By Christina Cagnina
The theme of Law Day 2026, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” was incredibly topical, important and well-chosen. As a long-time defense attorney, I was very excited to have had the opportunity to join Judge Katz on April 16, 2026, to discuss these important concepts with a lively and very interactive group of young people from Liverpool Schools.
Throughout the lesson these future leaders were able to thoughtfully discuss the concepts of the lessons and even bring ideas to the table that were unique and telling of their experience. Getting to see their analysis of the challenges in applying the concept of the rule of law in the real world was a great sign of what these young people will bring to the future of the justice system.
As part of the program, we were able to discuss the role of the courts and, for my part, the role of the defense in helping to preserve and support the rule of law in the future. The students very easily made the connections between the preservation of the rule of law and the value of all parts of the court system. The students were able to identify many perils and dangers of the disintegration of the rule of law in the United States. The interactions and responses from the students gave hope that these young people were prepared to face and correct these issues. As they are on the verge of voting age and being able to be hands-on in our justice system, they were very attuned to potential downfalls of not supporting this vital concept for our justice system. As we progressed throughout the program, the students showed a very precise understanding of the concepts and could give examples of the results when the breakdown of the rule of law occurs.
As an attorney who spends a great deal of time educating clients on their rights and responsibilities in the justice system, it was refreshing to see young people so comfortable with the idea of impartial justice and accountability for those in the courts and citizens.
In a roundtable discussion at Columbia University in 2023, Retired Justice Stephen G. Breyer made the very salient point that “contrary to popular belief, 330 million of the 331 million people in the U.S. are not lawyers. And they are the ones that have to understand the rule of law.” The experience of being a part of helping future voters and possibly future lawyers understand the rule of law and how it can help support their own American dream was gratifying and refreshing. The students’ intellectually curious attitude in finding ways to uphold the rule of law was particularly uplifting in these trying times, as seasoned professionals seek to support the justice system and educate our clients and the public of its importance. If anyone needs to have a little more hope in the future of the profession, they need only engage in a Law Day program to lift them up.