August 11 – Lawyer's Day
Translated from the original.
On Lawyer's Day, celebrated on August 11, I venture to reflect on the importance of this noble profession, which I chose to pursue after 14 years in the Public Prosecution Service, an institution from which I resigned to embrace the life of a lawyer.
The legal profession has been the vanguard in defending justice and fundamental rights since ancient times. The lawyer, more than a connoisseur of the Constitution and the laws, is the first guardian of access to the justice system and also a warrior against the arbitrariness of those in power. Throughout his career, the lawyer, without any state backing, confronts powerful interests in the name of justice and truth. His function is essential to the judicial system, as recognized by democratic Constitutions and especially by the Brazilian Constitution of 1988, which defines him as indispensable to the administration of justice.
The legal profession, from its origin in ancient Greece and Rome to the present day, has always demanded more than legal knowledge and knowledge of other disciplines; it demands courage and fearlessness, independence and autonomy. That courage is what allows the lawyer to resist pressure and defend unpopular causes, even when facing much larger and more powerful forces.
Sobral Pinto, one of the great icons of the Brazilian legal profession, is an example of this value. His famous phrase “Advocacy is not a profession for cowards” illustrates well the spirit required to practice the profession, especially in times of the belittling of due process or the reduction of constitutional guarantees.
In this context of struggle and courage, we highlight the leadership of the current president of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB), Beto Simonetti, who, with firmness and dedication, has guided the profession in challenging times. Under his leadership, the OAB has remained vigilant in defending lawyers’ prerogatives, promoting human rights and in the relentless struggle to preserve the Democratic Rule of Law, winning significant ground for new prerogatives in the legislative field. His work is an example of commitment to society and to the legal profession, reinforcing the crucial role that lawyers play on behalf of individual and social interests.
The trajectory of the president of the OAB, Beto Simonetti, is an inspiration to all lawyers, reminding us that, even in the face of adversity, it is possible to make a difference and win new advances for the legal profession. His leadership has been marked by a tireless defense of ethical and democratic values, serving as a beacon for all who believe in justice as a pillar of society. His courage, like that of the lawyers he represents, is a tribute to the transformative power of the legal profession.
Thus, as we celebrate Lawyer's Day, we pay tribute not only to all who practice this profession with courage and ethics, but also to the leader who, at the head of the OAB, continues to fight for a fairer and more egalitarian Brazil.