Over 1,400 New Illinois Lawyers to Be Admitted on Thursday
New attorneys will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, Nov. 7, with Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Appellate Court justices presiding and administering the attorney's oath to 1,459 new attorneys at five separate locations 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 96,500.
The largest group, 1,172, will be admitted in the First Judicial District during two ceremonies at the Arie Crown Theater, located at 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, in Chicago. The ceremonies will be at 9:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Media coverage is invited.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke will preside over the 9:45 a.m. ceremony.
Guests of the morning ceremony will include Leynee A. Cruz, president of the Hispanic Lawyers Association; David Sosin, president of the Illinois State Bar Association; and Randy K. Johnson of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar.
Appellate Justice Margaret Stanton McBride will move for admission of the class. Judge Andrea M. Buford will second the motion.
Supreme Court Justices Mary Jane Theis and P. Scott Neville, Jr. will preside over the 12:45 p.m. ceremony.
Guests of the second First District ceremony will include Jesse Ruiz, president of the Chicago Bar Association; Natalie Petric, president of Justinian Society; and Andrew M. Raucci of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar.
Appellate Justice Mary K. Rochford will move for admission of the class. Appellate Justice Robert E. Gordon will second the motion.
Kenneth G. Jablonski, clerk of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, will serve as acting marshal at both of the First District ceremonies.
In addition to Chicago, ceremonies will be held Thursday in Elgin, Peoria, Springfield, and Carbondale.
Presiding Appellate Justice Joseph E. Birkett will preside over the Second Judicial District ceremony at 10 a.m. at Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, in Elgin.
Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride will preside over the Third Judicial District ceremony at 11 a.m. at the East Peoria Embassy Suites Hotel Conference Center, 100 Conference Center Drive, in Peoria.
Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman will preside over the Fourth Judicial District ceremony, which will begin at 10 a.m. in the Auditorium of the Michael J. Howlett Building, Second and Jackson Street, in Springfield.
Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier will preside over the Fifth Judicial District ceremony at 2 p.m. in the Auditorium of Southern Illinois University's School of Law in Carbondale.