Renewing Our Vows: The Lawyer’s Oath and Our Pledge to Democracy

Author: Colin M. Black

The lawyer’s oath embodies the democratic principles of the rule of law and stands as a pledge for justice, equality, and due process in a democratic legal system. Indeed, lawyers are not merely participants in the legal process; they are architects of policy, interpreters of laws, and guardians of democratic institutions. Their power must be balanced by their obligations. It is within this framework, that the lawyer’s oath finds profound significance and its modernization a critical step toward a professional recommitment to the principles embedded in the oath.

This article considers the origin and evolution of the lawyer’s oath to establish its significance in regulating lawyers as their role in the development of democratic institutions demonstrates the import of ethical conduct that obligates the lawyer to democratic ideals. Read more.