Dozens of Georgia State Law graduates celebrated becoming practicing lawyers during a ceremony at the College of Law on Nov. 19. Graduates who passed the July bar exam were sworn into the Georgia Superior Court, Court of Appeals and/or the Supreme Court of Georgia during the event.
Georgia State University is the only school in Georgia where students can be sworn into all three courts. During the ceremony, 85 College of Law alumni partook in the ceremony to take their oath.
Judge Belinda Edwards (J.D. ’90) administered the oath for the Superior Court of Fulton County. She encouraged the recent graduates to remember the excitement they felt as they were getting sworn in to ensure a successful legal career.
“You are becoming lawyers at an exceptional and challenging time in our history,” said Edwards. “There are many new opportunities and challenges that did not exist before. Everyone is having to adjust to a new normal, but I assure you, you’ve chosen the right profession because some would argue lawyers are needed now more than ever.”
Justice Shawn LaGrua (J.D. ’87), the first Georgia State Law graduate to serve in the Supreme Court of Georgia, presided over the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Georgia oath. Judge John A. “Trea” Pipkin (J.D. ’05) of the Court of Appeals of Georgia was also at the event, offering words of wisdom to the newly minted lawyers.
“The only way to measure true success in this profession is not to make yourself just a good lawyer, but to constantly, intentionally, and deliberately look for ways to make yourself a better person,” said Pipkin. “If you can do that, you will change your community, you will lead this state, and you can change this profession, not just now, but for generations to come.”
View a complete list of graduates who participated in the ceremony below:
Marisa Pari Ahlzadeh
Nautica Lamarisha Allen
Chase Joseph Babineaux
Igor Bielkin
Bryce Griffiths Boggs
Andrew Philip Boyer
Mary Katherine Byrne
Fanny Chac
Tatiana Leigh Chernoff
Matthew Bruce Chick
Baylee Alyse Culverhouse
James Donald Dean
John Mark Duddles
Shane Michael Duer
Sean Ekhlas
Amanda Irene Elliott
Cruz Espitia
Alexander Michael Essex
Daniel John Flinn
Maggie-Machree Kristen Garrett
Boris Woodson Gautier
Eli Hildan Gershon
Susannah Jordan Gleason
Jacob Paul Greifer
Shelby Lynn Guzzetta
Evan William Hansinger
Erika Janae Harris
Basher Mohammed Hassan
Thomas Michael Haswell
Alexis Nicole Herring
Rhonda Nicole Hill
Caambridge LeAundra Viktoria Horton
Rebecca Mengqi Hsu
Yasamine Jalinouszadeh
Briana Ariel James
Amber Alexandria Monae Johnson
Rachael Olivia Helen Johnston
Elizabeth Dillard Kennedy
Charles Taylor Kogan
Allison Mary Teresa Kretovic
Carissa Lynn Lavin
InSoo Lee
Younghwan Lee
Shanyun Lu
Veronica Macias
Cole Aaron Margol
Angelyn Dionysatos McDonald
Steven Chad McDonald
Tahrea Stephen-Green Merritt
Ellen Yeseul Min
Kaitlyn Evana Moore
Sarah Lynn Mullis
Amanda Renae Adamian Nardi
Callie Arrington Passwater
Valentina Urrego Poe
Cameron Joel Poole
Anthony R. Prosser
Madeline Harper Ross
Patrice Simone Ruffin
Brett Michael Sanders
Ryan Allan Savage
Andrew Louis Seibert II
Gabriele Maria Setley
Andrew Clark Shipp Jr.
Ja'Net Elizabeth Sirles
Scott Cory St. Lifer
Skyler Dylan Steckler
Laura Valenton Steinbach
Chandler George Stutzman
Katherine Healy Tabachnick
Joseph Larkin Taylor
Ayodele Olubunmi Uboh
Alexandria Nicole Valero
Angelena Hateme Velaj
Troy Vincent Viger
Tyrra Varnia Walker
Carolynn Josephine Wall
Kristi-Ann Walters
Kayla Alissa Watkins
Kadeja Ariana Watts
Bianca Cabria Webb
Glenn David Wells Jr.
Arlissa Elizabeth Williams Jennings
Eric Hwan Yi
Nyssa Anan Zaman