Love your lawyer/ Aimez votre avocat(e)

« National Love Your Lawyer Day has officially reached a tipping point, » proclaims Nader Anise, Executive Director of the American Lawyers Public Image Association. « We are absolutely delighted that the American Bar Association Law Practice Division has passed a resolution to adopt National Love Your Lawyer Day as an occasion worth embracing and celebrating. » Anise believes this is a game-changer: « Having such an influential backer gives this annual lawyer celebration our entire mission, in fact a huge boost. Things are about to get very interesting. »

Marking its 15th annual celebration, National Love Your Lawyer Day takes place on the first Friday of every November. This year, the day falls on November 6th. While the intent of the lawyer love-fest is to recognize lawyers for all the good they do, often thanklessly, there’s more to it than that.

National Love Your Lawyer Day is all about having fun and celebrating lawyers; but it’s also a day for lawyers to give back with pro bono work and charitable contributions and Anise hastily adds: « And don’t forget no lawyer bashing on November 6th. Tell a lawyer joke that crosses the line and you’ll have to pay a $20 fine per violation. » Asked whether the « fine » should be paid to ALPIA, Anise responds, « Absolutely not. The money should go to the person’s charity of choice. »

Anise also addresses naysayers: « To those who see this day as being a fad or a joke, make no mistake, it’s not. I believe today’s resolution makes that abundantly clear. »

So, what sparked the collaboration between ALPIA and the ABA division? ALPIA’s Executive Director says definitively, « None of this would have been possible without the enthusiasm and commitment of Tom Bolt, the Chair of the ABA Law Practice Division. When he contacted me about wanting to do his part in improving the public perception of lawyers, he was eager to make a difference right away, » Anise recalls. « Tom was very blunt: ‘Let’s not just talk about it, let’s do something about it.' » And he did. « That’s real leadership, » Nader says.

In addition to getting a nod from the influential ABA group, some of the key players in the legal world have also jumped on board: Love Your Lawyer Day is now a global event. Anise expounds, « We have law schools, prominent attorneys, judges and bar associations galore, in the U.S. and abroad, voicing enthusiastic support for Love Your Lawyer Day. One such example is The Florida Bar, who has ruled the social media landscape with their witty Tweets and Facebook posts, frequently using ALPIA’s #LoveYourLawyerDay hashtag. »

ALPIA is the American Lawyers Public Image Association, founded in 2000. It is a 501(c)(3) and the only organization in the world formed solely to promote a positive public image of lawyers. ALPIA is the world leader on attorney image issues. The website is www.alpia.org.