The Austin Bar Association reaffirms its nonpartisan commitment to the independence of the state and federal judiciary, as well as the rule of law as a fundamental pillar of our legal system. Attempts to discredit the rule of law erode our democracy.
The Texas Lawyer’s Creed reminds us that, as lawyers, we are entrusted by the People of Texas to preserve and improve our legal system. This solemn duty requires us to uphold personal dignity, integrity, and independence in the administration of justice.
For all these reasons, we adopt the two statements below. We also note that efforts to sidestep the rule of law by encouraging the public to ignore judicial orders are occurring on federal, state, and local levels.
Bar organizations’ statement in support of the rule of law from the American Bar Association
We the undersigned bar organizations stand together with and in support of the American Bar Association to defend the rule of law and reject efforts to undermine the courts and the legal profession.
In particular, as outlined by the ABA:
We endorse the sentiments expressed by the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in his 2024 Year End Report on the Federal Judiciary, “[w]ithin the past year we have also seen the need for state and federal bar associations to come to the defense of a federal district judge whose decisions in a high-profile case prompted an elected official to call for her impeachment. Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.”
We support the right of people to advance their interests in courts of law when they have been wronged. We reject the notion that the U.S. government can punish lawyers and law firms who represent certain clients or punish judges who rule certain ways. We cannot accept government actions that seek to twist the scales of justice in this manner.
We reject efforts to undermine the courts and the profession. We will not stay silent in the face of efforts to remake the legal profession into something that rewards those who agree with the government and punishes those who do not. Words and actions matter. And the intimidating words and actions we have heard and seen must end. They are designed to cow our country’s judges, our country’s courts and our legal profession.
There are clear choices facing our profession. We can choose to remain silent and allow these acts to continue or we can stand for the rule of law and the values we hold dear. We call upon the entire profession, including lawyers in private practice from Main Street to Wall Street, as well as those in corporations and who serve in elected positions, to speak out against intimidation.
If lawyers do not speak, who will speak for our judges? Who will protect our bedrock of justice? If we do not speak now, when will we speak? Now is the time. That is why we stand together with the ABA in support of the rule of law.
American Bar Association
Alameda County (California) Bar Association
Alexandria (Virginia) Bar Association
Allegheny County Bar Association (Pennsylvania)
American Immigration Lawyers Association
Appellate Lawyers Association
Arab American Bar Association of Illinois
Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers
Atlanta Bar Association
Bar Association of Erie County (New York)
Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Bar Association of San Francisco
Berks County (Pennsylvania) Bar Association
Boston Bar Association
Boulder County (Colorado) Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
Chicago Council of Lawyers
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Columbus (Ohio) Bar Association
Connecticut Bar Association
Contra Costa (California) County Bar Association
Cook County Bar Association
Delaware State Bar Association
Detroit Bar Association and Foundation
Erie County (Pennsylvania) Bar Association
First Judicial District Bar Association (Colorado)
Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Hawaii Women Lawyers
Hennepin County (Minnesota) Bar Association
Hispanic National Bar Association
Hudson County (New Jersey) Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
International Society of Barristers
The Iowa State Bar Association
Kansas Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Foundation
Lawyers Club of San Diego
Long Beach (California) Bar Association
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Louisville Bar Association
Maine State Bar Association
Maricopa County Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association
Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association
Middlesex County (New Jersey) Bar Association
Milwaukee Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association
Monroe County (New York) Bar Association
Multnomah Bar Association (Portland, Oregon)
Muslim Bar Association of Chicago
Nassau County (New York) Bar Association
National ABS Law Firm Association
National Arab American Bar Association
National Arab American Bar Association – Michigan Chapter
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
National Association of Women Lawyers
National Conference of Bar Presidents
National Filipino American Lawyers Association
National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
National Native American Bar Association
New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
New Mexico Black Lawyers Association
New York City Bar Association
New York County Lawyers Association
North County (California) Bar Association
Ohio Women’s Bar Association
Board of Governors of the Oregon State Bar
Palestinian American Bar Association
Passaic County (New Jersey) Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association
Queens County (New York) Bar Association
Ramsey County (Minnesota) Bar Association
San Diego County Bar Association
San Fernando Valley (California) Bar Association
Santa Clara County Bar Association (California)
South Asian Bar Association of North America
State Bar of New Mexico
Virgin Islands Bar Association
Board of Governors of the Washington State Bar Association
Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York
Worcester County (Massachusetts) Bar Association
Joint Statement: Defending the Rule of Law Amid Rising Attacks on the Judiciary and Legal Profession from the International Academy of Trial Lawyers
For over two centuries, the United States has been a beacon of democracy and justice, grounded in the unwavering principle that no individual is above the law. Today, that foundational principle faces a direct assault—not from foreign adversaries but from within. The current administration has engaged in an unprecedented campaign to undermine the rule of law, attack the judiciary, violate court orders, and punish lawyers and law firms for doing their jobs.
Throughout history, authoritarian regimes have understood that the first step in dismantling democracy is silencing those who uphold the rule of law. When the legal system is weakened—when judges are threatened, when lawyers are punished for representing their clients, when court rulings are ignored—tyranny is not far behind. Today, we are witnessing such a moment in America.
The current administration and other officials have not only attacked individual judges for their rulings but have actively encouraged efforts to impeach them. These threats represent more than partisan rhetoric—they are a dangerous attempt to intimidate the judiciary and erode its independence. When the administration signals that court rulings can be ignored or that judges should be removed for doing their jobs, the very foundation of our legal system is at risk.
The attacks have now escalated beyond the courts to the legal profession itself. The administration has singled out law firms by revoking security clearances, directing agencies to terminate contracts, and prohibiting federal employees from engaging with them. These measures are political retribution, plain and simple—an attempt to punish lawyers and firms for representing clients and causes the administration disfavors.
This moment demands action. Regardless of practice area, political affiliation, or position, lawyers must unite in defense of the rule of law. The legal profession exists to serve justice—not political interests. We cannot and will not capitulate in the face of bullying, intimidation, and outright attacks on the institutions that ensure democracy endures.
This is a defining moment—not just for our profession but for our country. History will remember where we stood at this moment.
We stand as unwavering defenders of the rule of law, democracy, and moral integrity. We reject the idea that the justice system is corrupt simply because it holds the powerful accountable. We reject the rhetoric that seeks to delegitimize the courts, the legal profession, and the rule of law itself.
Now is the time for every lawyer—whether in private practice, public service, academia, or corporate counsel—to step forward. The law does not protect itself; it survives because those sworn to uphold it have the courage to do so.
We must volunteer, agitate, use our legal training, and raise our voices to fight against the dismantling of our justice system. We must uphold the principles of fairness and accountability, even when it is difficult, unpopular, or dangerous. We must be relentless in this fight, doing whatever it takes. This is not just a fight for our profession—it is a fight for our country. We will not yield. We will not be silent. We will not stop.
The Texas Lawyer’s Creed
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