Fall 2025 Swearing-In Ceremony--Honoring the Next Generation of Justice

Fall 2025 Swearing-In Ceremony: Honoring the Next Generation of Justice

By Tom Lockyear, KCBA Membership Program Manager, and Sophie Petersen, KCBA Marketing & Communications

On Sept. 24, the King County Bar Association hosted two swearing-in ceremonies, with a total of 139 people taking the Washington oath of attorney. The King County Superior courtroom was packed on both occasions with friends and family celebrating the new admittees’ achievement alongside Presiding Judge Ketu Shah.

The keynote speaker at the first ceremony, Chief Judge David G. Estudillo of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, urged the admittees to follow the ethos of the oath of attorney, saying, “You are guardians of the rule of law, and I challenge you to use your knowledge, your talent, and your skill to preserve and strengthen the rule of law by promoting civility and respect for our legal system, and for the independence of the judiciary. Please be those guardians and protect the rule of law.”

At the second ceremony, keynote speaker Craig Sims, partner at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, had these words of advice: “You are here for a purpose. You have accepted your calling, and wherever your life may take you, wherever this profession may take you — and I guarantee you it will take you places that you will never have imagined that you might be — let your light shine! Because whether you are the first in your family or whether you are continuing a tradition of entering this profession, there will be so many people following your light.”

KCBA President Sidney Tribe and New Lawyers Division Chair Ray Williams underscored the virtues of KCBA membership, and urged the new admittees to take advantage of the programs and networking opportunities KCBA provides.

For over 20 years, KCBA has hosted swearing-in ceremonies for new admittees twice a year, in the spring and fall. We are proud to be part of a major milestone for every new admittee who has attended these ceremonies over the years.