by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Last Tuesday afternoon, 36 aspiring lawyers officially joined the profession during a 20-minute ceremony at the United States Courthouse at Jacksonville. United States District Court Judge Timothy Corrigan not only presided over the ceremony, he kept things light with humorous quips and anecdotes from past swearing-ins.
Corrigan also had his bailiff perform the official ceremonial cry, something that’s usually otherwise only used for naturalization ceremonies.
“This is the only other event I can think of where everyone leaves the courtroom happy,” said Corrigan, who swore in those who passed the Bar exam at the end of February.
Later this summer, Chief Judge Don Moran will swear in those who pass the July 24-25 Bar exam that is in Tampa. That ceremony will be in the County Courthouse. The alternating ceremonies are the result of a deal struck with Moran and Jacksonville Bar Association Executive Director Diane Gill.
“This is the inaugural federal portion of that agreement,” said Corrigan, who was sworn in by U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Tjoflat. “It’s quite simple, but very important.”
Jacksonville Bar Association President Kelly Mathis welcomed the new attorneys by calling them “colleagues” and reminded them to join the JBA if they stay in Jacksonville to practice. He also talked about the importance — on all levels — of the profession.
“We work together in the administration of justice in society,” said Mathis. “The practice of law is not just a profession. At the Jacksonville Bar Association, we hold ourselves to very, very high standards and because of that we have a reputation in the state that’s not enjoyed by other parts of the state.”
Florida Coastal School of Law Dean Peter Goplerud was also on hand to see several of his school’s recent graduates officially become lawyers. Goplerud is admitted to three different jurisdictions, but said the first swearing in ceremony was the most memorable.
“The third time I was sworn in it was my birthday and I was sworn in with my spouse,” he said. “But, the first is the most important because you are with your colleagues. It’s a wonderful wonderful profession and my charge to you is to be civil, ethical, return calls and e-mails and, above all, make a difference and leave the profession in 50 years better than how you found it.”
The following attorneys were sworn in to The Florida Bar:
Marteal Lamb, Nicole Breton, Benjamin Osterhout, Joe Wade III, Stephanie Burch, Shelly Shiflet, Shimene Shepard-Ryan, Patrick Kelly, Aaron Carrow, Emily Kerns, James Boyle, Kelli Holt, Joshua Woolsey, DRana Johnson, Eric Bradstreet, Charles Stambaugh, Whitney McGuire, Christopher Dennis, Thomas Dolney, Gabriel Dominelli, Jeremy Kespohl, Arielle Molinet, Patricia Hawkins, Heather Burnett, Michelle Barry, Kristen Swinehart, Sarah Hussein, Timothy Jay Walker, Michael Rhodes, Wallace Wade, Esther Kathleen Erkan, Tara Beth Conner, Meghan Wojeski, Elizabeth Paulk and Beau Baker.