Getting a photo for sick father at double swearing-in ceremony
I had the pleasure of swearing-in at the federal courthouse for the Middle District of Florida.
I worked for the Honorable Harvey Schlesinger as an intern for a semester while in law school and he performed a private ceremony. There are a couple of things that stand out as special to me.
The first is that although cellphones are not allowed in the federal courthouse, Judge Schlesinger wrote a judicial order directing the U.S. marshals, who provide security, to allow my family to bring their phones to take pictures for my dad who was in the hospital with a terminal illness.
The other is that Judge Schlesinger and his law clerk made arrangements and allowed me to swear in to Florida, then immediately after swear in to the Middle District of Florida.
I didn’t realize what a big deal this was, but Judge Schlesinger told me after the ceremony that I was the first person he had heard of swearing-in to both in his 25 years on the bench.
Scott Burdick, The Law Office of John M. Phillips
***
I never had an interest in attending a ceremony to be sworn in as a lawyer.
I planned to get someone from the office to do it.
I was working at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid at the time, having graduated and passed the Bar exam earlier in 2001.
In fact, as it happened, the Bar posted the results on the morning of Sept. 10, 2001.
I stayed home from work that morning because I didn’t want to be around anyone at all, just in case the news wasn’t good.
The news, however, was great. I’d passed and I went to the office to celebrate.
I was planning to have my boss, Michael Figgins, administer the Oath of Attorney and sign my papers the next day and get right back to work.
Of course, other things happened on Sept. 11, 2001, and no one was in the mood to do much of anything other than watch the horror of the 9/11 terror attacks unfold on live TV.
As I was being introspective and thoughtful about what was important in life, I thought about my grandpa, Norris Sheppard, who sadly passed away at the end of my 1L year.
He would have loved to see his firstborn grandson become a lawyer. My grandma, Jane Sheppard, was working for Department of Children and Families on North Davis Street in 2001.
On the morning of Sept. 13, 2001, I went to her office unannounced and asked if she had her notary stamp nearby.
She did, and in my grandpa’s memory, and being thoughtful about life, liberty and family, she administered to me the Oath of Attorney and swore me into The Florida Bar.
It is and will always be one of the most cherished memories of my life.
Jimmy Midyette, The Luna Law Firm
***
I still can’t believe that I waited until 6 p.m. to check Bar results.
Finally, the time had come for me to hold my breath and look. I passed and I was eligible to be sworn in.
The first call I made was to my mom, a woman who stood by me as I traveled this long and sometimes winding path.
More than anything, I wanted and needed her to be there as I took the oath and officially became an attorney.
She was not sure if she could fly from California to Florida, but after she told her coworkers and supervisors, they made sure she would be able to make the journey.
April 24 finally came and I headed to the courthouse in my best (and most lawyerly) outfit.
I could barely breathe as I walked in the courtroom. My friend, Trish, assured me I wouldn’t trip and embarrass myself.
To some, getting sworn in might not seem like a big deal, but for me it was the culmination of everything I have ever worked for.
I felt like a million years passed between the time I arrived at the courthouse and the time I took the oath. As I raised my right hand and began to speak, I realized that I had made it.
Through all of the trials and tribulations, I was standing amongst my peers as we recited the Oath of Attorney.
April 24 was one of the best days of my life and one that I will cherish forever.
Kimberly Jones, Florida Coastal School of Law admissions counselor
***
The phrase “to preserve inviolate the secrets of my clients,” an integral part of the oath of admission to The Florida Bar, is still haunting me to this day.
Before commencing my clerkship, I had been sworn in on May 2, 2011, by my mentor, 1st District Court of Appeal Judge Joseph Lewis Jr.
Upon my arrival from Gainesville, Judge Lewis welcomed me and my family to his beautiful office, the place where we would meet, ponder and consult on a daily basis for the next two years.
However, due to my nervousness I felt at the time, I do not recall the subject of our brief conversation or my trip to the grand third-floor courtroom.
Unfortunately, the only thing I can clearly recall is being unable to repeat after Judge Lewis, “I will maintain the confidence and preserve inviolate the secrets of my clients.”
While I must admit I have read the oath hundreds of times before the ceremony, for whatever reason I found myself in the state of oblivion and was unable to understand what was said at that time.
Recognizing that I could have panicked at any moment, Judge Lewis handled my shortcoming with class and put me at ease by just moving forward and fortunately the rest of the ceremony went without any surprises.
Nevertheless, I reminisce that day with fondness and I am still very grateful to have shared this very important event in my life with Judge Lewis and my family.
Anna Haugen, law clerk to U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Jerry Funk
***
At the time of my swearing-in, I was clerking for Judge Peter Webster of Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.
I brought in the form on the day I received it.
Judge Webster asked if I wanted to schedule it so that my parents (both attorneys) could come to town from Pensacola and my new husband (we had only been married nine days), a public defender in Bainbridge, Ga., could attend, but I quite literally could not wait to become a lawyer.
That afternoon, Judge Webster and the two senior clerks I worked with, Diane and Greg, took me down to the courtroom in the old courthouse and Judge Webster administered the oath.
