Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Publication
Mercer Law Review
Volume
76
Abbreviation
Mercer L. Rev.
First Page
1269
Abstract
This essay by Gene R. Nichol examines the lawyer’s duty as a “public citizen,” drawing from the ABA Model Rules’ preamble and historical, civic, and religious touchstones to argue that legal professionals bear a unique obligation to sustain democracy, the rule of law, and public confidence in justice. Situating the discussion in contemporary struggles—particularly in North Carolina—the essay details court-documented gerrymandering, voter suppression, and politicization of the judiciary, and laments the comparative silence of the institutional legal community, including bar associations, law schools, and leading firms.
Nichol juxtaposes today’s reticence with past episodes of vocal resistance (and support) from the bar, urging renewed public engagement by lawyers, academics, and legal institutions despite political pressures on universities and faculty governance. The essay concludes that fulfilling the profession’s public-citizen role requires sustained advocacy—“finding and telling and teaching the truth”—to meet threats to democratic norms and to reinforce dignity, equality, and constitutional accountability across red and blue states alike.