MARSHAL: PLEASE RISE. HEAR YE. HEAR YE. HEAR YE. THE SUPREME COURT OF THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA IS NOW SESSION. ALL WHO HAVE CAUSE TO PLEA, DRAW NEAR, GIVE ATTENTION AND YOU SHALL BE HEARD. GOD SAVE THESE UNITED STATES, THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA AND THIS HONORABLE COURT.

CHIEF JUSTICE: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. WHAT A PLEASURE IT IS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CEREMONY LIKE, THIS AND REALLY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT, THIS IS MORE CELEBRATION THAN CEREMONY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO INVITE ALL OF YOU OUT THERE IN THE AUDIENCE, TO DO, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, IT BRINGS ME TO TODAY'S PROGRAM. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST WELCOME MICHAEL GLAZIER, A MR. GLAZIER. THE FIRST WORD PRIVILEGE THAT YOU HAVE NOW LEARNED TO BE INVOLVED. LAWYERS HAVE A LONG AND PLOWED MISS -- AND PROUD HISTORY OF SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR PLACES OF WORSHIP AND TO THEIR STATE AND LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS. YOU NEED TO HELP CONTINUE THAT TRADITION. MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO USE YOUR SKILLS TO PROVIDE PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES TO THOSE IN NEED. THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT WAY TO SAY PROVIDE PRO BONO SERVICES, AND YOU SHOULD FIND ONE THAT FITS YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES. THANK YOU AGAIN, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS DAY WITH YOU. THE LAWYERS OF FLORIDA WELCOME YOU AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: ONE OF THE REAL TREATS OF A CEREMONY LIKE THIS IS THAT THE COURT INVITES A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THIS INCOMING CLASS OF PROFESSIONALS, TO ADDRESS ALL OF US, INCLUDING THE COURT, AND THIS HONOR, AND IT IS A HIGH HONOR, IS USUALLY SHARED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE EITHER THE TOP OR ONE OF THE TOP SCORES BAR EXAMINATION, AND I AM SURE MAKING A SCORE LIKE THAT IS JUST REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEDICATION AND THE WORK THAT WAS DEVOTED TO STUDYING LAW, SO IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I CALL UPON STEVEN RICHARD GRIFFIN, TO MAKE REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE LAWYERS THAT WILL BE ADMITTED TODAY. MR. GRIFFIN.

THANK YOU. MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. SOME FAMILIAR FACES OUT THERE. SOME OF MY CLASSMATES. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS REALLY AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY. I HAVE TO SAY THAT, WHEN I RECEIVED THE CALL INVITING ME TO SPEAK, I SAID WHAT ON EARTH COULD I POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION, AND AFTER SOME DELIBERATION, I TURNED TO MY ASSOCIATES FOR SUGGESTIONS, AND AMONG THE MORE POPULAR WERE SOCK PUPPETS AND INTERPRETIVE DANCE. I THINK FORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US HERE TODAY, I HAVE DECIDED TO JUST SAY A FEW SHORT WORDS INSTEAD. EACH OF US SITTING IN THIS ROOM TODAY HAS ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL. EACH OF US HAS TAKEN AND PASSED ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING BAR EXAMS IN THE COUNTRY. SUCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS COME ONLY THROUGH DILIGENCE AND DETERMINATION, AND WE ARE ALL TO BE CONGRATULATED. WHILE PASSING THE BAR IS CLEARLY AN UNFORGETTABLE BENCHMARK IN MANY, IF NOT MOST, OF OUR LEGAL CAREERS AT THIS POINT, I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS ONLY A BEGINNING. AS A RESULT OF OUR DETERMINATION AND ACHIEVEMENT, WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED MEMBERSHIP INTO ONE OF THE MOST STORIED AND DIGNIFIED PROFESSIONS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY. WITH THIS GREAT HONOR COMES A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, EACH OF US WILL ACT AS PROFESSIONALS, WITH FIDUCIARY OBLIGATIONS TO OUR CLIENTS AND