Marin County Bar Association Statement in Support of the Rule of Law and the Legal Profession

The Marin County Bar Association (MCBA) joins the American Bar Association and bar associations across the nation in reaffirming our steadfast commitment to the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the critical role attorneys play in upholding justice and safeguarding democratic institutions.

Recent efforts by government officials to publicly criticize and seek punitive measures against members of the judiciary for their rulings, as well as to target lawyers and law firms for the clients they represent, pose a serious threat to the integrity of our legal system. These actions jeopardize judicial independence, compromise the right to legal representation, and risk eroding public confidence in our courts.

As stated in the March 2025 joint statement issued by the American Bar Association and more than 140 bar organizations nationwide, the legal profession must remain united in defending the principle that courts must be able to operate free from political interference, and that lawyers must be able to represent clients without fear of reprisal. To do otherwise would be to endanger the constitutional guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law.

We echo the words of Chief Justice John Roberts in his 2024 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary: “Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.” Judicial independence is not a political issue—it is a foundational tenet of our democracy.

Attorneys, likewise, have a professional and constitutional duty to represent clients—regardless of how contentious or unpopular the matter may be. Legal advocacy is not an endorsement of a client’s position; rather, it is an affirmation of the core legal principle that every person is entitled to counsel and a fair hearing. Targeting lawyers for fulfilling this duty undermines the adversarial system and weakens access to justice.

The legal profession must not remain silent. We have a responsibility—not just to our clients, but to our courts, our communities, and the Constitution—to speak out when the rule of law is under attack.

The Marin County Bar Association stands in solidarity with the American Bar Association and our fellow bar associations in rejecting these dangerous attempts to erode public trust in our legal institutions. We call on lawyers, judges, and legal leaders at every level to defend the independence of our courts and the integrity of our profession.