The Minnesota Supreme Court and the MSBA welcomed 345 new lawyers to the bar in seven admission ceremonies held at the state Capitol on October 29. One ceremony was conducted virtually for those who could not attend in person. The new lawyers join the ranks of more than 25,000 active licensed attorneys in Minnesota.
Chief Justice Lorie Skjerven Gildea led the proceedings in the House of Representatives chambers, joined by the associate justices. Justice Gordon Moore addressed the new lawyers, talking about the profession’s responsibilities, the importance of protecting their health and well-being, and their duty to advocate for the underrepresented. John Koneck, president of the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners (MBLE), gave the introduction; MBLE’s Natasha Melchionne read the roll of new attorney candidates; Chief Justice Gildea administered the oath; and MSBA President Jennifer Thompson welcomed them to the Minnesota legal community.
Before and after the ceremony, the new lawyers were invited to sign their names in the Roll of Attorneys book, advancing a practice that dates to 1858—the year of Minnesota’s statehood—and reinstated in 2018 after a 35-year break. Attorneys admitted between 1983 and 2018 who would like to sign the roll book may do so by appointment at the Minnesota State Law Library.