A Call to Action to Fortify Our Democratic Institutions

Statement by Muhammad U. Faridi, President, New York City Bar Association

Our nation is now confronted with grave threats to the rule of law, threats that are amplified by widespread dissemination of falsehoods on social media and threatened violence against public officials. These challenges to our democracy have become increasingly pressing, with the lack of trust in our electoral system and our judiciary threatening the foundations of our democracy.

Because lawyers are uniquely qualified—and, pursuant to our oaths and professional responsibility codes, duty bound—to safeguard our democratic institutions, it is important for all of us to find ways to strengthen the foundations of our democracy and safeguard the rule of law.  Every contribution matters, whether it is by volunteering our time, educating others, or involving ourselves in the political process.

Earlier this month, the American Bar Association issued a statement calling on legal professionals to take an active role in upholding American democracy. To guide this effort, the ABA launched the Task Force for American Democracy, spearheaded by former federal judge J. Michael Luttig and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. The Task Force highlights critical areas where legal professionals can make a significant impact: combating misinformation, protecting the integrity of elections, and restoring public trust in legal and political institutions. The Task Force’s message is clear—our democracy is at a crossroads, and we have a duty, as guardians of the law, to ensure that it endures.

The New York City Bar Association fully endorses the ABA Task Force’s call to action. As part of the City Bar’s pledge on voting and the rule of law, over 1,000 legal professionals have signed in support of upholding nine principles essential to protecting democracy. We have continued this work through educational initiatives, including webinars with esteemed experts such as Bob Bauer, Ben Ginsberg, Jerry Goldfeder, Damon Hewitt, Jason Kaune, and Estelle Rogers, and by providing resources for those interested in election protection and other volunteer opportunities.

To support your efforts, the City Bar has made available a range of resources, including our “Election Protection Opportunities for Lawyers” webpage, recordings of our past webinars, and information on how attorneys can get involved. They include:

• Election Protection programs, featuring ABA and City Bar representatives, some of which can be found here.
• Join the 1,000+ lawyers who have signed the City Bar’s pledge on voting and the rule of law, which can be found here.
• The City Bar’s report entitled “The Consent of the Governed: Enforcing Citizens’ Right to Vote,” which can be found here.
• The ABA’s August 2022 Resolution and Commentary on Election Administration Guidelines, which can be found here.

Additionally, the American Bar Association has outlined the following ways that individual lawyers can volunteer in the next several months:

1. Become a poll worker in your community and encourage others to do the same. Visit org/vote to learn more.
2. Give presentations in your community and offer to write in your local newspaper about the rule of law, democracy, and our elections.
3. Check in with your local bar association – in this case, the City Bar – on where they may need help defending democracy and the rule of law.
4. Work in an “information center on elections” answering voters’ election-related questions, both before and on election day.
5. Follow local election board proceedings, and understand any proposed rules changes and how they support or possibly don’t support election integrity.
6. Get to know your local election board members and the board’s legal counsel and offer to help if/when appropriate.
7. Tour your local election facilities to learn how elections are administered in your community and then use that knowledge to defend the process and refute false information.
8. Direct those who have concerns about the electoral process to reliable sources of information, such as the League of Women Voters.
9. Host a “lunch & learn” event in your firm or in your community about local election administration and invite an election board member or election clerk to give a presentation and to take questions.
10. Serve as a pro bono lawyer protecting election officials through the Election Official Legal Defense Network.

Threats to our democratic values may be prevalent, but we must not lose sight of our capacity to make a difference. The City Bar encourages each of you to be proactive, to stand up for the rule of law, and to join the efforts of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy in preserving American democracy for generations to come.

About the Association
The mission of the New York City Bar Association, which was founded in 1870 and has 23,000 members, is to equip and mobilize a diverse legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest in our community, our nation, and throughout the world. www.nycbar.org