142 lawyers welcomed at 142nd Bar Admission Ceremony

The 142nd Bar Admission Ceremony took place at the Scottish Rite Consistory on Friday, Sept. 8. There were 142 newly-admitted attorneys who took the Iowa Lawyer’s Oath, shook hands with dignitaries, and received their bar certificates.
Dan Saar, Director of Admissions for the Iowa Office of Professional Regulations, said that this class is special because the number of those passing the bar increased year over year and this was the first newly-admitted class that went through the COVID-era online learning format. He added that there were 151 applicants who achieved a passing score on the exam and 142 were able to attend the ceremony. However, there are other applicants to be sworn in at other times from the July exam administration. 
One attendee, Emily O’Brien, graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in May, took the bar exam in July, and found out a week prior to the ceremony that she passed and would be attending. She explained that her law school experience was unique in the sense that the pandemic hit during her first year when classrooms shifted to virtual learning. She also planned a wedding during her second year of law school. O’Brien and her husband, Christian, recently moved to Des Moines from Iowa City. She is currently clerking for Iowa Supreme Court Justice Matthew McDermott. Her mother, Beth Mertz, attended the ceremony in support of her daughter and said she is “incredibly proud and the accomplishment is well-earned.”
Another newly-admitted attorney, Leighton Berridge, received his bar certificate at the ceremony and plans to complete a one-year clerkship in Minnesota before taking an associate position at a private firm in Cedar Rapids.
Iowa Supreme Court Justice Edward Mansfield addressed the new attorneys and expressed how much the practice of law has changed over the past 40 years, but also made the point that “perhaps it hasn’t changed that much.” He explained that the skill of lawyers to take a complicated message and then sort, simplify, and get to the core of the matter is an essential trait of the trade. “Getting to the heart of the matter is at the heart of lawyering,” he said.
Iowa State Bar Association (ISBA) President Ian Russell congratulated the newly-admitted lawyers and welcomed them to the association, as first-year attorneys in Iowa receive a complimentary ISBA membership during their first year in practice. He explained, “I built my career because of The Iowa State Bar Association, starting with involvement in the Young Lawyers Division.” He mentioned that the ISBA provided him the opportunity to get to know lawyers throughout the state which has supported his career. President Russell also informed the audience that The Iowa State Bar Association is the oldest voluntary bar in the nation, founded in 1874, and highlighted a few of Iowa’s legal history benchmarks, such as Arabella Mansfield from Mt. Pleasant who became the nation’s first woman lawyer in 1869.
ISBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) President Dillon Besser invited the new lawyers and their guests to a reception held at the ISBA Building after the ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments. He welcomed them to the ISBA’s YLD and invited them to attend future YLD events. Besser advised that the YLD will help support new attorneys through ongoing mentorship and networking opportunities. He also encouraged giving back to the community and consistently striving for balance by prioritizing wellness in their work and personal lives.
Alex Kornya, General Counsel at Iowa Legal Aid, presented the many ways that young lawyers can gain valuable experience through pro bono work. He emphasized the importance of one of the Iowa Lawyer’s Oath clauses: “Support the cause of the defenseless or oppressed, pro bono publico.”
The Iowa State Bar Association congratulates all the newly-admitted lawyers and welcomes them to the bar.