At the New Jersey Judiciary’s first virtual swearing-in ceremony on Monday, New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and U.S. District Chief Judge Freda Wolfson told the newly admitted attorneys to persevere during these challenging times.
The ceremony was livestreamed on the New Jersey courts website because of social distancing measures required during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Jersey State Bar President Kimberly A. Yonta and Edward T. Kole, president of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey, each presented a motion to admit the new attorneys to their respective bars.
Wolfson said while the public health, economic and social justice crises the country is facing will have a “trickledown effect on everyone in the profession,” the new attorneys should “stay the course.”
She said the legal profession “rebounded ever stronger” after it suffered a severe setback more than a decade ago “because ours is a durable profession that offers intellectual and personal benefits and you will see yourself the beneficiary of those in the long haul.”
Rabner said they are in the midst of a pandemic with challenges that seem unsurmountable, made all the more challenging with a tighter legal job market.
“So why mention all of this today? Because I promise you that there is not only a place for you in a practice of law, but a real need for your skills and talent.
“Just think about what lawyers do at a basic level: we help people in a time of need. We try to solve problems. We represent clients who are struggling and place their trust in our hands. And those clients and the legal system as a whole benefit from your advocacy, professionalism, and the fresh perspective that you bring to the problems we face. And you, in turn, will soon know what it feels like to join a noble profession where you can make a meaningful difference for the better in people’s lives.”
Rabner urged the attorneys not to be too hard on themselves. “No one expects everybody about to take the oath to be able to hit the ground running tomorrow morning first thing.”
He told them to envision a day, “hopefully soon, when the pandemic ends, you’ll stand in front of judges and juries in courtrooms. You’ll advocate for clients and you’ll make a notable contribution to the cause of justice in our state and in our society at a time that we desperately need to see justice done, to see the cause of justice served. You’ll find that this journey, with all of its challenges, was well worth it.”