Over 1,800 new Illinois attorneys to be admitted on Thursday

New attorneys will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday, November 6, with Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court presiding and administering the attorney's oath at five separate locations to a total of 1,874 candidates.

Supreme Court Justices Anne M. Burke and Mary Jane Theis will preside over and administer the attorney's oath at bar admission ceremonies in the First Judicial District on November 6.

A group of 1,489 will be admitted in the First Judicial District during two ceremonies Thursday, both being held at the Arie Crown Theater, 2301 Lake Shore Drive. The first ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m.; the second ceremony will start at 12:45 p.m.

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

Justice Burke will preside and administer the attorney's oath during the morning ceremony. Guests for the 9:45 a.m. ceremony include: James R. Carroll, of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Celestia L. Mays, president of the Cook County Bar Association; and Spiridoula Mavrothalastis, president of the Hispanic Lawyers Association. Attorney Bruce M. Kohen of Highland Park will make the motion to admit the class.

Justice Theis will preside and administer the attorney's oath during the afternoon ceremony. Guests for the 12:45 p.m. ceremony include: Lawrence N. Hill, of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar; Vincent F. Cornelius, second vice-president of the Illinois State Bar Association; and Tejas Shah, president of the Indian-American Bar Association.

During the afternoon ceremony, retired Cook County Circuit Judge Daniel S. Weber will make the motion to admit the class. Attorneys Mary and Gregory Constantino will both second the motion to admit the class.

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

• Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman will preside 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 will preside 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 will preside over the Third Judicial District ceremony, 11 a.m., I-Wireless Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline.
• Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier will preside over the Fifth Judicial District ceremony, 2 p.m., Southern Illinois University School of Law Auditorium, Carbondale.

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