Demo Site • Do Not Update
Skip to Main Content Widget Example

Bar Admission Ceremonies | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

Bar Admission Ceremony for July 2023 Examinees

Bar Admission Ceremonies will be held Thursday, November 9, 2023, in the five (5) Judicial Districts:

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 1

*Session 1 – 10:00 A.M.
*Session 2 – 1:30 P.M.
University of Illinois Chicago
Dorin Forum
725 W. Roosevelt Road
Chicago, Illinois

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 2

10:00 A.M.
Hemmens Cultural Center
45 Symphony Way
Elgin, Illinois

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 3

2:00 P.M.
Joliet Junior College
Event Center
1215 Houboldt Road
Joliet, Illinois

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 4

10:00 A.M.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Multi-Purpose Room
212 N. Sixth Street
Springfield, Illinois

JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5

*Session 1 -- 9:00 A.M.
Southern Illinois University
School of Law - Auditorium
Carbondale, Illinois
*Session 2 – 3:00 P.M.
University of Illinois
School of Law - Auditorium
Champaign, Illinois

 Candidates will be notified of the session to which they are assigned.

  • A successful examinee is not eligible for admission to the bar until certified to the Court by the Board of Admissions. (This is in addition to the character and fitness certification.) The Board sends certifications to the Clerk of the Supreme Court as names are certified. The Clerk’s Office then notifies candidates of certification by letter.
  • A candidate is assigned to a district ceremony based on a candidate’s address (e.g., a Cook County address will be assigned to the First District ceremony in Chicago). Any address changes must be lodged with the Clerk’s Office via e-mail to slockett@illinoiscourts.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. on November 1, 2023.
  • For a name change, the Clerk’s Office requires a letter from the candidate with a copy of the documentation pertaining to the change of name (marriage license, divorce decree, etc.). For the November 9, 2023 ceremony, the Clerk's office must receive the name change request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 27, 2023.
  • The bar admission ceremony is a candidate's first official court appearance; therefore, attendance is strongly encouraged, and is mandated in Districts 3 and 5 unless excused in advance. If you are unable to attend, you will be notified after the ceremony what steps you may take to have your oath administered.
  • Except upon prior approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court based on an extenuating circumstance (e.g. military deployment), no one is allowed to have their attorney oath administered in advance of a law class ceremony.
  • Unless prior approval has been granted by a Justice of the Supreme Court, no arrangements may be made to have a judge other than a Justice of the Supreme Court administer the attorney oath of office.
  • Any candidate certified after Wednesday, November 1, 2023, will not be eligible to participate in the ceremony on November 9, 2023. However, the Clerk’s Office will send a letter notifying a candidate of the licensing process after November 9, 2023, as a candidate becomes certified. Do not contact the Clerk’s Office until you receive the notification.
  • Candidates in the First District may only bring three guests due to limited seating. No exceptions will be made.
  • Business attire for candidates is mandatory. Failure to dress appropriately may result in the withholding of a candidate’s license at the ceremony on November 9, 2023.
  • Before the bar admission ceremony begins you will be required to sign your oath or affirmation as an attorney.

 

 

 

FAQs

How will I know if I have been certified to the Court for the bar admission ceremony?

The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar will inform the Court that you have passed the bar and have been certified. The Court will then send you an email within three days confirming that you have been certified to the Court to take your attorney oath at the bar admission ceremony.

Once I receive my letter from the Court indicating I have been certified, what steps do I need to complete to attend the live video conference?

After the Court emails your letter indicating you have been certified, you will receive a subsequent email which will contain your attorney oath (PDF). You will need to print, sign, and return the oath to the Clerk’s office by mail or third-party carrier (e.g., FedEx or UPS) prior to the ceremony. If you do not receive this email, be sure to check your spam/junk folder. Your name will not be added to the master roll of attorneys, and you will not receive your law license until the Clerk’s office is in receipt of your signed attorney oath.

Do I need to pay the law license fee?

The $50 law license fee must be paid prior to the bar admission ceremony. If the fee is not paid, you will not be added to the master roll of attorneys and you will not receive your law license.  CLICK HERE to pay your law license fee.

How do I attend the live video conference bar admission ceremony?

Instructions for attending the live video conference and login credentials will be emailed to all certified candidates. Any certified candidates who have not received an email containing the attorney oath or video conference instructions by 4:30 p.m. on May 3, 2023, should contact slockett@illinoiscourts.gov.  

How long is the bar admission ceremony?

The bar admission ceremony is anticipated to last no more than 45 minutes.

Is attendance at the bar admission ceremony mandatory?

The bar admission ceremony is a candidate’s first official court appearance; therefore, attendance is strongly encouraged. If you are unable to attend the live video conference ceremony, you will be notified after the ceremony how to have your oath administered.

Can I have my attorney oath administered prior to the May 8 live video conference?

Except upon prior approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court based on an extenuating circumstance (e.g., military deployment), no candidate is allowed to have their attorney oath administered in advance of the law class ceremony.

Can my family and friends watch the ceremony?

Family and friends will be able to watch the ceremony via livestream. A livestream link and instructions will be emailed to all candidates closer to the ceremony date.

I have changed my name (due to marriage, divorce, etc.) and would like my law license to reflect my new name. How do I inform the Court of my name change?

For a name change, the Clerk’s Office requires a letter from the candidate with a copy of the documentation pertaining to the change of name (copy of certified marriage license, divorce decree, etc.). For the May 2023 bar admission ceremony, the Clerk’s office must receive the name change request no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28, 2023, for the new name to appear on your law license.

The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar has not certified my name to the Court. Can I still attend the live video conference bar admission?

Any candidate certified after Monday, May 1, 2023, cannot attend the bar admission ceremony. However, the Clerk’s office will email candidates of the licensing process after May 8, 2023, as candidates become certified.

When can I expect to receive my law license after the ceremony?

After the bar admission ceremony, the Clerk’s Office will mail your law license to the address you provided to the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar. If you have updated your address, please notify the Clerk’s Office by emailing Sheila Lockett at slockett@illinoiscourts.gov.

Chat With Us!