Over 2,100 new lawyers admitted on Oct. 31

More than 2,100 new attorneys were admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, October 31 with Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court presiding and administering the attorney's oath at five separate locations.

Justice Charles E. Freeman presided over and administered the attorney's oath at bar admission ceremonies in the First Judicial District on October 31. Justices Anne M. Burke and Mary Jane Theis also participated in the ceremonies.

The group of 1,659 was admitted in the First Judicial District during two ceremonies at the Arie Crown Theater, 2301 Lake Shore Drive.

The candidates have passed the Illinois state bar examination and an ethics examination, and have been certified by the Committee on Character and Fitness.

During the morning ceremony, Chicago attorney Steven M. Elrod made the motion to admit the class. Circuit Judge James P. McCarthy from Cook County seconded the motion to admit the class.

Guests for the 10 a.m. ceremony included: Sheila B. Kennedy, Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Delores E. Robinson, president of the Cook County Bar Association and Jeanah Park, president of the Asian American Bar Association.

During the afternoon ceremony, the Hon. Luciano Panici, Cook County Associate Judge, made the motion to admit the class.

Guests for the 1:30 ceremony included: Lawrence N. Hill, Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Vincent F. Cornelius, third vice president of the Illinois State Bar Association; and Tiffany R. Harper, president of the Black Women Lawyers' Association.

Here are the time and locations of Thursday's ceremonies:

• Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman presided over the Fourth Judicial District ceremony, 10 a.m., Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 South Sixth Street, Springfield.
• Supreme Court Justice Robert R. Thomas presided over the Second Judicial District ceremony, 10 a.m., Hemmens Memorial Building in the Elgin Civic Center Plaza, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin.
• Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride presided over the Third Judicial District ceremony, 11 a.m., Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 226 -17th Street, Rock Island.
• Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier presided over the Fifth Judicial District ceremony, 2 p.m., Southern Illinois University School of Law Auditorium, Carbondale.

The new attorneys bring the total number of licensed attorneys in Illinois to approximately 94,000.