I had to look up the word “lucre” beforehand and I won’t ever forget it.
I did also go to the formal swearing-in at the Supreme Court of Florida later in the month.
Justice Fred Lewis said he wakes up every day and thanks God he is a lawyer.
His words have always resonated with me and I am very fortunate to feel the same way most days.
Best of luck to all the new attorneys joining this profession.
Jennifer Shoaf Richardson, Jackson Lewis
***
As a new prosecutor, new Florida attorney and about to be a new military wife, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into.
Thankfully it all turned out well.
I’ve practiced law throughout the country and many of my fondest memories are from Jacksonville.
Erin Masson Wirth, administrative law judge
***
I was married during law school and we had our first child 13 months later. He was born three months after I graduated, but before I had the Bar results.
In 1981, the Bar changed the scoring and that year had the highest percentage of failed exams ever, before or since. It was a tense time, as it took nearly four months to get the results back then and I had that baby.
Since I interned in the State Attorney’s Office under a Bar program, I had a one-year conditional license, so I would have another shot at passing the Bar if I failed. I started in the SAO with 12 other graduates; only two of us passed.
The practice in the State Attorney’s Office then was to be sworn in by the chief judge with the state attorney, Ed Austin. My wife, Gena, brought our 4-week-old baby to the ceremony with Chief Judge Cliff Sheppard.
Some new friends from the office came down to witness. We have a picture with Ed holding my 1-month-old son, Bill. Ed didn’t look comfortable with a new baby. Decades later, he came to Bill’s wedding.
Less than four years later, I was Ed’s chief assistant state attorney. When he was mayor, he appointed me as the city general counsel and then his chief of staff. It became a relationship that was life changing for me.
Part of the oath at that time contained this pledge: “I will refrain from all offensive personality ...”
Ed paused and looked up and then said: “How did _____ (a local lawyer still practicing) swear to that?”
The room broke up! Any nominations for who that was/is?
John Delaney, University of North Florida president; former assistant state attorney and city general counsel
***
In September of 1998, I started working for the Office of the Public Defender under the guidance of Lou Frost, Bill White and Ronald Higbee.
On the day Bar results were released, the computers in the office were not working so Michelle Kalil, who started just a few weeks before me, went to a friend’s office and confirmed we both passed.
Just a week later, I had the pleasure of being sworn in to The Florida Bar by the Honorable Robert M. Foster.
Prior to taking the bench, Judge Foster and my father, Bob Nichols, were in practice together at what is now, Smith, Hulsey and Busey.
Judge Foster arranged the ceremony in Courtroom A on the first floor of the old courthouse.
I was a young public defender at the time so both Lou Frost and Bill White were in attendance with my family and several close friends. My father invited several colleagues, including Allan Geiger, Karl Hanson and others to attend.
After Judge Foster’s presentation, Mr. Frost noted that with the family (including Uncle Donald G. Nichols) and friends we had, he did not expect me to stay with the public defender for very long.
It was a true honor to have Judge Foster perform the ceremony. However, I am still as nervous in his courtroom today as I was 18 years ago.
Eugene Nichols, Nichols & Pina
***
My swearing-in was low key but meaningful. A dear mentor in my office who is a notary took my oath and everyone congregated in the conference room for a champagne toast.
The entire experience is a bit of a blur, but I remember the classy plastic champagne flutes and being grateful for how excited my coworkers were when the results arrived.
Cyndy Trimmer, Ansbacher
***
After the chief judge swore us in as attorneys, Mr. (Harry) Shorstein swore us in as assistant state attorneys and presented us with our badges.
For me, it was a great day as it brought to close a goal that I had made several years earlier while serving as a naval officer on USS EL Paso during the first Gulf War.
It was during that time period that I had chosen to attend law school after leaving active duty, with the specific goal of becoming a prosecutor.
I was fortunate that Harry Shorstein, a fellow veteran, saw something in me and gave this military veteran a chance to continue to serve others.
James Pimentel, General Counsel, Risk Manager Clay County Sheriff’s Office
***
I clerked in Alabama after graduating law school in Alabama in 2000. I took the Alabama Bar that July and the Florida Bar the next February.
Shortly thereafter, I’d move to Jacksonville and start working for Cole, Stone, Stoudemire, Morgan & Dore in June of 2001, where I agreed to take the Georgia Bar.
The judge I clerked for swore me into Alabama and then Florida. I was sworn in to the Georgia Bar in 2002 in Florida. It is kind of peculiar looking back on it.
I have since accompanied many lawyers to get sworn in and it is never something that doesn’t make me happy. It’s a special hallmark of our profession.
John Phillips, The Law Offices of John M. Phillips
***
I was sworn in 27 years ago in one of the courtrooms at the old Duval County Courthouse.
I had been hired by the State Attorney’s Office after law school. I guess when John Delaney, Rick Mullaney and Audrey Moran made that decision they evidently had more confidence than I did when it came to me passing the Bar exam on my first attempt, but they were right and I lost that bet.
The day I was informed that I had passed the Bar I had not realized that you had to be officially sworn in to start a career in law.