TO THE PROFESSION, ITSELF. AS ATTORNEYS, PEOPLE WILL SEEK OUR HELP AND GUIDANCE, REGARDING THEIR MOST INTIMATE PROBLEMS. OUR CLIENTS WILL CONFIDE IN US, THEIR MOST PERSONAL SECRETS, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE KEEP THESE SECRETS CONFIDENTIAL IN ALL RESPECTS. WE ARE DUTY BOUND TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME ADHERING TO THE ETHICAL RULES THAT GOVERN OUR PRACTICE. AS ATTORNEYS, WE WILL ACT AS OFFICERS OF THE COURT. ACTING IN THIS ROLE, WE ARE A PRIMARY DUTY TIGHT PURSUIT OF JUSTICE IN A BROAD SENSE, AS OPPOSED TO SIMPLY ADVANCING THE INTEREST OF ONE OR MORE CLIENTS. THESE DUTIES MAY SOMETIMES CONFLICT, AND THE ESSENCE OF THE TRULY GOOD ATTORNEY IN MY OPINION, THE ABILITY TO APPRECIATE THESE CONFLICTS AND TO RESOLVE THEM IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE OATH THAT EACH US ABOUT ABOUT IS ABOUT TO TAKE HERE TODAY. TODAY I CHALLENGE MYSELF AND ALL OF YOU TO STRIFE IN A MANNER THAT BRINGS BOTH FAVORER AND DISTINCTION TO THIS -- FAVOR AND DISTINCTION TO THIS HONORABLE PROFESSION, AND IN CLOSING I WOULD LIKE TO READ. WE BECOME TEMPERATE BY DOING TEMPERATE ACTS AND JUST BY DOING JUST ACTS, AND THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE REMARKS. A PART OF OUR TRADITION AT THESE CEREMONIES IS HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FLORIDA JUDICIARY ADDRESS THE NEW INDUCTEES AND THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND TODAY IT IS MY HONOR TO CALL UPON THE HONORABLE PAUL HAWKES, A JUDGE OF THE FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, TO MAKE THOSE REMARKS ON BEHALF OF THE FLORIDA JUDICIARY. JUDGE HAWKS.

MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. THANK YOU, JUSTICE. IT TRULY IS AN HONOR TO COME AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WAS MAY 11 OF 1986, WHEN I TOOK THE OATH. I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THIS CEREMONY. I WENT TO A LOCAL JUDGE AND TOOK THE OATH. AND I READ SOMEWHERE, THAT IF YOU ARE GIVING AN ADDRESS, YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO TELL THEM AND THEN TELL THEM AND THEN TELL THEM WHAT YOU TOLD THEM, AND I THINK THAT, WHAT, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I WOULD WANT TO TELL YOU IS THE HIGH HONOR AND PRIVILEGE YOU HAVE, AND THIS PRIVILEGE MANIFESTS ITSELF IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT IN THIS NATION, PERHAPS OBVIOUSLY MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER NATION, WE PROTECT AND VALUE THE RULE OF LAW, AND IT HAS BEEN THE RULE OF LAW THAT HAS MADE THIS COUNTRY SO GREAT. AND IN FACT, IT IS THE, IT IS THE GOAL OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVES, AND THE WISH OF EVERYONE THAT ALL NATIONS WOULD RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW LIKE WE DO IN THIS NATION, AND OUR COMMUNITY IS ABLE AND WILLING TO ENTRUST TO YOU, CERTAIN PRESUMPTIONS OF CREDIBILITY IN RELATION TO THAT. IT MAY HAVE ALREADY MANIFESTED ITSELF IN A FRIEND OR A FAMILY MEMBER COMES UP AND ASKS YOU A QUESTION AND EXPECTS THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN TO LAW SCHOOL FOR THREE YEARS, YOU IMMEDIATELY KNOW THE ANSWER AND YOU ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. IN ANOTHER WAY THAT IT AT LEAST MANIFESTS ITSELF IN MY LIFE IN THE EARLY 1990s, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, AND WHEN I ANNOUNCED I WAS GOING TO RUN, I THOUGHT SOMEONE MIGHT CHALLENGE MY QUALIFICATIONS. WELL, THEY CHALLENGED LOTS OF OTHER THINGS, BUT THEY DIDN'T CHALLENGE MY QUALIFICATIONS, AND IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD A LICENSE TO PRACTICE LAW, AND I THOUGHT HOW AWESOME THAT IS, THAT BECAUSE I AM A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA BAR, I AM ASSUMED, NOT NECESSARILY TRUE BUT ASSUMED QUALIFIED TO SERVE IN THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, AND IT WAS REALLY NEAT, BUT IN ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU BENEFIT FROM YOUR ADMISSION TO THE FLORIDA BAR, IS THAT THIS PRESUMPTION GOES TO, IN ESSENCE, ALL ASPECTS OF OUR GOVERNMENT, THE LAST