Monmouth Law Day Celebration

Law Day Announcement

The Monmouth Vicinage, in partnership with the Monmouth County Bar Association, celebrated Law Day by hosting several events. This year’s national theme, as established by the American Bar Association, is “Voices of Democracy.” This year’s theme “encourages Americans to participate in the 2024 elections by deepening their understanding of the electoral process; discussing issues in honest and civil ways; turning out to vote; and finally, helping to move the country forward after free and fair elections.” The Monmouth Vicinage, in partnership with the Monmouth Bar Association, hosted the following Law Day events centered on this theme.

On May 1, the unveiling for the portrait of The Honorable Lisa P. Thornton, was held at the Monmouth County Courthouse. The Honorable Lisa P. Thornton was appointed the Assignment Judge of Monmouth Vicinage September 1, 2014. The Abraham Zager Award for Professionalism was posthumously awarded to Judge Thornton at the ceremony. The recorded ceremony can be viewed via the link provided. Unveiling of the Portrait of Hon. Lisa Thornton.

In recognition of Law Day 2024, the Monmouth Vicinage invited students from Monmouth County to participate in our annual Law Day Art, Essay, and Poetry contests. These contests allowed students to demonstrate their creativity and talents while taking part in a celebration of our nation’s democracy. Students at various grade levels were asked to submit artwork, essays and poetry focused on specific topics related to this year’s Law Day theme.

On May 8, a Student Law Day Symposium for Monmouth County students was held at the Monmouth County Courthouse. The program featured keynote speaker, Christine Hanlon, Monmouth County Clerk, on the fundamentals of voting, an interactive panel discussion about the importance of access to the electoral process with the Honorable Katie A. Gummer, J.A.D., Assistant Attorney General in Charge of Elections, Susan M. Scott, Esq., and Monmouth County Superintendent of Elections, Christopher Siciliano. The program also featured interactive courtroom sessions, with Civil Presiding Judge Owen McCarthy and Judge Kathleen Sheedy, that walked the students through case scenarios based on challenges to an individual’s right to vote.

A Law Day Awards Recognition Ceremony was also held on Wednesday, May 8, at 4:00 p.m., in Courtroom 307 West at the Monmouth County Courthouse. Assignment Judge Marc C. Lemieux and Monmouth Bar Association President M. Scott Tashjy, Esq., provided remarks and presented awards to the student winners of the Law Day Art, Essay, and Poetry contests. This ceremony was cosponsored by the Monmouth Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and made possible with funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey.

For additional information on Law Day, visit the American Bar Association site below.
Law Day (americanbar.org)

Resources for Educators are available at the site below.
Public Education Homepage (americanbar.org)

Additional information and photos of Monmouth Vicinage’s 2024 Law Day Celebrations.