In their attempts to show solidarity with lawyers in Pakistan, lawyers in the United States are showing their own lack of solidarity. Different bar groups are organizing rallies of lawyers in the same cities, but scheduling them at different times and in different locations. If our point is to show solidarity, why don’t we stand together in making that point?

The National Lawyers Guild has called for solidarity demonstrations at Pakistani consulates in Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles for tomorrow, Nov. 13. Here in Massachusetts, the demonstration is also being supported by the Massachusetts Bar Association and begins at 1 p.m. at the State House.

But while NLG lawyers and supporters will be marching in Washington on Tuesday, the American Bar Association is planning a lawyers’ march to the Supreme Court in Washington on Wednesday starting at 11:30 a.m. And in New York on Tuesday, three bar groups will rally outside Manhattan Supreme Court at 1 p.m. to support Pakistani lawyers, while the NLG will hold its New York rally for the same purpose at the same time but at a different location, the Pakistani Consulate at 8 E. 65th St. In Minnesota, meanwhile, the NLG rally took place last Friday.

A concerted, collective, coordinated demonstration among lawyers throughout the country would send a stronger and clearer message than demonstrations that are splintered, scattered and uncoordinated.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.