Supreme Court Justices swear-in 1,605 new attorneys at 5 locations around the state

Justices of the Illinois Supreme Court administered the attorney’s oath to 1,605 new attorneys on Thursday at five separate locations across the state.

The largest group —1,306—were admitted in the First Judicial District during two ceremonies at the Arie Crown Theater, 2301 Lake Shore Drive, in Chicago.

All of the candidates 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 bring the total number of licensed attorneys in Illinois to approximately 96,000.

Justice Anne M. Burke presided over the 9:45 a.m. ceremony in the First District and Justice Mary Jane Theis presided over the 12:45 p.m. ceremony.

At the 9:45 a.m. ceremony, Will County Circuit Judge Richard C. Schoenstedt made the move for admission of the class. Cook County Circuit Judge Sharon M. Sullivan and Chicago attorney Stephen Stern seconded the motion. They all have children who took the attorney's oath during the ceremony.

Other guests of the morning ceremony included: Patricia Brown Holmes, president of the Chicago Bar Association; and Cook County Circuit Judge Jessica A. O'Brien, ISBA Board member and president of the Women's Bar Association.

Other guests of the afternoon ceremony included: The Hon. Russell W. Hartigan, 2nd Vice President of the Illinois State Bar Association, Arlene Y. Coleman, president of the Cook County Bar Association; and Michael T. Brody, president of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association.

On behalf of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar, Andrew M. Raucci attended both First District ceremonies.

In addition to Chicago, ceremonies were held Thursday in Springfield, Elgin, Kankakee, and Carbondale.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita B. Garman presided over the Fourth District ceremony at the Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 South Sixth Street, in Springfield. ISBA President Umberto S. Davi addressed the class.

Supreme Court Justice Robert R. Thomas presided over the Second District ceremony at 10 a.m. at Hemmens Memorial Building in the Elgin Civic Center Plaza, 45 Symphony Way, in Elgin.

Supreme Court Justice Thomas L. Kilbride presided over the Third District ceremon at the Kankakee Community College Main Auditorium, 100 College Drive, in Kankakee. ISBA President-elect Vincent Cornelius addressed the class.

Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier presided over the Fifth District ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Southern Illinois University School of Law Auditorium, 1150 Douglas Drive, in Carbondale. ISBA Board member Dennis J. Orsey  addressed the class.