I figured after three grueling years of law school followed by months of preparing for, taking and passing the Bar, that you just sort of became a lawyer.
I was in court at the time when my division chief, James Ruth, who is now a judge, informed me that a swearing-in ceremony was going to be conducted that day.
This predated cell phones so I had to get to my office to call my wife, Christine, so she could join me. Fortunately, she worked Downtown so she made it in time.
It was an honor to have State Attorney Ed Austin present for my swearing-in and my wife was thoughtful enough to snap a picture of us after he handed me a certificate appointing me as an assistant state attorney.
After the picture was taken, the celebration consisted of me going back to my office to prepare for court the next day. Welcome to the practice of law …
Mitch Stone, Stone Lockett
***
I was sworn-in to the Florida Bar on Oct. 2, 2000.
Bar exam results had been posted a few weeks earlier and I was already working at a large firm.
Most of the new lawyers, eager to start using the infamous “Esq.” behind their names, had already gone over to the courthouse — and a few special ones even went to the federal courthouse — and got sworn-in locally by then.
But I wanted it to be something special for my kids (yes, I had kids) so I was waiting to be sworn-in by the Florida Supreme Court. I had to take a full day off (not the best idea for a brand new associate) to go to Tallahassee.
Most established lawyers (and even some of the newbies) thought it was hokey, but I did it and have never had any regrets.
My family was so proud of me and I still have prominently sitting on my desk, the picture of about 100 or so of us who made the trip to Tallahassee standing on the steps of the Florida Supreme Court building behind all of the justices, fully robed.
Brenda Ezell, Ezell Law Firm
***
Judge (Virginia) Beverly, who everyone loved, swore me in. My mom and dad were there, probably my little brother, too.
My first name is Bambi even though I go by Lynn at work.
She (Judge Beverly) always called me Bambi when I was before her. I would never in million years tell her I go by Lynn.
Lynn Drysdale, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
***
I was much more nervous when checking online whether I’d passed the Bar than during the swearing-in ceremony.
I was clerking for Judge (Ralph) Nimmons at the old federal courthouse. I remember holding up a piece of paper to the computer screen, just to be absolutely sure that I’d passed.
Judge Nimmons immediately scheduled a private ceremony for the next day, using his personal Bible, to swear me into the Bar.
My sister was in town and got to attend the ceremony, but other than that, it was just Judge Nimmons’ chambers’ staff.
It was a small, personal ceremony and one of my favorite memories of Judge Nimmons.
August 1999 was still the world of film cameras.
The morning of my swearing-in, I had to run around Downtown and Five Points looking for someplace that sold disposable cameras. I think I found one at the downtown Winn Dixie.
Jennifer Mansfield, Holland & Knight
***
In August of 1997, an entering “class” of new prosecutors that had recently passed The Florida Bar exam was sworn-in as new attorneys and as assistant state attorneys.
Presiding over this ceremony was Chief Judge Don Moran and then-State Attorney Harry Shorstein. The oath to become an attorney was administered by Judge Moran.
The attorneys were also presented our state attorney badges by Shorstein. Parents also attended the ceremony, including Joel and Sue Holley.
It was a day of great excitement and admittedly there was a little anxiety as we were appearing in front of our boss and Judge Moran.
Several of the entering class quietly expressed concerns amongst themselves about messing up in reciting the oath but all went well.
We were all very relieved and happy to have passed the Bar exam and to begin our new career.
The ceremony was conducted in the old courthouse in the ceremonial courtroom.
The soon-to-be assistant state attorneys also included Jim Pimentel, Tina Odom, Dexter Van Davis, Melissa Bailey (now Melissa Coll), Nicole Amick, Leslie Miller (now Leslie Miller Tomczak), Alan Mizrahi and Erin Masson Wirth.
Ray Holley, Compensation Claims Court judge
***
I was an unlikely law student to begin with since I was well into middle age when I started law school.
I had two young children, owned a small business and was the first person in my family to go to law school.
There were many times during the process that I asked my husband, “Could you tell me again why I thought this was a good idea?”
Graduation came in December 2000 and when I learned of the opportunity to be sworn in at the Florida Supreme Court, it seemed the most fitting option.
I wanted my family to be part of a special occasion since they had been my best cheerleaders throughout the process.
On April 30, 2001, we piled in the minivan and headed to Tallahassee.
We were all simultaneously jubilant, awestruck and relieved and, as it turns out, the fun was just beginning.
Kathy Para, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid
***
In 2005, I was sworn in during a small, private ceremony for new prosecutors.
Chief Judge Don Moran swore us in and shared some warm remarks about the journey we were about to undertake.
I used to have a photo of the swearing-in — back when people used cameras with film that had to be developed. I remember the group very well.
Everyone sworn in that day has since moved on to different firms, but I still keep in touch with almost everyone from our small group.
Eric Roberson, Duval County Court judge
***
I was a busboy, having graduated August 1965.
I took the exam three days later, working in the Catskills awaiting active duty in the (Marine) Corps and then Vietnam.
I wasn’t that excited about the swearing-in with much more excitement ahead.
Harry Shorstein, Shorstein, Lasnetski & Gihon