Law day

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"Law Day" was created in the late 1950s, by the American Bar Association to draw attention to both the principles and practice of law and justice. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by proclamation in 1958. May 1, which is also International Workers' Day, was chosen as Law Day.

Like Earth Day, Law Day is not an actual government holiday. In fact, few outside the legal community in the United States are even aware of the existence of Law Day. To celebrate Law Day, some local bar associations hold a luncheon, featuring speakers who discuss topics such as justice or the liberties provided for by the United States Constitution. Also, attorneys might visit schools and talk to students about the American legal system. Attorneys who visist schools for Law Day are usually government employees such as prosecutors, public defenders or judges, as most private law firms are not inclined to send an attorney to speak at a school when he or she could be generating billable hours.

It is suspected that the date of May 1 was, in the context of the then-growing Cold War climate, chosen to deflect attention from the May Day holiday celebrated by labor movements around the world.

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May Day

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