We Cannot Wait: a Call for Law Students to Ensure “Nobody Is Above the Law”
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April 20, 2018 We Cannot Wait: A Call for Law Students to Ensure “Nobody is Above the Law” We came to law school to do justice, to bring positive change to our communities. As law students, we know the time to do what is right does not begin when we pass the bar. That commitment to action began on our first day of law school, when we committed to the special responsibility society confers upon lawyers: to be leaders. Like us, you may have joined the legal profession to continue the march of liberty, pick up the torch of progress for a more just world and taking on Dr. King’s call to be a “drum major for justice.” In the past two years we have seen lawyers and our fellow law students rise to this call, flooding airports to protest the Muslim Ban, meeting immigrants’ rights and womens’ rights activists in protest and solidarity, standing up for DACA recipients in the courts, and documenting the rise of hate groups following Charlottesville. Now, again, is the time to answer that call. We stand at a crossroads. Lawyers are the voice of the law. As future leaders of our profession, we have a special responsibility to protect a core of our legal system: rule of law. We cannot do that if our highest official, the President of the United States, refuses to respect the law in the United States. Any attempt by the President to fire Special Counsel Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in order to derail Mueller’s investigation would be tantamount to declaring that he—and anyone able to wield power and privilege—is untouchable by law enforcement and above accountability to the people. The President’s actions would render the promise of our Constitution meaningless, the Declaration of Independence’s charge that “all men are created equal,” a mere paper promise. We cannot wait for our elected officials to act. How we respond today will determine what kind of future we will inherit. As law students, the future of the law, justice, and the rule of the law are in our hands. Our actions today determine if we will remain a country of laws or a country where one man can hold himself above the law. We must meet the moment. We cannot stand by if the President attempts to circumvent the Special Counsel. As ACS members we have taken on the obligation to ensure the law is a force to improve the lives of all. Today we act on our obligation. As Learned Hand said, if we are to keep our democracy, there must be one commandment: Thou shalt not ration justice. We commit today to protect our democracy from a fatal challenge to the rule of law. If the Special Counsel or Deputy Attorney General is fired, we will find our voice and use it. Commit to joining us by signing this letter. Gather your law school and legal community to protect our laws by committing to join a Nobody is Above the Law Rally at the moment the President acts. You can begin now, by finding or organizing a local action. Make a plan today. What will you do when you hear the news? How will you protect the rule of law? Sarah Mahmood, Stanford Law School ‘19, ACS Co-President 2017-2018 Sophia Carrillo, Stanford Law School ‘18, ACS Co-President 2016-2017, Next Generation Leader 1899 L Street NW, Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20036 | 202.393.6181 | [email protected] | acslaw.org Aaron Wynhausen University of Missouri School of Law 2019 Abby Goreham Indiana University Maurer School of Law 2018 Adam DeSantis Northwestern University Pritkzer School of Law 2019 Addison Fairchild University of Nebraska College of Law 2019 Adil Yaqoob Vanderbilt University Law School 2018 Ajinkya Joshi Northwestern University Pritkzer School of Law 2020 Alex Ault University of Michigan Law School 2019 Alex Shrove Chicago-Kent College of Law 2018 Alexander Dickinson University of Pennsylvania Law School 2020 Alexander Haddad Case Western Reserve University School of Law 2020 Alexander Rosselli Indiana University Maurer School of Law 2019 Alexandra George Chicago-Kent College of Law 2019 Alexandra Harris University of South Carolina School of Law 2018 Alexis J Denniston University of Kentucky College of Law 2019 Alexis Lazzeri UC Hastings College of the Law 2020 Alivia Hatten Northern Illinois University College of Law 2019 Allison Horwitz University of Michigan Law School 2019 Amanda Christine Vela Georgia State University College of Law 2020 Amer Abukhdeir Georgia State University College of Law 2020 Anderson Paul Beals Willamette University College of Law 2020 Andres F Morelli SJ Quinney College of Law - University of Utah 2018 Andrew Brashler Chicago-Kent College of Law 2020 Andrew Francus The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law 2018 Andrew J Gasdick University of Minnesota Law School 2018 Andrew Schrag University of