68th Anniversary of Law Day: “The Rule of Law and the American Dream”

By Nicholas Sorensen and Sidney Thomas 

What is Law Day? Each year, the American Bar Association (ABA) hosts Law Day on the first Friday of May to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the first Law Day on May 1, 1958, to provide an opportunity for the nation and legal community to reflect on the vital role law plays in maintaining justice and order, protecting our rights and promoting democracy. In 1961, Congress officially designated May 1 as Law Day as a nationally recognized celebration.

North Carolina celebrates its own Law Day on the first Friday of each May. This year, Governor Josh Stein proclaimed May 1, 2026, as Law Day to all North Carolinians to be a celebration of the rule of law, equality before the law and the enduring principles of liberty and justice that protect the rights and freedoms of all people, encourage civic education and engagement among students and strengthen a free and just society in which every individual has the opportunity to pursue their dreams.

This year the ABA’s theme was “The Rule of Law and the American Dream — the idea that no person is above the law — [which] is what ensures the rights of the people to live their lives as freely as possible and to pursue their dreams.” The North Carolina Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division Law Week and Liberty Bell (LWLB) led the 2026 Law Day celebration on Friday, May 1, 2026, honoring the students, teachers and the Liberty Bell recipient, whose dedication and contributions made this year’s celebration especially meaningful. It was a day focused on the importance of educating the youth, recognizing civic engagement, strengthening our communities and highlighting the importance of the rule of law.

To further explain the significance of Law Day, we interviewed Krish Attaluri, an 11th-grade student at Seaforth High School in Pittsboro and a two-time winner of the McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge (MYLC). When asked about the meaning of Law Day, Attaluri stated that this day has taught him that the legal profession is about using critical thinking to solve real-world community problems. In addition to the MYLC, Attaluri has also competed in the essay contest and moot court competition, combining over half a decade of participating in the LWLB competitions. He now serves as an ambassador to the MYLC to assist other students in their research projects.

As a Teen Court volunteer, Attaluri was inspired to learn more about the legal profession, and as a result, found himself drawn to Law Day. Attaluri was introduced to Law Day by his middle school teachers, Kelly Barber and Jennifer Walski. The opportunities offered by the LWLB committee have motivated Attaluri to think and discuss ideas that were not normally taught in school and hone his public speaking skills. His favorite moment from Law Day was winning the MYLC in 2023. Utilizing the hands-on experience offered by YLD and LWLB, he was selected to be the Spring 2026 Civics Unplugged Fellow.

Each year, the LWLB Committee incorporates the ABA’s Law Day theme into a series of competitions aimed at educating students about the law and recognizing legal professionals throughout the State that have dedicated their time to pursuing justice and civic engagement. The competitions include the essay and poster contests, the moot court competition, the MYLC, and the Liberty Bell award.

This year’s winners included:

Liberty Bell Award

Attorney Susan Ellinger

McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge

1st place: Vaishnavi Tummalapalli

2nd place:  Avalina Frankenstein

Runner-ups: Atharva Sekharan and Saanvi Ailani

Moot Court Competition

1st place: Adhav Kumar and Reese Stephens

2nd place: Juliet Smarz and Jack McCarter

Essay Contest

Co-1st place: Jet Navejar

Co-1st place: Robbie Whiteside

3rd place: Mika Fain

Poster Contest

1st place: Owen Esformes

2nd place: Mae Rittershaus

3rd place: Casey R. Kurtz

We asked Attaluri to offer some encouraging words to students who are interested in competing in next year’s and future competitions. Attaluri provided the following advice:

“My advice is to just jump in and try it. Even if you do not know much about the law yet, you learn a lot during the process. Step out of your comfort zone, because Law Day covers topics you will not learn in a regular classroom. It is a great way to practice your speaking skills, learn about real-world problems and maybe you might enjoy a legal career.”

We are very appreciative of Attaluri for his thoughts and hope that his words can inspire future students to participate in these offerings from YLD and LWLB.

Law Day serves as a reminder that the rule of law is more than a legal principle — it is the foundation of a free society. It protects our rights, preserves our liberties and ensures that justice remains accessible to all. The LWLB will continue to inspire students across North Carolina to facilitate discussions, engage in community service and expand their knowledge about the law.

Law Day could not happen without the hard work of our LWLB committee members, volunteer judges and NCBA and NCBF Staff. These LWLB committee members include Sidney Thomas and Nick Sorensen as Committee Co-Chairs, Kelley Storey, Ashley Oldfield, Sarah Mink, Heather Tabor and our YLD Division Director, Cherell Harris. We want to thank Chief Judge Chris Dillon and Judge John Arrowood of the North Carolina Court of Appeals for judging the Moot Court finals; and Chief Judge Dillon again, along with Judge April Wood, and Judge Donna Stroud of the North Carolina Court of Appeals for judging the finals of the MYLC. Finally, we wish to thank NCBA Communities Director Cheyenne Merrigan and Communities Manager Kenna Perry for all of their hard work in assisting the LWLB Committee with organizing and hosting Law Day and its competitions.