Over 300 New Illinois Lawyers to Be Admitted on Thursday
New attorneys will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, May 9, with Illinois Supreme Court justices presiding and administering the attorney's oath to 335 new attorneys across the state.
All of the candidates set to be sworn in have passed the Illinois State Bar Examination and a required ethics examination and were certified by the Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness. They will bring the total number of licensed attorneys in Illinois to approximately 96,300.
The largest group, 245, will be admitted in the First Judicial District during three ceremonies at the James R. Thompson Center Assembly Hall, located at 100 W. Randolph St., in Chicago. The ceremonies will be at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2 p.m. Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke will preside over the 9 a.m. ceremony, Illinois Supreme Court Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr. will preside over the 11:30 a.m. ceremony, and Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis will preside over the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Guests of the morning ceremony will include Megan Paulas, member of the Board of Governors from the Chicago Council of Lawyers. Hon. James McCluskey, president of the Illinois State Bar Association, will move for admission of the class.
Guests of the second First District ceremony will include Urie Clark, president of the Cook County Bar Association and Jonathan Lubin, president of the Decalogue Society. First District Appellate Justice Michael Hyman and Hon. Rena VanTine will participate in the admission of the class.
Guests of the afternoon ceremony will include Steven M. Elrod, president of the Chicago Bar Association and Koula Fournier, 1st vice president of the Hellenic Bar Association. Thomas Clancy of the Illinois Board of Admission to the Bar will move for admission of the class.
In addition to Chicago, ceremonies will be held Thursday in Springfield, Elgin, and Ottawa.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert R. Thomas will preside over the Second Judicial District ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. at the Hemmens Cultural Center, located at 45 Symphony Way, in Elgin. ISBA Third Vice President Anna P. Krolikowska will be in attendance.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride will preside over the Third Judicial District ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Third District Appellate Courthouse, 1004 Columbus Street, in Ottawa. The speaker for the ceremony will be ISBA President Elect David B. Sosin.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman will preside over the Fourth Judicial District ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. in the Supreme Court Building Courtroom, in Springfield. ISBA Second Vice President Dennis J. Orsey will speak.
Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier will preside over the Fifth Judicial District ceremony, which will begin at 2 p.m. in the Supreme Court Building Courtroom, in Springfield. ISBA Second Vice President Dennis J. Orsey will speak.