Virginia School of Law 2020 Anela Hadzic Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law 2019 Anna Corbett Chicago-Kent College of Law 2020 AnnMargaret Shea New York Law School 2020 Arianna Cook-Thajudeen Notre Dame Law School 2018 Arielle Mourrain Stanford Law School 2020 Arielle Tolman Northwestern University Pritkzer School of Law 2018 Arlene Montgomery American University Washington College of Law 2020 Ashley Lawrence Howard University School of Law 2018 Austin Jaspers University of Kansas School of Law 2019 Austin R. Shopbell UC Hastings College of the Law 2020 Ava Gerami University of Virginia School of Law 2020 Bailey Whitsitt Loyola University Chicago School of Law 2020 Baili Volluz American University Washington College of Law 2019 Ben W Chang University of Texas School of Law 2019 Benjamin de Seingalt Tulane University Law School 2019 Benjamin Jackson Chicago-Kent College of Law 2020 2 Benjamin Phillips UC Berkeley School of Law 2020 Bethany Walters University of Dayton School of Law 2019 Bradley Cole McDaniel UNT Dallas College of Law 2019 Bradie Williams University of Pennsylavania Law School 2019 Brady Williams UC Berkeley School of Law 2019 Brandon Magner University of Kentucky College of Law 2018 Bree Gabriella Brydenthal Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State 2019 University Brennan McGee Santa Clara University School of Law 2018 Brian Garcia Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State 2020 University Brian Yates Umana The George Washington University Law School 2020 Briana Echols University of Virginia School of Law 2020 Bridget C Lawson Willamette University College of Law 2020 Brittany Martin The University of Iowa College of Law 2020 Brittany Smith UC Hastings College of the Law 2019 Brittany Triggs University of Cincinnati College of Law 2019 Brock Facione Southern University Law Center 2019 Bryan Reines Stanford Law School 2020 Bryan Thomson Stanford Law School 2020 Bryant Plank Marquette University Law School 2020 Caitlin Wightman University of Denver Sturm College of Law 2020 Cara Reichard Yale Law School 2020 Caroline Spalding University of Missouri School of Law 2019 Carrie Hill The University of Akron School of Law 2019 Carter Reed University of Nebraska College of Law 2020 Cary Bruner Texas A&M University School of Law 2018 Casey L. Chalbeck Georgetown University Law Center 2020 Cassandra Green Michigan State University College of Law 2018 Cassie Maneen University of Houston Law Center 2020 Catherine Cochrane Case Western Reserve University School of Law 2020 Charles Isaacs Northwestern University Pritkzer School of Law 2020 Charles Lyons SJ Quinney College of Law - University of Utah 2020 Charles Niemann University of Minnesota Law School 2019 Charles Schully Tulane University Law School 2018 Chelsea Straus UCLA School of Law 2019 Chnequa Kirby UNT Dallas College of Law 2020 Chris Page University of Nebraska College of Law 2019 Christiana Zgourides University of Virginia School of Law 2020 Christina Beeler University of Houston Law Center 2018 Christopher Kanelos Georgia State University College of Law 2019 Christopher Gerardi Chicago-Kent College of Law 2018 3 Christopher R. Henderson Quinnipiac University School of Law 2020 Christopher Smith Duke University School of Law 2020 Claire Debucquois Columbia Law School 2018 Claire Henleben Loyola University Chicago School of Law 2020 Clara Kent Columbia Law School 2019 Clara S. Acosta Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State 2019 University Cliff Gleaves University of Oregon School of Law 2020 Cody Ledford Wake Forest University School of Law 2020 Colt Burnett Georgia State University College of Law 2019 Conor Kelly The George Washington University Law School 2020 Courtney Koelbel University of Virginia School of Law 2017 Crystal Abreu Roger Williams University School of Law 2019 Dan Hales University of Miami School of Law 2018 Dan Lewis University of Illinois College of Law 2019 Dan Sullivan The University of Chicago Law School 2018 Dan Weston UC Hastings College of the Law 2020 Daniel Cohen Northwestern University Pritkzer School of Law 2018 Daniel Gauthier Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State 2018 University Daniel H. Galindo UC Hastings College of the Law 2018 Daniel Passon University of Toledo College of Law 2020 Daniel Rife University of Minnesota Law School 2020 Danielle Sayegh Fordham University School of Law 2018 Darrelyn Thomas Georgia State University College of Law 2018 Darrian V Nelson University of Baltimore School of Law 2018 David Alcius Florida A&M College of Law 2018 David Alpert Columbia Law School 2020 David G. Crockett, Jr. Columbia Law School 2018 David McGee American University Washington College of Law 2019 David Roper The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law 2019 David Stewart University of Cincinnati College of Law 2020