution in 1789. That is a great lesson for us today as we face new challenges that continually arise and confront us nearly 250 years after their example.”
The programs include:
—————
Thursday, April 24, 3-4 p.m.
Law Day 2025: Constitutions, Unity 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, “Constitutions, Unity and the Rule of Law,” will explore how law, and specifically constitutionalism, has been a catalyst to advocate for unity in countries all over the world.
The panel will explore:
• Constitutional design and how different nations create, revise and enforce their constitutions
• The processes by which constitutions are drafted
• The roles of founding documents, legal frameworks and the negotiation processes that reflect a nation’s values and aspirations
Moderating the event will be Alejandro Ponce, executive director of the World Justice Project, and panelists include Tariq Ahmad, foreign law specialist at the Law Library of Congress; Mortimer Sellers, Regents Professor of the University System of Maryland at the University of Baltimore School of Law; and Zachary Elkins, professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
—————
Tuesday, April 29
ABA 2025 Survey of Civic Literacy
To mark Law Day, the American Bar Association will release the results from the seventh annual ABA Survey of Civic Literacy on Tuesday, April 29. The survey measures the American public’s civics knowledge as well as their views on a range of topical issues.
This year’s results include the confidence the American public has in each branch of government.
The report will be available April 29.
—————
Thursday, May 1
“The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One”
ABA Law Day with Justice Stephen Breyer and Richard Haass
The public is welcome to join the ABA Division for Public Education and partners for the Law Day 2025 program, titled “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.”
It will feature discussions about the Law Day theme with retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; Richard Haass, former president of the Council on Foreign Affairs; Nick Capodice, co-host of Civics 101 podcast; Emma Humphries, chief education officer of iCivics; Judge Peter Reyes of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and David McCollough III, co-founder of the American Exchange Project, along with ABA President William R. Bay and Law Day Chair Tommy Preston Jr.
—————
Available to stream
Law Day with the Civics 101 podcast
Rule of Law live show
A special Civics 101 show, recorded live at the John J. Moakley Courthouse in Boston, is available to stream. Co-hosts Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice explored the topic, “The Rule of Law,” featuring the voices of Judge Patricia Alvarez, former senior justice in the 4th Appellate District of Texas, and Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí of the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The episode was followed by a Q&A session with senior United States District Judge Michael Ponsor, Judge Seth Aframe of the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and Judge Roderick Ireland, former chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. The program was sponsored by Civics 101, Discovering Justice, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the ABA Division for Public Education.
“I can’t think of a more timely and relevant Law Day theme as “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One,” said Tommy Preston Jr., Law Day chair. “Our founders came together nearly 250 years ago to build a framework that unified our citizens.”
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 at www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/law-day.
“This year’s Law Day theme is about the promise of our Constitution and what unites us as a country and people,” said ABA President William R. Bay. “We examine why the promise of E pluribus unum — or Out of Many, One — was so important then and now. Many people doubted that the framers could create one country and one union out of many states. But they found a way to bridge their differences and ratified the Constitution in 1789. That is a great lesson for us today as we face new challenges that continually arise and confront us nearly 250 years after their example.”
The programs include:
—————
Thursday, April 24, 3-4 p.m.
Law Day 2025: Constitutions, Unity 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, “Constitutions, Unity and the Rule of Law,” will explore how law, and specifically constitutionalism, has been a catalyst to advocate for unity in countries all over the world.
The panel will explore:
• Constitutional design and how different nations create, revise and enforce their constitutions
• The processes by which constitutions are drafted
• The roles of founding documents, legal frameworks and the negotiation processes that reflect a nation’s values and aspirations
Moderating the event will be Alejandro Ponce, executive director of the World Justice Project, and panelists include Tariq Ahmad, foreign law specialist at the Law Library of Congress; Mortimer Sellers, Regents Professor of the University System of Maryland at the University of Baltimore School of Law; and Zachary Elkins, professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
—————
Tuesday, April 29
ABA 2025 Survey of Civic Literacy
To mark Law Day, the American Bar Association will release the results from the seventh annual ABA Survey of Civic Literacy on Tuesday, April 29. The survey measures the American public’s civics knowledge as well as their views on a range of topical issues.
This year’s results include the confidence the American public has in each branch of government.
The report will be available April 29.
—————
Thursday, May 1
“The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One”
ABA Law Day with Justice Stephen Breyer and Richard Haass
The public is welcome to join the ABA Division for Public Education and partners for the Law Day 2025 program, titled “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.”
It will feature discussions about the Law Day theme with retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; Richard Haass, former president of the Council on Foreign Affairs; Nick Capodice, co-host of Civics 101 podcast; Emma Humphries, chief education officer of iCivics; Judge Peter Reyes of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and David McCollough III, co-founder of the American Exchange Project, along with ABA President William R. Bay and Law Day Chair Tommy Preston Jr.
—————
Available to stream
Law Day with the Civics 101 podcast
Rule of Law live show
A special Civics 101 show, recorded live at the John J. Moakley Courthouse in Boston, is available to stream. Co-hosts Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice explored the topic, “The Rule of Law,” featuring the voices of Judge Patricia Alvarez, former senior justice in the 4th Appellate District of Texas, and Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí of the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The episode was followed by a Q&A session with senior United States District Judge Michael Ponsor, Judge Seth Aframe of the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and Judge Roderick Ireland, former chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. The program was sponsored by Civics 101, Discovering Justice, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the ABA Division for Public Education.
“I can’t think of a more timely and relevant Law Day theme as “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One,” said Tommy Preston Jr., Law Day chair. “Our founders came together nearly 250 years ago to build a framework that unified our citizens.”
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 at www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/law-day.
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