It has been hard to figure out what to focus on for my President’s message this quarter with all of the changes going on with Medicaid and special education on the federal level. We know there will be heavy cuts to Medicaid and other programs which serve our client’s needs. Cuts have already been made to special education programs. I don’t think any of us thought that one branch of the government (the Executive) would ever be able to tread upon the role of another branch (Congress) without a bipartisan uproar, but here we are. The Courts would ordinarily be the branch to stop the overreach but not if the Executive decides they will not abide by their rulings which has been happening. The dismantling of our agencies and a cessation of funding for appropriations previously made affects all of us especially those who rely on aid and school accommodations more than others. There have also been attacks on the legal community including judges by the Executive branch for their rulings and advocacy in contravention of the Executive Branch’s executive orders, opinions and goals.
I could go on, but catastrophizing is not the best manner to deal with this, instead, we need to focus on supporting our communities including our elder and disability law community and speaking out. To quote Jane Fonda’s recent speech upon accepting an award, “Community means power.” Let’s be brave like she advised and not isolate ourselves but stay connected to our community so we can continue to support and help our clients. Come to a meeting and reconnect if you have not been able to make a meeting in a while. Join up with the DEI committee and volunteer at the health care proxy event at the Boston Public Library, or join one of our other committees. Staying engaged is key. All of you are vital to this community as is your support of our organization and the greater community
Just before submitting this message, I learned that the American Bar Association issued a statement to support the rule of law which they are calling upon all bar associations to sign onto and which has been signed onto by some of our fellow local bar associations and many others across the country. This will be discussed at the next board meeting of our chapter. The statement reads:
We endorse the sentiments expressed by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in his 2024 Year End Report on the Federal Judiciary, “[w]ithin the past year we have also seen the need for state and federal bar associations to come to the defense of a federal district judge whose decisions in a high-profile case prompted an elected official to call for her impeachment. Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.”
We support the right of people to advance their interests in courts of law when they have been wronged. We reject the notion that the U.S. government can punish lawyers and law firms who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways. We cannot accept government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice in this manner.
We reject efforts to undermine the courts and the profession. We will not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not. Words and actions matter. And the intimidating words and actions we have heard and seen must end. They are designed to cow our country’s judges, our country’s courts and our legal profession.
There are clear choices facing our profession. We can choose to remain silent and allow these acts to continue or we can stand for the rule of law and the values we hold dear. We call upon the entire profession, including lawyers in private practice from Main Street to Wall Street, as well as those in corporations and who serve in elected positions, to speak out against intimidation.
If lawyers do not speak, who will speak for our judges? Who will protect our bedrock of justice? If we do not speak now, when will we speak? Now is the time. That is why we stand together with the ABA in support of the rule of law.
– Erin McBee, Esq.