THREE SPEAKERS OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE HAVE BEEN ATTORNEYS. PROBABLY ONE-THIRD OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE ATTORNEYS. THE SAME IS TRUE IN CONGRESS. NO LEADERSHIP TEAM IN THE LEGISLATURE IS DEVOID OF ATTORNEYS. WE IMPACT OUR GOVERNMENT, AND BECAUSE WE IMPACT OUR GOVERNMENT, WE DEFINE OUR GOVERNMENT. NO OTHER PROFESSION HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPACT OR INVOLVEMENT THAT ATTORNEYS DO. YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY NICE TO HAVE THE PRESUMPTION THAT IF YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS OR IF YOU RUN FOR OFFICE, THAT YOU ARE QUALIFIED, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE REAL SPECIAL, SPECIAL TIME IS IF INDULGE ME JUST A MOMENT, IS TO HAVE AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN COME TO YOU WITH A PROBLEM THAT REALLY SCARES HIM. HIS EX-WIFE SAYS THAT HE OWES HER A LOT OF MONEY. HE CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH SHE HAS A VALID CASE. HER ATTORNEY IS CERTAINLY CONFIDENT, SO CONFIDENT THEY WON'T EVEN ENGAGE IN SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO RESOLVE THE CASE, BUT YOU CAN COME UP WITH A NOVEL THEORY. IT IS A VALID THEORY BASED ON LEGITIMATE PRINCIPLES OF LAW, BUT YOU CAN'T SHARE ALL OF YOUR OPTIMISM WITH YOUR CLIENT, BECAUSE IF THE JUDGE FAILS TO SEE THE WISDOM OF YOUR POSITION, THEN THE JUDGE HAS FAILED TO SEE THE WISDOM OF THE POSITIONS BEFORE, AND THEN YOUR CLIENT'S DEVASTATION IS EVEN MORE SO THAN IF THEY JUST LOST, SO YOU GO IN THERE AND YOU MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT AND THE JUDGE ADOPTS IT, AND YOUR CLIENT IS SO, SO RELIEVED, SO HAPPY THAT TEARS COME IN HIS EYES AND HE TUG HUINGS YOU IN FRONT OF THE -- AND HE HUGS YOU IN FRONT OF THE JUDGE, OR ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE THE COURT ASKS TO YOU REPRESENT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN IN COUNTY JAIL FOR TWO YEARS, FOR FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. AND HE LOOSE BETTER NOW, TWO YEARS AFTER SITTING IN THE COUNTY JAIL, THAN HE DID WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED, BECAUSE HIS PREVIOUS HOME WAS A JUNK CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD, AND YOU ASSUME WRONGFULLY SO, PROBABLY, THAT HE IS GUILTY, BUT YOU WILL SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO. YOU ENGAGE IN DISCOVERY AND YOU GO THROUGH THIS AND YOU GO THROUGH IT AND YOU GO THROUGH IT, AND YOU SPEND MORE AND MORE TIME, AND YOUR ENTIRE OFFICE STAFF GETS IN THE HABIT OF BRINGING THEIR FAMILY FOR DINNER AND YOU EAT AT THE OFFICE, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO STAY THERE UNTIL ELEVEN O'CLOCK AND WORK ON THE CASE, AND LITTLE BY LITTLE, PIECES KEEP FALLING INTO PLACE AND A DIFFERENT PICTURE EMERGES THAN WHAT THE STATE BELIEVES, AND YOU GO TO TRIAL AND IT TAKES A WEEK AND THE STATE SEEKS THE DEATH PENALTY, AND SATURDAY NIGHT THE JURY COMES BACK AND SAYSING IN, AND THE PRESS WRITES EDITORIALS THAT IT WASN'T A FLUKE. IT WAS THE APPROPRIATE VERDICT, AND IT IS JUST SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE AN AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A SYSTEM WHERE THAT HAPPENS WHEN THE LAW WORKS AND SO WHAT I WOULD WISH FOR ALL OF YOU IS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPACT SOMEONE'S LIFE IN A SIGNIFICANT MEANINGFUL WAY, BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING AND THE PERMISSIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS AN ATTORNEY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU, JUDGE HAWKES. NEXT WE HAVE GOT A HOMETOWNER HERE. WE ARE ALL PRIVILEGED TO WORK IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA, SO IT IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE THAT WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOCIATION TO COME AND MAKE REMARKS TO THE NEW ADMITTEES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, SO IT IS MY HONOR TO CALL UPON DLAFIEFE TO MAKE COMMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOCIATION.

