114 new lawyers to be sworn in May 1 in Collinsville ceremony

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd A. Karmeier will administer the attorney’s oath to 114 new lawyers who will be admitted to practice in Illinois on Thursday at a ceremony in Collinsville.

The group is among 691 men and women who were certified as candidates and will be sworn in as Illinois attorneys at ceremonies in the state’s five Supreme Court judicial districts.

The Collinsville program in the Fifth Judicial District will begin at 2 p.m. at the Gateway Convention Center, Center Hall A, which is located near the intersection of Route 157 and Interstates 55/70 in Collinsville.

Karmeier will preside over the ceremony and welcome the members of the class, families and friends.

Belleville attorney Russell Scott, a member of the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association, will be the opening speaker. Scott is the senior litigation officer with the law firm of Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale.

O'Fallon attorney John P. Long will give congratulatory remarks. Long serves as a member of the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar.

Several guests will make the motion to admit the class, including U.S. Rep. Bill Enyart and retired Circuit Judge Annette Eckert. Additional guests who have relatives being sworn in also will speak.

Other guests of the Illinois Supreme Court will be: Appellate Court Justices Melissa Ann Chapman and Gene Schwarm from the Fifth Judicial District; Chief Circuit Judge David Hylla from the Third Judicial Circuit; and Circuit Judge John Knight from the Third Judicial Circuit.

A reception will follow.

All of the candidates have passed the Illinois State Bar examination, a required ethics examination and were certified by the Committee on Character and Fitness.

The new attorneys will bring the total number of registered and licensed attorneys in Illinois to 93,247.

The Fifth Judicial District is comprised of the following counties: Alexander, Bond, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jas- per, Jefferson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pu- laski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, Shelby, St. Clair, Wabash, Wayne, Washington, White, Williamson and Union.