June 14, 2010 – Today, 162 U.W. Law School graduates were admitted to practice. The new lawyers were welcomed to the profession by all seven Wisconsin Supreme Court justices, U.W. Law School professors, State Bar President Douglas Kammer and Director of Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) Jacquelynn B. Rothstein.

Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson presided over the four ceremonies. Justices N. Patrick Crooks, Patience Roggensack, and Annette Ziegler, and Michael J. Gableman administered the oath in the supreme court hearing room.

Following each swearing-in ceremony, Justice David T. Prosser spoke to the new lawyers. “This is a day of celebration, the culmination of years of study and hard work and sacrifice and you all deserve hearty congratulations. Graduating from a great university law school is a very significant accomplishment. Almost invariably your hard work has been encouraged and supported by other people – spouses, parents, family, and close friends. They take tremendous pride in honoring you here today.” In what has become a Wisconsin Supreme court tradition in the past few year, Justice Prosser invited the new lawyers to applaud family members for their support and encouragement immediately following swearing-in ceremony.

“Thanking family and friends in this manner has become a ritual of the court,” Prosser said. “It’s important because it reminds young lawyers that we seldom obtain anything of real significance without the help and the support of others. Being a lawyer is a big deal but don’t let that fact cause you to lose your humility. You may also owe debts of gratitude to professional colleagues including faculty at the U.W. Law School who gave you some sort of special boost along the way. Whatever these good people have done to help you, you can do in the future to help others.

“All of you are about to participate in a time-honored Wisconsin tradition,” continued Prosser. “In a few moments you will sign your names in a book, the latest volume in the complete record of Wisconsin attorneys dating stretching all the way back before statehood in 1848. Virtually every person who has ever been a member of the Wisconsin Bar has signed one of these books. When you step forward to sign your name in the book, I ask you to think about some of the people who have signed these volumes before you. They include some of the best minds and most valuable citizens in this state’s history, going back to the first governor of Wisconsin Nelson Dewey. They include men and women who have been giants of the legal professionse counselors, creative advocates, and brilliant scholars people who have served as role models for the Bar and as mentors for young lawyers.”

Noting that many attorneys have made life better for people and for society as a whole and many have been “absolute pillars of the communities in which they live,” Prosser continued, “Sadly, some who have signed their names, perhaps in a moment of hope and promise, exactly like this, perhaps in the presence of smiling admiring family members, somehow after they left this chamber. They lost their way and they appeared here again as a respondent in a disciplinary action,” he said.

The Attorney’s Oath. “The oath you have taken goes well beyond a pledge – not to betray clients, not to disgrace the legal profession, not to violate the law,” said Prosser. “The oath is a carefully written summary of code of professional responsibility. It stresses that the law is a great calling for dedicated professionals who are committed to uphold high ethical standards and are determined to provide service to others.”

A noble profession. Noting that each of the supreme court justices have, over time, the opportunity and privilege to address new attorneys with the hope of imparting some insight or inspiration, Prosser pointed out that his colleagues’ messages focus on service, professionalism, commitment to excellence, courage to take a stand, high ideals, and excellent moral character.

“When the Chief Justice speaks she often singles out an attorney who has made a significant pro bono contribution,” said Prosser. “She points to that attorney as one whose service should be admired and whose example should be followed.

“Justice Crooks frequently speaks of the indispensible commitment to excellence explaining that truly great lawyers are not willing to settle for mediocrity,” he said. “Justice Bradley likes to emphasize courage, courage to take a stand, courage to reject inappropriate compromise, courage to stand up and do the right thing. Justice Roggensack often urges new admittees to consider public service, even to the extent of running for public office.

“I want to speak to you about optimism and vision,” continued Prosser. “This is a very difficult economic climate for new lawyers, you know that. It doesn’t help very much to observe that there have been difficult times in the past or the there will be difficult times in the future, because those platitudes will not solve the problems of today. I doubt there is any member of this court or member of the Bar here who has not suffered setbacks and disappointments. Successful people do not permit themselves to become discouraged. They find a way to succeed by serving people, by meeting some need that needs to be met, by adapting to circumstances, by being creative.

Noting a quote by British author, Sir Antony Jay, “Men grow to the stature to which they are stretched when they are young,” Prosser said, “Let me just change that to ‘Attorneys grow to the stature to which they are stretched when they are young.’ These times provide the challenges to stretch all of us as we have never been stretched before. We must be creative and bold and visionary optimists. We have all the talents and tools to rise to the occasion, and we are confident that you will. Best of luck to you,” concluded Prosser.

The State Bar welcomes the following new members:

Neeraj Agarwal, Madison

Daniel S. Allen, Grand Blanc, Mich.

Ellen M. Anderson, Chippewa Falls

Megan K. Arrogante, Madison

Crystal A. Banse, Milwaukee

Nathaniel Barber, Prairie du Chien

Karan Mohinder Basu, Madison

Nicholas R. Becht, Menomonee Falls

Christopher J. Behrens, Madison

James E. Biese, Green Bay

Mary Elisabeth Blandford, Racine

David Lee Bonner, Chicago

Kevin P. Boyle, Fitchburg

Jared Joseph Broeckert, Madison

G. Michael Bumm, Madison

Regina Aanstad Butler, Eau Claire

Pablo Anthony Cardona, Waukesha

Anthony John Catalino, Madison

Rachel Ann Centinario, Madison

Andres Alfredo Cerritos, Chicago

Joshua R. Christensen, Washington, D.C.