THANK YOU, JUSTICES, MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. IT IS LIKEWISE, MY HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY, TO SEE YOU, OUR NEW MEMBERS, TO THE FLORIDA BAR. I AM SURE MANY OF YOU FELT THAT THIS DAY PROBABLY WOULD NEVER COME. I KNOW THAT IS HOW I FELT. FOR THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAVE PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THESE CANDIDATES, I AM SURE YOU ARE REALLY GLAD THAT THIS DAY HAS FINALLY COME! SERIOUSLY, THOUGH, I AM PLEASED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU, AND I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH TWO THOUGHTS. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PRACTICE LAW IN A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR PARENTS PROUD. I THINK THAT IS A RULE THAT YOU CAN KEEP IN YOUR BREAST POCKET, WITHOUT LOOKING UP THE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS, BECAUSE AS YOU STEP OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD, YOU ARE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF CHALLENGES. YOU ARE GOING TO FIND A LOT OF TEMPTATION AND A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE. I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO KEEP IN MIND THAT SOMEONE YOU REALLY LOVE, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR SPOUSE, OR SOMEONE WHO YOU HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR, IS STANDING OVER YOUR SHOULDER, WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE, AND AS YOU CONSIDER THOSE TEMPTATIONS, THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM PROUD. IT TAKES A LOT MORE TIME TO REGAIN A GOOD REPUTATION THAN IT DOES TO LOSE IT. THIS IS A VERY HONORABLE PROFESSION, AND WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN WITH US IN MAKING IT THE BEST IT CAN BE. SECOND OF ALL, I WOULD URGE YOU TO, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, TO CONSIDER JOINING A LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REMAINING IN TALLAHASSEE OR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T, I PERSONALLY INVITE YOU TO JOIN THE TALLAHASSEE BAR ASSOCIATION. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY IN THE BAR ASSOCIATION, TO FLOP WITH OTHER LAWYERS AND JUDGES WHO CAN PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT AND IN SIGHT IN FELLOWSHIP. A LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF YOUR PEERS, TO BUILD LONG STANDING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS, AND TO WORK IN THIS PROFESSION TO SERVE, AS MICHAEL GLAZIER TOLD YOU, YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 21 YEARS, AND I AM STILL AMAZED AT THE BLESSINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY AS A PART OF THIS PROFESSION, AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU CAN ENJOY THE SAME THING THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREERS. AND I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY WILL PRESENT ITSELF TO YOU, IF YOU CONTINUE TO PRACTICE LAW IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOUR PARENTS PROUD. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] EN

CHIEF JUSTICE: WE ARE NOW DOWN TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER THAT WE ARE HERE TO GET TO TODAY, AND TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL OMARI HARRIS MOORE, OF THE FLORIDA BAR BOARD OF EXAMINERS AND MOVE FOR THEIR INDUCTION. MS. MOORE.

MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT RELATING TO ADMISSIONS TO THE BAR, THE CANDIDATES BEFORE YOU HAVE BEEN RIGOROUSLY EXAMINED BY THE BOARD, BOTH AS TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE STANDARDS AND IDEALS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION. IN ADDITION, THEIR BACKGROUNDS HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO SEARCHING CHARACTER AND FITNESS INVESTIGATION. ON BEHALF OF THE FLORIDA BAR BOARD OF EXAMINERS, I CERTIFY THAT THESE CANDIDATES ARE FULLY QUALIFIED AND THAT EACH ENJOYS THE ENTHUSIASTIC RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD FOR ADMISSION TO THE BAR OF FLORIDA. THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES BEFORE YOU AT THIS TIME ARE MR. CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM ADAMEC WOULD YOU STAND. MR. JOSEPH KELLY AGOSTINO. MISS BRENA VANESSA BODENHAMMER. MS. SIMONE MARIE BOTTI. MR. BRIAN SNOW BOYD. MS. HOPE BRADWELL. MR. MIZELL CAMPBELL JR.. MR. JOHN ALBERT CARLISLE. MR. MICHAEL SHANNON CREWS. MISS MILLICENT ELIZABETH DANIELS. MR. WILLIAM H DAVIE II. MS. CHERYL LeANN DAVIS. MR. MARC EMERSON DWYER. MR. JULIE MORSE FORAN. MR. ADAM NEIL FRISCH. MR. STEVEN TODD GOLD. MR. WALTER JOSEPH HAVERS JR.. MR. JONATHAN THOMAS HOLLOWAY. MR. FIDEL IGLESIAS-LOPEZ. MR. TRAVIS DAVID JOHNSON. MR. KYLE LEE KEMPER. MR. JAMES EDWARD KRAUSS. MR. -- MR. JAMES EDWARD KRAUSE. MR. CRAIG LANGLEY. MR. RAYMOND LaBELLA. MR. RUSSELL DAVID LENTZ. MS. KRISTIN MAITLIN, MR. ANDREW EDWARD McGREW. MR. JAMES ANDREW McKEE. MS. CARRIE RENEE McNAIR. MS. SUE ANN MARIE ORSINI. MR. JAMES LUTHER PEARCE. MR. JOHN DUNCAN PERRY. MS. CARROLL A SCOTT. MR. CAMERON ELZEY SHACKLEFORD. MR. JOEL LEE SHERMAN. MS. MICHELLEANT WONET SMITH. -- MS. MICHELLE ANTOINEET SMITH. MS. MICHELLE KATHLEEN SPAVEN. MS. SUSAN L ST. JOHN. MR. STEPHEN CHARLES THOMAS. MR. ROY VAN WYK. MR. BRYNNE VAN HETTINGS. MS. MELISSA LATRICE WHEATON. MS. CRISTIN ERICA WHITE. MS. RACHEL LYNN WILLIAMS. MR. JOSEPH GERARD WIRTH. MR. JUSTIN GEORGE WOLFE. MR. DAWN MICHELLE WOOL WEAVER. AND MR. JOSEPH T KING, MR. ROBERT W GUY JR., AND MISS TAMMY SMELKE. -- MS. TAMMY S MELKE.

