On Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, Dean Courtney Anderson welcomed 81 Georgia State University College of Law alumni to be sworn-in as newly-minted attorneys, ready to practice law in the Fulton County Superior Court, the Court of Appeals and/or the Supreme Court of Georgia.
“Today is such a special day because the judges and the justice administering the ceremonies are all graduates of Georgia State University College of Law,” said Dean Anderson.
Judge Shukura L. Ingram (J.D. ’98) shared her pride in returning to administer the oath to her fellow alumni, before swearing them in to the Fulton County Superior Court. She encouraged them to extend courtesy to one another in the field, to lead with honesty, and to get involved in the legal community. Judge Trea Pipkin (J.D. ’05) administered the oath for the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia, emphasizing the unifying power of the rule of law, despite its fragility, and the importance of finding the place where the law intersects with our shared humanity.
Justice Shawn LaGrua (J.D. ‘87), the first Georgia State law graduate to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court, offered her congratulations to the newly sworn-in lawyers and praised the reputation of her shared alma mater.
“This is still considered a young law school, but it remains one of the best values in the entire country, and you should treasure that,” she encouraged the graduates.
Jacob Hopkins (J.D. '25) signs his name to the official records of the court after being sworn-in as an attorney.
Her thoughts turned to the expectations of new lawyers and the responsibilities they take on as members of a profession that relies on trust and integrity. Reflecting on what professionalism looks like in practice, she took a moment to recognize a new attorney who had been brought to her attention: Jacob Hopkins.
Justice LaGrua shared that Hopkins had reached out to her staff before the ceremonies with a concern. A recent injury left him temporarily unable to wear a closed-toe shoe, and he wanted to confirm that his professionalism would not be in jeopardy if he attended the ceremony wearing one sandal to accommodate his injury. Hopkins even asked whether he should appear virtually for the ceremony if it would prevent him from falling short of the standards expected by the court.
“I just wanted to make sure everything was okay,” Hopkins said of he wanted to ask before assuming. “I didn’t want to look unprofessional or create any issues. I wanted everything to go smoothly.”
His consideration revealed that he had taken the Oath of Professionalism seriously. The oath marks the first day of orientation for every student admitted to Georgia State Law.
“As I begin the study of law at Georgia State University College of Law... I acknowledge that becoming a lawyer is a privilege that comes with responsibilities,” the oath reads, charging students with conducting their academic careers in a way that will reflect well on their future professions.
“Georgia State has taught me a lot about professionalism and how to carry yourself,” he said. “I really do feel like my time here helped me know the right thing to do.”
The light-hearted exchange between Justice LaGrua and Hopkins showed how small courtesies can leave strong impressions. From Georgia Supreme Court Justices to the newest attorney sworn-in, Georgia State Law graduates are marked by their professionalism, unified by the law and prepared to uphold the responsibilities they accepted on their first day of law school.
View a complete list of graduates who participated in the ceremony below:
|
Claire Adcox Bassem Amercani Giovanna Awuah Emily Baker Allison Bantimba Nia Beamon Carlos Becerra-Gomez Taya Binford Mackenzie Bomar Emily Bright Kristin Carver Carly Chambers Jada Clayton-Woods Thomas Connolly Nicole Cruikshank Morganne Cunningham Lynosi Dawkins D'Andrea Diop Jaiden Dosani Athzay Flores Myles Fogle Sydney Grell Katherine Griffiths Jacob Hopkins Grant Jacobs Ethan Jennette Kezia Johnson |
Kyya Johnson Parrie Johnson Jadine Johnson Nixon Lakesha Jones Jerry Kakala Gabrielle Kimche Sophie Klass Reid Koski Samuel Kuttner Marcia Laney Anna Lange Alex Lunka Kyle Maitz Audrey Maloof Daniel Mandel Morgan McClure Jade McFarlane-Rowtham Signy Morton Harry Mullen Ruth Munoz Orellana Andrew Murray Anthony Nguyen Georges Nicolas Mark Charles Ogunjiofor Andrew Paul Robert Pendleton Karis Perusek |
Max Peterson Chandaralen Phe Carter Phillips Aleeza Rasheed Jacob Rothman Carmen Salb Kathryn Saltzman Michelle Samson Jacob Schwartz Christopher Seibert Journey Sherman Lindsay Shewalter Veronica Skelton Kiara Smith Kyle Stancil Michael Strickland Asia Tooke Viktoria Treadaway Brittney Walker Katy Watson Raymond Whitney Alissa Williams Jacob Williams Jacqueline Williams Chantal Wynter-Jackson Alexis Young Ethan Zakrewski |