On Wednesday I worked until 11.30am then headed back into Brooklyn to meet Heather who was getting sworn in, the final act before becoming a fully fledged attorney. The process from her starting law school, passing bar exams, character assessments, various other interviews and now this seems almost as drawn out as me getting my US visa!
The courthouse had typical security screening to get in and then that feeling of there being many rules that you didn't want to get pulled up on by the many court officers present.
The lawyers were led into the court while all the family members and friends, the majority all suited and dressed up, sat or stood around the court.
There was a little opening statement on the procedures involved, a roll call and then it was "all rise" for the five sitting judges that entered. Then came the weirdest part. They mentioned something about the flag and everyone pledging allegiance to the flag. Almost instantly everyone, EVERYONE, except me which I felt very conscious of, raised their hand to their heart and said the pledge thing.
I almost expected one of the court officers to come over and ask why I hadn't taken part bearing in mind how they warned everyone about not using flash photgraphy.
The officers had to come over and tell a couple of people to stop taking photos when they couldn't work their camera to turn the flash off. This was before the judges came in and while waiting, one officer told us the judge wouldn't want a flash going off in his face while he was giving his speech, all very very strict.
After the speech all the family members were sent to the lounge to wait while the lawyers took their seats then were called up to sign a book and get their paperwork. We could see a little on the screen but no sound.
The room was quite cool with all the pictures of each years sitting judges. Funny to see how it was all white old men, then when it hit the seventies, some younger looking men, then it looked like the 90's before you seen a female, then the recent photos had more members of both sexes and all ethnicities.
Then I met Heather outside where she displayed her certificate copy, the real one she gets in one year, ha ha. The first benefit she gets is an instant pay increase in any legal job now that she's an attorney.
Indeed, I learned that a lawyer is anyone who has gone through law school but to be an attorney you have to then pass the bar exam! So all attorneys are lawyers but not all lawyers are attorneys, although most people just say lawyer as a general term I guess.
The courthouse had typical security screening to get in and then that feeling of there being many rules that you didn't want to get pulled up on by the many court officers present.
The lawyers were led into the court while all the family members and friends, the majority all suited and dressed up, sat or stood around the court.
There was a little opening statement on the procedures involved, a roll call and then it was "all rise" for the five sitting judges that entered. Then came the weirdest part. They mentioned something about the flag and everyone pledging allegiance to the flag. Almost instantly everyone, EVERYONE, except me which I felt very conscious of, raised their hand to their heart and said the pledge thing.
I almost expected one of the court officers to come over and ask why I hadn't taken part bearing in mind how they warned everyone about not using flash photgraphy.
The officers had to come over and tell a couple of people to stop taking photos when they couldn't work their camera to turn the flash off. This was before the judges came in and while waiting, one officer told us the judge wouldn't want a flash going off in his face while he was giving his speech, all very very strict.
After the speech all the family members were sent to the lounge to wait while the lawyers took their seats then were called up to sign a book and get their paperwork. We could see a little on the screen but no sound.
The room was quite cool with all the pictures of each years sitting judges. Funny to see how it was all white old men, then when it hit the seventies, some younger looking men, then it looked like the 90's before you seen a female, then the recent photos had more members of both sexes and all ethnicities.
Then I met Heather outside where she displayed her certificate copy, the real one she gets in one year, ha ha. The first benefit she gets is an instant pay increase in any legal job now that she's an attorney.
Indeed, I learned that a lawyer is anyone who has gone through law school but to be an attorney you have to then pass the bar exam! So all attorneys are lawyers but not all lawyers are attorneys, although most people just say lawyer as a general term I guess.
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