incivility or disrespect. The ability to approach difficult topics, where opinions and beliefs may differ, in a civil and respectful manner is what attorneys need to model when they engage in civics education. In a sense, an attorney’s behavior can be an example of the very civic values that civics education seeks to implement: the ability to civilly dialogue and engage with individuals who hold different perspectives than our own. While modeling civility, attorneys also have an opportunity to impact the civic knowledge aspect of civics education. Attorneys are well-positioned to engage in discussions and educate individuals about the functions of government precisely because their jobs touch upon each government branch. The legal education of attorneys allows them to engage in fundamental discussions about civics in a way that enhances the understanding of individuals who do not have that benefit. Further, attorneys can aid the flow and direction of discussions during educational opportunities by identifying legitimate points and disrupting misinformation correctly because they understand the topics at a deeper level. In essence, attorneys engaging in civics education can help to provide Americans with an accurate, foundational understanding of civics that encourages them to engage more meaningfully in society, while also emphasizing the importance of engagement because attorneys understand how impactful civic engagement can be. Judges also have a role. Civics education provides judges with an opportunity to shrink the gap between the judiciary branch and the public, but it does so in a way that does not ask or require judges to abdicate their necessary neutrality. Engaging in civics education allows judges to model collaborative civility, while also providing the public with a more accurate representation of the judiciary branch, how it functions and its goals in contrast to the way they are sometimes portrayed to the public. See View from the Bench p. 14 13 Trial Lawyer | Summer 2024
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Nzc3ODM=