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Judges, mentors, legal professionals, and loved ones gathered at the Indiana Convention Center Friday morning to celebrate the admission of about 300 new attorneys into the Indiana bar.
New attorneys in attendance took the attorney oath. Speakers across the board emphasized the importance of their work and the traits they should exemplify to uphold the traits of a noble attorney.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana Judge Sarah Evans Barker shared sentiments from one of her very first law clerks, Muncie-grown Andy Cheng, on the small but noble attributes attorneys should possess, which include telling the truth, playing fair, and being willing to listen, even when you don’t have all the answers.
“You’ll discover that sometimes the greatest value you can provide as a lawyer is your openness and your patience and your empathy towards others, and when those moments present themselves, there is a nobility in that,” she said.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita emphasized the work attorneys do to uphold the Constitution, something unique in the nation’s founding..
“You’re defending American exceptionalism…at our founding, for the first time in world history, the best ideas for self governance came together at the same time, same place,” he said. “It’s here, in this part of our experiment, where you now particularly fit in and ensuring that the rule of law is kept and applied equally. Because, as we see even here in our nation, the equal application of the rule of law is not automatic. It must be revered in practice.”
Speakers also shared the need for authenticity and community in the legal profession, both as young attorneys and as lawyers move throughout their careers.
“I look forward to supporting you as you join in this shared pursuit of excellence, civility and service,” Indiana Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert Altice said. “As you build these relationships, I encourage you to think deeply about authenticity. Certainly in this age of artificial intelligence, it’s harder than ever to know what’s real and who we can trust, and that’s why authenticity and civility must walk hand in hand.”
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana Judge Gretchen Lund even quoted Taylor Swift to drive home the need to build strong relationships in the legal community. While the law school experience taught attorneys to advocate for their clients and uphold the Constitution, Lund asked the new attorneys to go even further and become invested in the legal community they’re surrounded by.
“I sincerely believe that when we take the time to get to know one another, we can learn a lot from each other, and when we learn from one another, that’s when we become a great, strong legal community,” she said.
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