Eric David Christoffersen, Stoughton

Anu Chudasama, Madison

Catherine Darcy Copeland, Columbus, Ohio

Cass Cousins, Madison

Andrew Loyd Cumings, Madison

William O’Brien Daily, Elm Grove

Brigid Eileen Daly, Madison

Megha Desai, Madison

James Malcolm DeVoy IV, Las Vegas, Nev.

Nelson Donovan, Madison

Aris E. L. Dutka, Livingston, N.J.

Hilary D. Edwards, Madison

Jonathan R. Eiden, Oshkosh

Nadia A. Elnagy, Minneapolis

Margaret R. Engebretson, Balsam Lake

Luca Lopes Fagundes, Egg Harbor

Jennifer M. Falligant, Madison

Kyle B. Flanagan, Wausau

Courtney Elizabeth Flynn, Birmingham, Mich.

Jacob B. Frost, Madison

James H. Gesbeck, Madison

Catherine M. Giljohann, Madison

Ashley Nicole Gillard, Leawood, Kan.

Suzanne Glisch, Milwaukee

Meredith L. Gray, Kirkland, Wash.

Jennifer Hanna, Madison

Bruce J. Harnitz, Madison

Chandra N. Harvey, De Forest

Andrew Hawes, Chicago

Ashley Lynn Hawley, Wausau

Brennan T. Haworth, Madison

Michelle D. Hemphill, Chicago

Angela R. Hendrickson, Madison

Sarah Lee Branson Henery, Madison

Cayla B. Henn, Madison

Michael W. Horgan, Madison

Dave Houze III, Atlanta

Tyler Ronald Inda, Madison

Tom Isenbarger, Madison

Brandy Jackson, Madison

Matthew Luis Jalandoni, Madison

Kevin D. Janis, Wausau

Rochelle Johnson, Milwaukee

Allison Elyse Kahrnoff, Madison

Robert J. Karsten, Milwaukee

Ryan Kastelic, Madison

Catherine Kellett, Madison

Sara R. Kelton, Madison

Yousuf Khan, Milwaukee

Nicole Lynn Kieper, Madison

Peter J. Kind, Monroe

Vanessa Klemish, Bloomer

Hanna R. Kolberg, Madison

Timothy Jay Kuhn, Carlsbad, Calif.

Emily E. Lange-Novak, Madison

Andrew Louis Larson, Wausau

Kyung Jin Lee, Madison

Kelly A. Lehn, Wisconsin Rapids

Benoit Letendre, Baraboo

Matthew J. Lind, Madison

J. Matthew Linstroth, Madison

Keith Llanas, Milwaukee

Kristen Elizabeth Lonergan, Appleton

Brittany Lopez, Milwaukee

SanJuanita Lopez, Madison

Shawn Edward Lovell, Madison

Ryan Masse, Madison

Joshua M. Mathy, Madison

Katrina Elizabeth McCann, Appleton

Deborah Rebekah McCleod, Madison

David McClintick, Madison

Kathryn Maxine McDonald, Oakdale

Sara Millar, Madison

Reisha Mitchell, Madison

Kerry M. Mohan, Madison

Faun Michelle Moses, Madison

Ryan Moze, Madison

Katherine Muller, Shorewood, Minn.

Philip A. Myers, Jefferson

Heath G. Mynsberge, Oshkosh

Bethany Christine Nelson, Madison

Patrick P. Neuman, Madison

Daniel Mark Norland, La Crosse

Jesse J. Norris, Madison

Zhi-Xiang Oh, Seattle

Narith Ol, Rochester, Minn.

Nathan Otis, Madison

Garett T. Pankratz, Madison

Rebecca Paulson, Madison

Nadya E. Perez-Reyes, Milwaukee

Sherrice M. Perry, Madison

Megan Ann Phillips, Madison

Ryan M. Plisch, Appleton

Christopher R. Pollek, Madison

Peter J. Quinn, Madison

Thomas P. Raisbeck, Lancaster

Peter Rank, Madison

Haley Rea, Madison

Bob Reed, Madison

Jake L. Remington, Madison

Ashley J. Richter, Madison

Andrew J. Rima, Madison

Amanda Jo Rodenkirch, Madison

Gorjan Rosoklija, Madison

Kyle D. Rostowfske, Stoughton

Mark Ryan Ruszkiewicz, Waukesha

Katelyn P. Sandfort, Wausau

Edward Michael Saulters, Rockford, Ill.

Jennifer M. Schank, La Crosse

Ashley M. Senary, Madison

Mark R. Sericati, Madison

Lillian S. Shields, Washington, D.C.

Bonnie Smith, Stevens Point

Lindsey Elizabeth Smith, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mi-Sang Song, West Chester, Ohio

Patricia Spatafora, Madison

Adam Stevenson, Madison

Amber L. Stevenson, Madison

Lucas Boone Foltz Strelow, Madison 

Valerie K. Stuart, Oshkosh

Matthew D. Suing, Madison

Matthew W. Surridge, Madison

Yesha Sutaria, Chicago

Olga Tarasova, Madison

Claire H. Taylor, Madison

Patrick Michael Taylor, Madison

Nhu Tran, Madison

Jennifer Commons Ullsvik, Poynette

Elizabeth M. Utecht, Wausau

Andrea Von Hoff, Madison

Troy Vosseller, Madison

Nicole M. Wacker, Madison

Nick J. Welle, Madison

Shannon Kay Wendt, Madison

Nora SJ Wilson, Madison

Matthew M. Wuest, Madison

Amesia Ngialah Xiong, Madison

MaiVue Kiah Xiong, Eau Claire

Chad J. Zadrazil, Madison

Jennifer Jean Zimmermann, Madison

Emily E. Zukauskas, Groton, Mass.