In a time of mounting division, distrust and destabilization, we’re proud to stand with Washington’s legal community on Law Day, May 1, 2025, united in our commitment to uphold the Constitution and serve all who need legal help.
Put simply: The same laws apply to everyone, and everyone is treated equally under the law. Government power is bound by law, and human rights are guaranteed to all. This is the promise of the rule of law.
The theme for this year’s Law Day is The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One. The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) is launching an initiative to educate communities and empower legal professionals, coordinating events across the state this May 1.
In Spokane, our own Mark Kamitomo spoke on the steps of the county courthouse, sharing his perspective and family history that makes this topic so impactful.
“The courts and the legal community play an integral part in maintaining the rule of law,” said Kamitomo. “Equality under the law is essential to our system of governance. Lawyers have an ethical responsibility to ensure that their advocacy is grounded in fact and existing law. This helps to ensure that due process is maintained and that the rights of the minority are protected.”
As part of these Law Day events, we joined legal professionals across the state in reaffirming our commitment to the rule of law by renewing our oaths of attorney, limited practice officer, or limited license legal technician on courthouse steps across Washington.
As the WSBA notes, we are experiencing steep decline in public trust and confidence in the legal system. New comprehensive studies show the nation becoming profoundly polarized—in fact, the only thing it seems like we can universally agree on is a deep and growing distrust of government institutions and our fellow citizens. This alarming trend strikes at the heart of our democracy: When we stop valuing and heeding our system of government, built on the constitutional pillar of a free and independent judiciary, we risk it going away.
In times like these, the imperative question becomes: If lawyers and judges are not willing or able to defend liberty and freedom for all people under the law and Constitution, who will?
Find event photos and more details in The Spokesman-Review:
- Spokane County judges reaffirm their Constitutional oath, condemn politicization and bending of rule of law
- Law Day in Spokane
