THE GLOUCESTER COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION
Gloucester County Bar Foundation's
Law Day Celebration

Law Day, May 1st, is a special day of celebration in the United States for the purpose of reaffirming the ideals of equality and justice under the law.  Each year, Law Day in Gloucester County is funded in part through a New Jersey State Bar Foundation grant and the remaining balance is paid by the Gloucester County Bar Foundation.  Students and teacher-advisors from each high school in Gloucester County are invited to participate in the Law Day Program.  In addition, the high school Mock Trial teams and members of the Gloucester County Bar Association are invited.  The luncheon is free for invited students and advisors.

Law Day provides an opportunity for students to learn about the court system.  A guest speaker entertains the participants each year.  Past speakers have included judges, TV, and radio personalities and politicians.  

The Gloucester County Bar Foundation Scholarships, Robert E. Francis Scholarship, and other awards are presented at the annual Law Day Luncheon to local high school students.  For more information regarding the Scholarships, click here.
Martin F. Caulfield 
Distinguished Service Award

Every year, at Law Day, the Foundation awards the Martin F. Caulfield Distinguished Service Award to a member of the community who goes above and beyond to serve the legal profession and society outside the courtroom as well.  The recipient of the award is held secret prior to the Law Day luncheon.  Past recipients of the honor include:

1996 - Martin F. Caulfield
 
1997 - John L. White

1998 - Hon. Samuel G. DeSimone

1999 - Gary D. Thompson

2000 - Hon. Walter L. Marshall

2001 - Joel B. Korin

2002 - Hon. Anne McDonnell

2003 - Ronald J. Uzadivinis

2004 - Thomas G. Heim

2005 - Angelo J. Falciani

2006 - Hon. Robert E. Francis

2007 - Gary D. Thompson

2008 - James L. Capobianco

2009 - Thomas D. Scaffidi

2010 - Christopher C. Cona

2011 - Hon. Joseph F. Lisa

2012 - Hon. John Wallace

2013 - A.J. Pistilli-Beakley

2014 - Roger Mattson

2015 - Hon. Robert Becker

2016 - Hon. Georgia M. Curio

2017 - Kathie L. Renner

2018 - To be announced at Law Day!

National Law Day History


Law Day U.S.A. was conceived in 1957 by Charles S. Shyne, a Washington D.C. lawyer who was the President of the American Bar Association, the national voluntary organization of the legal profession in the United States.


President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by Presidential Proclamation in 1958.  In 1961, the first of May was set aside by Joint Resolution of Congress as a “special day of celebration by the American people in appreciation of their liberties, as an occasion for rededication to the ideals of equality and justice under laws.”  The purpose of Law Day is to call the attention of every American citizen to both the principles and the practice of American law and justice.  It is a day to reflect on our legal heritage, the role of law in our society, and rights we enjoy under our Constitution.


It is also a day for all citizens to consider their duties, such as: (1) to be informed on government and community affairs; (2) to support and encourage efforts to modernize our courts; (3) to vote in elections; (4) to obey and respect the law; (5) to support those institutions and persons charged with law enforcement; (6) to respect the rights of others; (7) to practice and teach the principles of good citizenship in our homes; and (8) to serve on juries and act as court witnesses, if called.