Chapter Exchange
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
South Florida, Broward County, and Palm Beach County Chapters While the pandemic has continued to force most events to be held virtually, this has actually helped lawyers and judges reach more students to discuss civics. On April 27, 2021, the U.S. District Court and leaders from the South Florida, Broward County, and Palm Beach County Chapters of the FBA brought Law Day to close to 1,000 students across three South Florida counties. The theme of this year’s Law Day was timelier than ever: “Advancing the Rule of Law Now.” Law Day is observed every year across the nation to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. On Feb. 3, 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower established Law Day by proclamation, and, in 1961, May 1 was designated by a joint resolution of Congress as the official date for celebrating Law Day.
While ordinarily Law Day is celebrated inside the courthouse, because of the pandemic, the Federal Court in the Southern District of Florida virtually brought Law Day to students from Hialeah Gardens Senior High School’s Law Academy and Barbara Goleman Senior High School’s Law Magnet & Law Society. The program was presented to these two schools via Zoom, and the students were actively engaged in the program, while other schools in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, and Palm Beach County also observed the program via Zoom. Due to the overwhelming interest in the program and the ability to live stream the Zoom webinar, the program was presented to more students and schools via YouTube Live. The discussion this year centered on the ABA theme “Advancing the Rule of Law Now,” and focused on the idea that all of us share the responsibility to promote the Rule of Law, defend liberty, and pursue justice. The students learned about the Rule
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of Law and how it applies to everyday life. They tested their knowledge of the Rule of Law with interactive polling questions and follow-up comments from the volunteer attorneys. The students also engaged in a spirited and thoughtful discussion about high-profile current events that have provided an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the Rule of Law in our country. The event was coordinated by U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom and FBA South Florida Chapter secretary and civics liaison Stephanie Turk, an associate at Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson. “The opportunity to reach such a wide number of students, reflect about the Rule of Law together, and engage in a spirited discussion about crucial current events that we have witnessed as a country was a unique experience. The students were very motivated to express themselves and contribute to a rich discussion,” Judge Bloom commented. “The level of the students’
