President's Page: The essential role of lawyers in bridging divides

Shelly Dreyer is 2024-2025 Missouri Bar president.

We represent individuals and communities, mediate disputes, and provide legal advice, all of which contribute to a more harmonious and equitable society. By upholding the law and advocating for justice, lawyers are essential 
in creating a stable society where people can trust their rights and interests are protected. 

In the wake of the November elections, emotions are running high and, in some spaces, the division in our communities feels even deeper. 

As lawyers, we have an opportunity to set our own beliefs aside and help facilitate unity and bring people together. We possess a unique skill set that allows us to embrace different opinions and foster environments of differing and diverse viewpoints. We are trained in objectivity and critical thinking. We can examine issues from multiple perspectives, find common ground, and apply principles of fairness. 

These skills are ones we must embrace. As lawyers, we stand as guardians of legal processes and as advocates for fairness and justice. 

This is our opportunity to help bridge divides and reinforce the integrity of the democratic process. This is an opportunity I believe we must take because we play a vital role in guiding society through divisive times. After all, this is something we do daily as lawyers. We zealously advocate for a client’s position in court – maybe that position aligns with our personal beliefs, or maybe we must put our personal beliefs aside to even better serve our client. Similarly, we may disagree with a judge’s ruling or the outcome of a case, but we respect the process and abide by the outcome. 

This is the unity our communities need, one where we can vehemently disagree with each other on issues but still respect each other’s views and respect the rule of law. 

Many of us in the legal profession serve as community leaders, where we participate in or organize discussions that promote understanding across political lines. We can help our communities unite if we lead by example. By promoting respectful dialogue, we can model respectful and constructive debate to encourage others to see opposing viewpoints as part of a healthy democratic process. Active listening and engaging in discussions civilly can set the tone of respect in contentious discussions. 

Lawyers can show we uphold the rule of law by emphasizing the importance of a fair process and accountability, while also showing commitment to democratic principles by defending the rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and equal protection under the law. 

During divisive times, mentoring new and future lawyers is also crucial for fostering a legal community grounded in professionalism, integrity, and public service. I have always been a proponent of mentoring, and I am fortunate to have had mentors in my career to help me navigate challenges. By educating young and future lawyers to prioritize ethics, empathy, and civic responsibility, current lawyers can help cultivate a legal community that values unity and justice.

I firmly believe that as a society we have more in common than what divides us. As lawyers, now is the time to use our unique position to help facilitate the unity that our society needs and deserves. Let us serve to unify our community whenever possible and lead our fellow citizens by example toward a more civilized and accepting society where opinions and beliefs are regarded with respect and focus on what brings us together rather than divides us.