On behalf of the Alabama State Bar and the Law Day 2011 Committee, we invite you to join us in celebrating your freedoms as an American on Law Day, May 1, 2011.
This year, Alabama’s Law Day theme will focus on “The Legacy of John Adams:
Defending the Rights of the Accused.” Please share this letter, entry form, rules and ideas, with all civics, social studies, history and English teachers, and encourage students to enter.
The future of our nation is in the hands of our young people. We all can play a role in assuring America's future by addressing the needs of students and by focusing on the issues affecting them today. All youth need to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law to become effective participants in our nation's civic life.
As part of LAW DAY 2011, students K-12 are invited to participate in the Alabama
State Bar’s essay, poster and social media (Twitter or Facebook) competitions. While not required, this contest has great potential to double as a civics/American history assignment or submission for extra credit. Then, after grading, teachers may submit their students’ work for award consideration. Winners will include:
STUDENTS: The poster and essay entries will be presented in two (2) classifications – grades K-3 and 4-6 for posters; grades 7-9 and 10-12 for essays and the new social media category. First, second, and third place winners in the essay and social media contests will receive U.S. Savings Bonds in the amounts of $200, $150 and
$100 respectively; winners in the poster contest receive bonds in the amounts of $125,
$100 and $75 respectively. Each winner also receives a certificate, an Olympic-style medallion plus more.
TEACHERS: In addition, the Alabama State Bar will recognize the teachers of winning entries with a certificate and a $25 donation to their school’s general fund to be used for needed classroom supplies.
For planning purposes, we’d love to hear from you now about your students’ interest in submitting entries this year. If you plan/hope to participate in the competitions, return the form on the last page of this handout to Marcia Daniel at the
Alabama State Bar. Don’t worry, your student(s) can still compete even if you don’t get the form to us. We just want to have some contact information from those of you who may send in entries from now through the deadline!
DEADLINE: The entry deadline for student work is MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011 and winners will be announced on or before April 15, 2011. Winners receive special recognition at a Law Day Awards Ceremony and a luncheon to be held on April 29th in
Montgomery, as well as in local and statewide news releases, and in the State Bar’s official publication The Alabama Lawyer.

LAW DAY 2011
The poster contest is for K-3 & 4-6 grades only. Students in grades 7-9 & 10-12 may choose to compete in either the essay or the social media categories.
 Posters: should be half of a standard size poster board- approximately 14” x 22”with all art media acceptable. Entries must be original, with the majority of the work actually done by the student. Be creative! Some theme ideas are:
--Why was “trial by jury” an important principle to our forefathers?
--Why is it important that the accused have a defense?
--The life and times of John Adams as the nation’s first lawyer/President
 Essays: length may vary, but 3 to 4 typewritten pages, double-spaced are suggested, with unlimited citations permitted if properly identified and credited.
Some essay suggestions are:
--What strengths and/or weaknesses does a lawyer bring to the Presidency?
--What does it mean to represent an “unpopular” client or cause?
--How has the passage of time brought historical and legal perspective to trials that have inspired the passion of a generation?
In developing themes for your essays, keep in mind the development of these concepts over time. John Adams’ role in the 1770 Boston Massacre trials has come to be seen as an example of adherence to the rule of law and defense of the rights of the accused, even in cases when advocates may represent unpopular clients and become involved in matters that generate public controversy. There have since been other such noteworthy cases in American history that you may wish to explore, each of which is unique in circumstance and significance. This concept may begin with Adams and the Boston
Massacre trial, follow through to Samuel Leibowitz’s 1930s defense of nine black
Alabama teenagers (the “Scottsboro Boys”) and now extend to contemporary efforts by lawyers to represent Guantanamo detainees in the global war on terrorism. It is important to recognize that the passage of time can bring historical and legal perspective to passions of the day.

 Social Media:
1.
Twitter Option – What if Twitter had been available during John Adams’ lifetime? Based upon facts relating to Adams and our nation during his lifetime, list his top 10 tweets in descending order of importance, from last to first. Remember, tweets cannot exceed 140 characters and spaces between words count. To submit your tweets, you may:
(A) list the Tweets on 1 poster (14” x 22”), and you may include artwork, citations or supporting materials if you like; or
(B) tweet from your own Twitter account, using the hashtag
#johnadamsLDAL on all tweets. If tweeting, you must tweet at least ten different tweets of different content (no RTs of previously-tweeted material) and use the competition hashtag.
You may link to any support for your tweets that you like, other than Wikipedia.
2.
Facebook – How would John Adams have used Facebook? Using facts about Adams and our nation during his lifetime, create a Facebook page that includes historical information about Adams, both as a lawyer and during his presidency. Use photographs, discussions, etc. Be creative!
To set up your “John Adams” page for the competition, sign into Facebook with your existing Facebook account. Send a friend request to add “Asb
Law Day” as a Facebook friend. Go to www.facebook.com/grouphome.php and select the “create group” option. You can call your group whatever you like, but include the words “ASB Law Day” somewhere in the title. We have to be your “friend” to include your entry in the competition, so be sure to confirm that “Asb Law Day” is a “member” of your group!
 The Alabama State Bar must receive submitted entries by Monday, April 4,
2011. Complete social media entries must be uploaded by 5:00 p.m. that day.
 State level prizes will consist of U.S. Savings Bonds, purchased in the names of winners, in the following amounts: First, second, and third place winners in the poster contest will receive US Savings Bonds in the amounts of $125, $100 and
$75 respectively; winners in the essay and social media contests receive bonds in the amounts of $200, $150 and $100 respectively.
 All entries submitted in paper form must include the student’s first and last names, grade, teacher and complete school name AND home address and
phone number on the back of the entry. Please make sure information is
complete and legible.
 The Law Day 2011 Committee of the Alabama State Bar shall judge all entries and their determination of winners shall be final.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Marcia Daniel, by phone at
1-800-354-6154, or fax at (334) 517-2127, or by e-mail at marcia.daniel@alabar.org.
For updates and more information, check the Alabama State Bar LAW DAY page online at www.alabar.org/lawday, the Facebook Page at “Law Day in Alabama” or the Twitter feed at @lawdayinAL

LAW DAY 2011
_________
YES, we plan/hope to join you in celebrating LAW DAY 2011 by participating in one or more of the following categories (check all that you have an interest in): a)_____statewide poster contest - grades K-3 b)_____statewide poster contest - grades 4-6 c)_____statewide essay contest - grades 7-9 d)_____statewide essay contest - grades 10-12 e)_____statewide social media contest – grades 7-9 f )_____statewide social media contest – grades 10-12
 CONTACT PERSON (person submitting for student; teacher, counselor, principal, parent)
_____________________________________________________________
 SCHOOL ADDRESS
_____________________________________________________________
 SCHOOL TELEPHONE _____________________ FAX___________________
FULL NAME OF SCHOOL
_______________________________________________________________________
For contact information purposes, please return this form soon by mail or FAX to:
MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011.