Lawyers and the ABA are on front lines in protecting the bedrock of our democracy Photo of Patricia Lee Refo courtesy of ABA Media Relations One of the American Bar Association’s four core goals is to “Advance the Rule of Law.” This has always been and will always be front and center for our association and profession. The rule of law, while not always easy to define precisely, ensures an orderly, just society. It creates a system where laws are enacted by democratically elected representatives. It means no one is above the law, and no one is beneath it—the law treats all equally, and everyone is held accountable in the same way. It demands the enforcement of laws be clear and fair, the judiciary be independent and all persons be guaranteed fundamental human rights.