I recently had the pleasure of speaking to a group of fellows from the Squire Patton Boggs Foundation. At the end of the session, they shared the topic for the following week: a discussion of their favorite passages from either the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution. Since then, I have found myself wishing I could join the conversation because, like many lawyers, I chose this profession because of the principles embodied in those two foundational documents.
The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Those words outline a moral vision for our country that I believe remains worth striving toward. Likewise, the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment—“nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”—have resonated with me since my Athens High School history classes. At their core are the principles that continue to drive my work with LASCO.
I have been fortunate to spend my career at Legal Aid, where daily we have the opportunity to connect those ideals directly to the lives of the clients and communities we serve. Because there is no civil right to counsel, access to legal representation is often determined by income, and most families who contact us have nowhere else to turn. When we represent someone facing foreclosure, help a parent protect their relationship with their children, or secure critical public benefits, we help ensure that the promises of due process and equal protection are meaningful in practice, not just in theory.
The hardest thing we ask our staff to do each day is say “no,” because in many ways we are being asked to ration justice. Every day, they must tell families facing a legal crisis that we are unable to represent them—not because their case lacks merit or because legal representation would not improve the outcome, but simply because we do not have the resources to take every case. We are continually working to bridge this justice gap through expanded pro bono support, innovative service models, and limited-scope representation, but significant unmet need remains.
On this 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on the meaning of these founding documents and the ideals they express. I also hope you will consider helping bring those ideals to life by supporting Legal Aid.
