John Adams’s ideal that this “
may be a government of laws, and not of men” is perhaps the most moving and memorable phrase that he embedded in the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780.
But Adams appreciated that a “government of laws” is a goal, not a guarantee. Indeed, he prefaced this precarious ideal with an aspirational “may” and not a definitive “shall.”
Adams also understood that for the rule of law to be a reality depends in large measure on the vitality and integrity of the legal institutions that support it.
Please take a moment to think about the essential contributions of the Social Law Library as one of the vital institutions that undergird Adams’s ideal in Massachusetts.
The scholarship and standing of our highest appellate courts and statewide trial courts depend on the scope and sophistication of the Social Law Library’s collection and services. So too, solo practitioners and large firms alike also rely on Social Law’s unparalleled collection and reference advice.
The strength of the Social Law Library’s resources also plays an essential (but sometimes overlooked) role in promoting equal justice because Legal Services organizations throughout Massachusetts rely daily on the Library’s pro bono membership services.
As the law library of last resort for every segment of the Massachusetts bench and bar, Social Law provides the intellectual foundation for John Adams’s ideal.
This is to ask for your support, be it a donation of $5 or $500. It is not the amount of the gift that matters, but the fact that you give that is important.
Your support will help to ensure the quality of justice in Massachusetts by enhancing the quality of the Social Law Library to the end that we “
shall” live up to Adams’s vision of “a government of laws.”
For your convenience, you can make your donation online at
https://www.socialaw.com/donate or mail your donation to Social Law Library, John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square, Suite 4100, Boston, MA 02108.
Sincerely,
Robert J. Brink, Executive Director
Social Law Library