The Rule of Law Project, created and nurtured by The Virginia Bar Association, has a new home as part of the Civics Connects initiative.

Civics Connects is an educational resource for Virginia middle school students formed from the 2023 merger of the John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

The Rule of Law Project was the brainchild of 2008 VBA President G. Michael Pace Jr., who died last year. Originally a project just of the VBA, it later gained the support of the Virginia Law Foundation. Pace eventually co-founded and headed the Center for Teaching the Rule of Law based at Roanoke College, with the project as its flagship program. All along, the effort endeavored to change the way students learn about the rule of law as the basis of the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

"We are honored to continue the legacy of ROL leaders Mike Pace and Tim Isaacs by incorporating their vision and work into Civics Connects and to continue providing these resources free of charge," said Joni Albrecht, director of the John Marshall Center, a hub for civics education that teaches constitutional history and the legacy of Chief Justice John Marshall.

"The Rule of Law Project has such rich, engaging educational materials," she added. "These offerings are a perfect fit for Civics Connects and will make our lessons even more profound for students around the state."

The principles of the rule of law will be integrated throughout Civics Connects' 10 units and 50 lessons that cover the Standards of Learning for civics and economics.

Following the Rule of Law Project's model, on-site and remote subject-matter experts are available upon request to help with instruction, as are civics field trips.

Pace's nationally and internationally recognized Rule of Law Project resulted in him receiving the VBA's highest honor, the Gerald L. Baliles Distinguished Service Award, in 2013. He was a former managing partner at Gentry Locke Attorneys.