The pandemic blew a hole in the fabric of our society. We see it in the rise of crime and mental illness. We lost time and some of our civility. But we can make things better.
Lawyers built American democracy, and we are the key to restoring our community. As president of the Illinois Judges Association, I have seen our profession adapt to a new world of remote proceedings. I have seen judges go above and beyond to keep our justice system worthy of the public’s trust.
As we build our future, let’s modernize our court proceedings while being mindful that new technology can eradicate barriers to justice, or it can build new electronic barriers. We all are privileged to be lawyers and have the obligation to serve and respect the public. The more we focus on that goal, the more we can achieve civility together.