![\"photo](\"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/10\/reduced-UNCLaw-Orientation26-CAH_7670-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhile his three years as a student at UNC School of Law were formative for John Day \u201981, he points to two experiences that helped change the trajectory of his life. Day attended a talk by former United States Attorney General Ramsey Clark when Clark visited the School and spoke about his work on behalf of the powerless and the poor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe could have done whatever he wanted after serving at such a high level, but he chose to spend his time working on behalf of those who were less fortunate,\u201d said Day. \u201cI have never forgotten how inspired I was to know that somebody with so many options would do that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During Day\u2019s volunteer work with the American Civil Liberties Union during his second year, he asked Professor Eugene Gressman to help him with a cert petition. \u201cHe was the author of the leading Supreme Court practice manual of its time,\u201d said Day. \u201cHe worked with me on that petition as if it were his own project. And once again, it showed the whole idea of giving back, which has played a role in my career.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the ways that Day gives back is through his service as president of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the most prestigious trial lawyer organization in the United States and Canada. Day leads this invitation-only organization devoted to excellence, professionalism, civility, integrity and the rule of law \u2014 values that also align with Carolina Law\u2019s commitment to educate future leaders of the profession. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day said that in addition to modeling these tenets in their personal and professional lives, American College of Trial Lawyers fellows speak to law students and at symposia and issue public statements and white papers on critical law-related issues. The fellows teach in high schools and civic organizations about the founding of the U.S. government, the interaction among the branches of government and the need for an independent judiciary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI firmly believe that our fellows improve the bar by their words and actions every single day,\u201d said Day. \u201cI believe that we make a material contribution to the community by helping people understand the role that the rule of law plays, not only in our social interactions and how it lifts people up, but also in our economy.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day is particularly interested in the American College of Trial Lawyers\u2019 rule of law issues. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot going on in the United States right now that impacts the rule of law and an independent judiciary,\u201d said Day. \u201cWe monitor those things and speak out in a nonpartisan way to help educate the public and to demonstrate our support for those who we believe are wronged during this process on those important issues.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Reputation Project, an American College of Trial Lawyers initiative started by Day and designed to educate law students and young lawyers about how to build and maintain a good reputation, is also near and dear to his heart. \u201cEducating people on how to build and maintain a good reputation not only helps them, it also improves civility and the general standards of the bar,\u201d said Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day relished the opportunity to speak about the importance of civility, professionalism and the attorney\u2019s role in protecting the rule of law with the Carolina Law class of 2029 during orientation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great that they heard that on their first day of law school,\u201d said Day. \u201cFrom day one, it\u2019s really important that these students understand that how they conduct themselves is going to impact them for the rest of their lives. As I always say to young lawyers, every single one of you remembers who the jerk was in your law school class. And if you don\u2019t remember, it was probably you!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that the class was engaged and eager to begin their careers. \u201cThe students I met will bring honor on Carolina Law,\u201d said Day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day is a pillar of the legal community in Tennessee, where The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., whose staff of 30 includes eight lawyers, has focused on personal injury and wrongful death law for more than 30 years. \u201cI\u2019m proud of helping people \u2014 who have been horrifically hurt or lost a parent \u2014 get the financial support they need to go forward with life,\u201d said Day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Day believes that he and fellow Carolina Law alumni have an obligation to community service. \u201cWe\u2019ve all been blessed with a great education funded in part by the taxpayers of North Carolina and the United States of America,\u201d said Day. \u201cEverybody has some talent that they can use to help advance society for others. As people who are in a position to succeed and live a better life than most in this country, it’s important that we give back to those who helped put us in this position.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A talk by a former U.S. attorney general changed the course of John Day\u2019s career. Today the Carolina Law alum leads the nation\u2019s most prestigious trial lawyer organization and is teaching young lawyers how to build a reputation worth keeping.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3569,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3506"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3506"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3745,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3506\/revisions\/3745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.law.unc.edu\/fall-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}