Law Day Archives - WE Blog @ AABANY

March 6, 2026March 6, 2026

Enter the 2026 Law Day Art Contest: “The Rule of Law and the American Dream”

High school students across New York State are invited to participate in the 2026 Law Day Art Contest, organized by the Office for Justice Initiatives and the Historical Society of the New York Courts. This annual contest celebrates Law Day on May 1, a national observance recognizing the importance of the rule of law and the freedoms it protects.

This year’s theme, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” encourages students to reflect on how the legal system supports freedom, fairness, and opportunity. Participants are asked to create an original piece of artwork that expresses what this theme means to them.

The contest highlights the principle that no one stands above the law, and that the rule of law helps empower individuals to pursue their dreams without fear. Through art, students have the opportunity to explore and share their perspectives on justice, equality, and the ideals that shape American society.

Winning entries will receive cash prizes:

First Place: $500
Second Place: $300
Third Place: $200

The submission deadline is March 20, 2026.

Follow this link for additional information, questions, or to view last year’s winning artwork or email [email protected].

Students interested in art, law, or civic engagement are encouraged to participate and share their creative vision of how the rule of law supports the American Dream.

December 23, 2024December 23, 2024

Historical Society of New York Courts Announces Law Day Art Contest for High School Students

Each year on May 1st, the United States observes Law Day in celebration of our legal system and the freedoms we enjoy. This year, the Office for Justice Initiatives and the Historical Society of New York Courts invite high school students in New York State to participate in an art contest inspired by this year’s American Bar Association’s Law Day theme The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One.

All submissions must be received by February 25, 2025. The winner will be announced on May 1, 2025. For more information, including rules and how to enter, please click here.

May 2, 2016

Ensuring Rights of Non- and Limited-English Speakers

Check out President Susan Shin’s New York Law Journal article, “Ensuring Rights of Non- and Limited-English Speakers,” published in the Law Day issue. In this Special Report, bench and bar leaders share their thoughts on the Miranda rights. Susan shares her thoughts about the challenges in protecting these rights for non- and limited-English speakers in particular:

Even I, a native English speaker, found the terms difficult to understand before becoming a lawyer. How much more difficult is it for a non-native English speaker who does not understand legal concepts and implications of, for example, the “right to remain silent,” “waiver,” and “consent”? Still, many respond in the affirmative when asked if they understand and consent to questioning and waive their rights, even if they failed to comprehend the words being communicated to them.

Read more at the link above to access Susan’s article. Click here for a PDF of the article. To view all the Law Day articles, including articles from Acting Presiding Justice Peter Tom and Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng, click here.

May 5, 2015December 4, 2018

May 4, 2015

Check out New York Law Journal’s Law Day Issue — 800 Years of Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law!

In this year’s issue of the New York Law Journal’s Law Day, AABANY President Will Wang, AABANY Past President and current NYSBA President Glenn Lau-Kee, and AABANY Member Hon. Randall Eng were all published among other important voices discussing 800 Years of Magna Carta: Symbol of Freedom Under Law.

President Will Wang in his article, “Fundamental Liberties Must be Protected,” related the legacy of the Magna Carta to the sordid history of discrimination, but left on the hopeful note of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr.’s words: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

To check out this article, along with Glenn Lau-Kee’s “Sustaining a Beacon for the Course of our Nation,” Hon. Randall Eng’s “We Owe Gratitude to Due Process Precursor,” and more, click on the link in the title to see a PDF of the Special Report.

May 5, 2014

American Democracy & the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters – New York Law Journal feat. AABANY President Clara Ohr & AABANY Member Presiding Justice Randall T. Eng

The New York Law Journal’s May 1st issue, titled “American Democracy and the Rule of Law: Why Every Vote Matters,” featured AABANY members Clara Ohr (Assistant General Counsel-Trading at Hess Corporation) and Randall Eng (Presiding Justice, Appellate Division, Second Department).

AABANY President Clara Ohr’s article is entitled, “Helping Every Vote Get Cast,” on the importance of voter participation and how we as lawyers can safeguard the rights of all eligible voters. Randall Eng’s “Courts Play a Vital Role in Assuring Fairness” offers his perspective on the judiciary’s roles in New York. We thank Clara Ohr and Randall Eng for offering their well-informed opinions to shed light on different sides of voters’ rights issues.

To read all Law Day articles online, click here. To read a high-resolution PDF of this excerpt from the New York Law Journal as well as for more AABANY members “In the News,” please visit our website.

Reprinted with permission from the May 1st edition of the New York Law Journal © 2014 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. For information, contact 877-257-3382 or [email protected] or visit www.almeprints.com.

May 2, 2014

Helping Every Vote Get Cast

Clara J. Ohr, president of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, writes: Let us do what we can as lawyers to help strive toward a representative de…

Congrats to AABANY President Clara Ohr who was published this week, May 1, in the Law Day section of the New York Law Journal. To read the article, click on the link in the title.

July 11, 2013

From the Historical Society of the New York Courts: Garfinkel Essay Contest Poll

What should the topic be for our 2014 contest?

With the generous support of Gloria and Barry Garfinkel, the Society has offered annually since 2008 The David A. Garfinkel Essay Contest established in memory of the Garfinkel’s son David. This contest targets students from community colleges across New York State, offering them the opportunity to submit essays on topics of New York legal history. The competition seeks to draw students with a wide range of interests in law, history, social science and general research writing. The grand prize is $1,500, and the CUNY & SUNY Community College Prizes are $1,000 each. The winners of the competition are honored on Law Day each year held in the magnificent courtroom of the New York Court of Appeals. Their families and professors are invited for a memorable day at the courthouse for the awards ceremony followed by a luncheon where they are graciously and warmly greeted by the Court of Appeals Judges.

May 1, 2013

NYLJ: Asian Americans Find a Voice Within the Law

The indifference toward Asian American equality is a result of our having been classified under the rubric of the ‘model minority’ and thus viewed as achieving success by keeping our heads down and working hard. But Asian Americans have not achieved the success and equality that we are perceived to have reached, particularly in the legal profession.

Congrats to Mike Huang, AABANY President, whose Law Day article appears in the May 1st issue of the New York Law Journal.

May 7, 2012December 4, 2018