At noon on Thursday, May 1, I will stand with hundreds of other Philadelphia lawyers and retake the Attorney’s Oath:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity, as well to the court as to the client, that I will use no falsehood, nor delay the cause of any person for lucre or malice."
To me, these are more than words on a page. They are a promise that I made as a young attorney to be a guardian of the rule of law, a defender of judicial independence and an advocate for furthering the cause of equal access to justice for all.
I retake the oath today because these principles, which are enshrined in our U.S. Constitution, are currently under attack.
All people are entitled to the freedom of speech, the right to due process, and to equal protection under the law. These rights are afforded to us whether or not we are U.S. citizens, whether or not others disagree with our actions, and even if what we believe is unpopular.
The independence of our lawyers free from intimidation or retribution for representing clients is critical to the United States justice system and is essential to upholding the rule of law. Moreover, an independent judiciary is paramount to our democracy as judges must be able to make decisions based on the law and the facts of a case, not due to fear of political pressure, intimidation or retaliation.
Attempts to bypass the Constitution or to work around the justice system weaken the effectiveness of that system. They also erode the public’s trust and its expectation of fairness when they interact with the courts. No one is above the law.
Almost daily, we are hearing calls for the impeachment of judges simply for doing their jobs. Law firms and individual lawyers are being sanctioned for providing their clients with qualified and zealous representation. Upholding these rights transcends politics – they are critical to a functioning justice system that has the public’s trust.
Confusion breeds fear, and fear often results in silence. Now is not the time to remain silent. Instead, we as attorneys must use the power of our voice to speak, to stand up, and to meet this difficult moment in our nation’s history. That’s why the Philadelphia Bar Association is inviting legal professionals to gather at the North Portico of Philadelphia City Hall on May 1. We are joining other legal groups across the country for a national Law Day of Action, peaceful rallies where attorneys will stand together in support of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession.
On the last day of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it has been written that Benjamin Franklin was asked, “Well Doctor, what have we got: A republic or a monarchy?” Franklin replied: “A republic – if you can keep it.”
Our system isn’t perfect, but we all have a role in protecting it. Whether you are an attorney or not, I ask that you take a moment on May 1 to make a personal oath, a promise, to reaffirm the core values upon which our country was built and to continue the American experiment that our founders began almost 250 years ago.
With hope and light, onward.
Katayun I. Jaffari is Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
Reprinted with permission from the April 28 edition of The Legal Intelligencer © 2025 ALM Global Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited, contact 877-256-2472 or asset-and-logo-licensing@alm.com.
