(This is an edited version of the address Senior U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan gave at the May 2 graduation ceremony for the Jacksonville University College of Law.)
I am honored to be the inaugural commencement speaker for the first graduating class of the Jacksonville University College of Law.
What an opportune time for each of you to become a lawyer. Now more than ever, we need professionals who are dedicated to the rule of law.
Upon passing the Bar, you will take an oath to support the Constitution and the rule of law. That will not always be easy or popular, but it is fundamental to the practice of law.
If we lawyers don’t uphold the rule of law, even in the face of challenges or criticism, how can we expect anyone else to?
You pledge to maintain the respect due to the courts and judges. This means that you only make arguments that are supportable in law and in fact and never seek to mislead or obstruct the court by any artifice or false statement.
Your out-of-court statements about the judicial process should always be professional. I remember a day when all that a losing lawyer would say in public was “We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision and plan to appeal.” Let’s get back to that.
You pledge to always conduct yourself “consistent with truth and honor.” Contrary to what one might suppose from some of our public discourse today, “truth and honor” are not outmoded attributes but rather are integral to being a member of the Bar.
You further promise to abstain from all offensive personality and to practice with fairness, integrity and civility in all written and oral communications.
Judges from around the country are reporting a loss of civility and professionalism within the Bar.
Remember, the snarky email you send to your opponent may well find its way into a court filing that’s read by the judge. And unprofessional conduct in the courtroom is likely to hurt, not help, your client’s case.
As officers of the court, it is up to you to uphold the norms of civility that the practice of law demands.
Finally, you promise not to reject the cause of the defenseless or oppressed. Our legal system depends upon lawyers being willing to take on clients and causes even though the lawyer may face opprobrium for doing so.
Lawyers must maintain their independence and not be cowed when the going gets tough. You be those lawyers.
When Benjamin Franklin was asked after the Constitutional Convention what kind of government had been created, he famously said “a republic, if you can keep it.”
The same is true of the rule of law, the maintenance of which requires constant attention and perseverance. We must by our actions and our rhetoric live up to our Founders’ vision for a nation governed by the rule of law.
And you, as the next generation of lawyers, must become the keepers of the flame of the creeds which have served our profession well and which enable us to continue our high calling of placing the public interest and service to our clients above our own personal considerations.
I am confident that each of you will uphold these time-honored traditions.
So, thank you and congratulations to the small but hardy band that is the JU College of Law class of 2025.
Timothy Corrigan is a senior judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.