APRIL 20, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cheryl Dalby, cdalby@mnbars.org, 612-333-1183
Minnesota Attorneys to Reaffirm Commitment to the Rule of Law at May 1 Law Day Event
April 20, 2026 (MINNEAPOLIS) — On Friday, May 1, attorneys from the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Hennepin County Bar Association (HCBA), and Ramsey County Bar Association (RCBA) will gather at the Hennepin County Government Center (Fountain Plaza, 300 South 6th Street, Minneapolis) at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate Law Day by retaking their Attorney’s Oath. Bar associations across the country are holding similar events as part of national Law Day celebrations.
During the program, attorneys will retake the same oath sworn upon admission to the Minnesota bar. This symbolic act underscores the legal profession’s enduring duty to uphold the Constitution and ensure access to justice.
The Minnesota Attorney’s Oath reads: You do swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States and that of the state of Minnesota, and will conduct yourself as an attorney and counselor at law in an upright and courteous manner, to the best of your learning and ability, with all good fidelity as well to the court as to the client, and that you will use no falsehood or deceit, nor delay any person's cause for lucre or malice. So help you God.
The MSBA/HCBA/RCBA Law Day event in downtown Minneapolis will take place from 2:00 p.m. to approximately 2:30 p.m. on the Fountain Plaza of the Hennepin County Government Center, with remarks from:
• Michelle Behnke, President, American Bar Association (2025-2026); attorney at Boardman Clark (Madison, WI)
• Dr. Robert Vischer, J.D., President, University of St. Thomas
• Hon. James Rosenbaum (ret.), U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota
• Tom Pack, President (2025-2026), MSBA; partner at Faegre Drinker
This nonpartisan event highlights the role of the law and justice system in a functioning democracy. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to show their support.
MSBA President Tom Pack invites attorneys from across the state to participate. “When lawyers, judges, and community members stand together, we send a powerful message that the rule of law must be protected. Retaking the Minnesota Attorney’s Oath is more than symbolic. This is a public recommitment to the values that define the legal profession.”
The Minnesota event reflects the American Bar Association’s 2026 Law Day theme, “The Rule of Law and the American Dream,” which is built on shared core values of freedom, safety and security, opportunity, family and belonging, and fairness and accountability. The Rule of Law enables the American Dream through key mechanisms such as checks and balances; predictable and fair criminal processes; even-handed and accountable use of government power; freedom of speech; independent courts and a strong legal profession; and safe, fair elections. When the Rule of Law is at risk, the American Dream is endangered.
Law Day is observed annually on May 1 to celebrate the role of law and lawyers in the United States. Established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and later designated by Congress, it serves as a national day of recognition.
More information on the MSBA Law Day event page: https://mnbars.org/index.cfm?eid=321776&evAction=showDetail&pg=events
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The Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), established in 1883, serves more than 15,000 attorney and law student members. MSBA promotes the highest standards of excellence and inclusion within the legal profession, provides valued resources to its members, and strives to improve the law and the equal administration of justice for all.
