February is the month for one of my favorite occasions: Valentine’s Day!

At this time when we think about love, flowers and people we care about, I like to remind myself why I am passionate about being a lawyer. I have found my passion in applying my skills as both a lawyer and an advocate. I never imagined that law would give me the opportunity to change the juvenile justice system in Chicago, to advocate for women and now to combat human trafficking. I am passionate about heading the American Bar Association, an organization that fights for equality and freedom around the world.

You, too, can find your passion in the legal profession. Whether you work in a firm, in academics or government and whatever your specialization, you can build your passion for causes that are important to you into your life as a lawyer. If you practice business law, you can also advise your corporate clients on how to eliminate human trafficking — modern-day slavery — from their supply chains. If you are an employment lawyer, work with the ABA to advise employers and HR professionals on how to train employees to identify victims of human trafficking. Human trafficking is one of the great scourges of our society, and lawyers can play a vital role in eliminating it.

I am grateful to do what I love. In his celebrated 2005 commencement speech to Stanford University graduates, Steve Jobs offered this advice: “You’ve got to find what you love … The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle.”

So on this Valentine’s Day, embrace your passion for the law. We are so lucky to be a part of this profession. Let’s remember it not just on Valentine’s Day but every day! 

Laurel Bellows is a Principal in The Bellows Law Group, P.C. and president of the American Bar Association. Bellows will be posting regularly during her presidency to engage with young women lawyers and law students.