50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act
THE EVERLASTING DREAM
Excerpts from The Hon. Herbert E. Phipps’ Speech
Speech by The Honorable Herbert E. Phipps
Chief Judge, Georgia Court of Appeals
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xcerpts from Chief Judge Herbert E. Phipps’ speech,
The Everlasting Dream: Equality for All (The Continuing
Duty of Lawyers), given October 10, 2014 to the Atlanta
Bar Association’s Litigation Section are provided below. His
sobering comments recounted lawyers and judges who
privately admitted that equality should prevail but publicly
allowed racism to persist, if only for self-preservation.
Judge Phipps encouraged lawyers to lead, not cower, in a
continuing fight for equality. Excerpts of Judge Phipps’ talk
are reprinted here with his permission.
As lawyers, we have special training to do more public good
than does a member of any other profession. This profession
entrusts us with awesome power, from which flows great
responsibilities. Yet many of us who have the power and
influence to do the right thing, and to encourage others to do
likewise, will look the other way, or not even care.
There is still a gap between the theory and the practice of
equal justice in America. There are still forces among us that
want to turn back the clock. P