Young Lawyers Division Law Week
Law Week events are made possible by grant funding from the North Carolina Bar Foundation Endowment in cooperation with the Young Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Law Day was inspired by Charles S. Rhyne, president of the American Bar Association in 1957-58 who practiced law in Washington, D.C. In response to the Cold War and the Soviet Union’s commemoration of May Day, Rhyne drafted the founding Law Day resolution and personally delivered it to President Dwight D. Eisenhower who proclaimed May 1, 1958, as the first Law Day.
Every year since, the President has officially proclaimed May 1 as Law Day throughout the United States. The North Carolina Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division, through a formal proclamation by the Governor of North Carolina, celebrate Law Day on the first Friday in May.
2025 Law Day Theme: The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One
The Constitution enshrines our collective responsibility to one another, and the 2025 Law Day theme urges us to take pride in a Constitution that bridges our differences to bring us together as a united nation. Our civic lives tie us together as one “We,” whether through legislative efforts that serve the common good, through military service, or by working together, every day, to fulfill the promise of E pluribus unum, or “Out of many, one.”
The NCBA’s observance of Law Day will be Friday, May 2, 2025.
All awards will be presented during the Law Day celebration. For questions, please contact Cheyenne Merrigan at [email protected].
Liberty Bell Award
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Liberty Bell Award. As we celebrate the 67th anniversary of Law Day and this year’s theme of “The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One,” we encourage submissions reflecting the theme in our state. The recipient should be someone who exemplifies lifelong service to the law in North Carolina. We request that full information be given about each candidate’s qualifications, including a resume or brief description of the nominee’s career accomplishments.
The deadline for Liberty Bell Award nominations is Friday, March 14, 2025.
Regional Moot Court Competition – Grades 9-12
The Moot Court competition is an opportunity where North Carolina high school students and their respective schools can participate in Law Day and potentially earn rewards in recognition of their efforts. The deadline to register for the regional competition is Sunday, February 21, 2025.
The first regional round of the competition will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2025, in person at the NC Bar Center (8000 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513), with virtual accommodations available if necessary. The final round of the competition will be argued on Law Day, Friday, May 2, 2025, in the North Carolina Supreme Court Courtroom, located at 2 East Morgan Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27601. The final round judges will select the winning team. The finalists will be honored at the Law Day ceremony held immediately following the competition.
Poster Contest – Grades K-5
The Poster Art Contest is intended to be a fun and challenging experience. It offers an opportunity for North Carolina students in kindergarten through fifth grade and their respective schools to participate in Law Day and potentially earn rewards in recognition of their efforts.
The deadline for submissions is March 7, 2025 and winners will notified in April 2025. Submissions can be submitted through the link below or by mail to the NCBA c/o Cheyenne Merrigan at 8000 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513.
Essay Contest – Grades 6-8 and 9-12
The Essay Contest is intended to be a fun and challenging experience. It offers an opportunity for North Carolina students in sixth through twelfth grades and their respective schools to participate in Law Day and potentially earn rewards in recognition of their efforts.
Students are prompted to select a topic or issue to write out which encapsulates the theme of law day “The Constitutions Promise: Out of Many One.” Example topics could include legislative efforts promoting the common good or civic service.
The deadline for submissions is March 7, 2025 and winners will notified in April 2025. Submissions can be submitted through the link below or by mail to the NCBA c/o Cheyenne Merrigan at 8000 Weston Parkway, Cary, NC 27513.
McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge
The McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge is a program implemented with the primary purpose of encouraging students to embrace and practice the principles of good citizenship. It provides high school and middle school students with a unique opportunity to identify a problem in their community, research potential solutions, and make recommendations. Student participants will prepare a 3-5 minute persuasive speech to inspire and challenge others to participate in the solution to the identified problem.
Students should register to participate in the 2025 McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge by Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.
For questions, please contact the NCBF at [email protected].