KCBA 2026 Spring Swearing-In Ceremony - 4:30pm

Congratulations on Passing the Bar!

Congratulations and welcome to the practice of law! We cordially invite you to join the King County Bar Association at a Swearing-In Ceremony, to take place at the King County Courthouse. At the ceremony you’ll be recognized for all the hard work you’ve put in as you stand before a room full of your new colleagues (as well as friends and family who want to celebrate with you) to take your Oath of Attorney.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026
The ceremony will begin at 4:30pm
(Please plan to arrive early to give yourself enough time to go through Courthouse security)

In-Person Event only - No Zoom streaming
King County Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave, Rm. E-942, Seattle
Registrations must be received by 5:00pm, Thursday, April 30, 2026

If you have any questions please contact Tom Lockyear, Membership Program Manager, toml@kcba.org.

What is KCBA?

We are your local bar association! Not only are we an ideal place to start networking and building your professional relationships, but we are committed to promoting diversity within our legal community and raising the standards of practice. As a new Washington lawyer, you’ll receive two free sections and a complimentary chapter from the Washington Lawyers Practice Manual when you sign-up for KCBA membership. If Washington is your first state of admission, dues are only $50. If you’ve previously been admitted in another state, dues are as low as $110. Ready to join? You can sign up online here, even before you get your bar number!

If you are not able to participate in our special ceremonies, the King County Courthouse offers monthly telephonic Swearing-In Ceremonies on the second Thursday of each month.  Go to our New Admittee page for details on registering for the monthly telephonic ceremony.

We hope to see you on May 6th!

General Questions:

Q:  Do I need to RSVP?
A:  Yes, you must RSVP to attend the ceremony by Thursday, April 30 at 5:00pm.  Click the "Register Now" button above to sign-up.

Q:  How long is the KCBA ceremony?
A:  Approximately an hour.

Q:  What do I need to bring?
A:  Nothing!  We will have an Oath of Attorney with your name on it.  Just stop by our check-in table on the way to your seat and sign it.  DO NOT LEAVE AFTER THE CEREMONY.  We will return the fully executed oath to you and it will be your responsibility to upload the oath to your WSBA portal.

Q:  Is there a dress code?
A:  Professional attire is required for attorneys as you are taking a solemn oath as an officer of the Court.  Just as the judge wears his or her judicial robe, attorneys must also dress appropriately: jackets and ties for men; suits or dresses for women.  Your guests are not required to wear professional attire, but their attire should likewise show respect to the Court.

Q:  What does the ceremony entail?
A:  The Presiding Judge will give the opening remarks.  Then a special guest speaker, the KCBA Board of Trustees President, and the chair of the KCBA New Lawyers Division will each give an address.  After which each admittee will be recognized individually.  Finally, all admittees will stand together and recite the Oath.

Q:  When will I get my bar card?
A:  Make sure you’ve completed all the steps outlined by WSBA.  Once you’ve completed that process it may take several weeks to receive your bar card.  Any questions about this process should be directed to WSBA at admissions@wsba.org; or (206) 727-8209.

Q:  Is the two-person guest limit flexible?
A:  We understand that your loved ones want to share this special day with you, but space is limited, and we want to ensure that your fellow admittees have seats for their loved ones also.  Please respect the guest limit of two.

Q:  Will there be time for pictures?
A:  You and your guests are welcome to take pictures throughout the ceremony.  Afterwards, you can get your picture taken with the Presiding Judge using your own camera.  In addition, we will also have a professional photographer taking pictures that you can order.  You will get an email when her pictures are uploaded.  We encourage all new admittees to pose for a professional photo with the presiding judge; you don't need to decide if you wish to purchase until you get the email with additional information.



By attending this King County Bar Association event, participants, presenters, and staff hereby consent to the use, publication and display, by or on behalf of the King County Bar Association, any photograph, digital image, or video and any reproduction thereof in which an individual may be portrayed or identified.  It is understood that the King County Bar Association may use, publish and display such photographs, digital images, videos or reproductions thereof, in whole or in part, for any business purpose in their individual discretion.  Participants, presenters, and staff waive all claim for any compensation for such use.

516 3rd Ave - Room E-942
Seattle, WA 98104