CHIEF JUSTICE: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] I AM GOING TO ADMINISTER THE OATH OF ADMISSION TO THE FLORIDA BAR TO YOU. JUST RECENTLY, I VISITED MY TWO YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN, AND THEY BOTH HAD COLDS, AND I BROUGHT BACK FROM THAT VISIT UP IN COMMITTEE, THE SAME COLD WITH ME, SO MY VOICE MAY WAIVER A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THIS OATH PRINTED ON THE INSIDE OF YOUR PROGRAM HERE. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO THIS IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND EACH PROMISE THAT YOU WILL MAKE. SO IF YOU ALL WILL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HANDS AND REPEAT AFTER ME, I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I WILL MAINTAIN THE RESPECT DUE TO COURTS OF JUSTICE AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS. I WILL NOT COUNSEL OR MAINTAIN ANY SUIT OR PROCEEDING WHICH SHALL APPEAR TO ME TO BE UNJUST NOR ANY DEFENSE ACCEPT SUCH AS I BELIEVE TO BE HONESTLY DEBATABLE UNDER THE LAWFUL THE LAND. I WILL EMPLOY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING THE CAUSE CONFIDED TO ME, SUCH MEANS ONLY AS ARE CONSISTENT WITH TRUTH AND HONOR. AND WILL NEVER SEEK TO MISLEAD A JUDGE OR JURY. BY ANY ARTIFICE OR FALSE STATEMENT 6 FACT OR LAW -- FALSE STATEMENT OF FACTOR LAW. I WILL MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENCE AND PRESERVE INVIOLATE, THE SECRETS OF MY CLIENTS. AND WILL ACCEPT NO COMPENSATION IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR BUSINESS, EXCEPT FROM THEM OR WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND APPROVAL. I WILL ABSTAIN FROM ALL OFFENSIVE PERSONALITY AND ADVANCE NO FACT PREJUDICIAL TO THE HONOR OR REPUTATION OF A PARTY OR WITNESS, UNLESS REQUIRED BY THE JUSTICE OF THE CAUSE WITH WHICH I AM CHARGED. I WILL NEVER REJECT FROM ANY CONSIDERATION PERSONAL TO MYSELF, THE CAUSE OF THE DEFENSELESS OR OPPRESSED. OR DELAY ANYONE'S CAUSE OR LUKE ERROR MALICE SO HELP ME GOD. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE WELCOME THE NEWEST LAWYERS HERE IN THE STATE. [APPLAUSE] FOR YOU NEW LAWYERS IN THE LAWNS, I -- IN THE AUDIENCE, I WANT YOU TO TURN TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE HELPED AND SUPPORTED YOU LO THESE MANY YEARS, AND PLEASE GIVE THEM THE STANDING OVATION THAT THEY DESERVE. [APPLAUSE] PLEASE BE SEATED. YOU HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF ADVICE TODAY AND I GET THE LAST SHOT AT YOU. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, REALLY, HOLD UP AN IMAGE TO YOU. WE TRY TO TEACH ETHICS AND PROFESSIONISM, AND WE TALK ABOUT PRINCIPLES. USUALLY THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO POINT TO SOME JUDGE OR SOME LAWYER OR SOME OTHER PERSON AND SAY THAT IS WHAT WE MEAN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROFESSIONISM OR ETHICS. LET ME TELL YOU A STORY THAT STRUCK ME THAT REALLY EPITOMIZES WHAT THE PRACTICE OF LAW SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT. I AM A BIG FAN OF PUBLIC RADIO AND PUBLIC TELEVISION, AND ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I WAS WATCHING A WONDERFUL BIOGRAPHY OF MY FAVORITE AMERICAN ACTOR, GREGORY PECK, AND I AM ALWAYS TROUBLED THAT SOME OF THE YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW WHO GREGORY PECK IS, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND OTHERS HERE, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WILL BE ABLE TO TELL BUT THE INCREDIBLE CAREER THAT THIS MAN HAS HAD IN AMERICAN THEATER AND ACTING. I WAS INTRIGUED, BECAUSE THIS WAS A BIOGRAPHY THAT REALLY FOLLOWED MR. PECK AROUND, FOLLOWED HIM TO PARIS, WHERE HE MET HIS JOURNALIST WIFE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, FOLLOWED HIM TO NEW YORK, WHERE HIS DAUGHTER WAS EXPECTING HER FIRST CHILD, AND, OF COURSE, THERE WERE LONG CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE WONDERFUL FILMS THAT HE HAS BEEN IN, AND BELIEVE ME, HE HAS PLAYED EVERY AMERICAN HERO, WHETHER IT IS IN A FAMOUS WAR MOVIE OR A WESTERN OR IN A TAPE US MOVIE HAVING TO DEAL WITH BIAS AND PREJUDICE IN THIS COUNTRY. MR. PECK HAS JUST HE I HADMIZED BEING ABLE TO PLAY ALL THESE GREAT ROLES. AND THE INTERVIEWER, AT THE END OF THIS LONG INTERVIEW, TALK ABOUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE AND THE FILMS THAT HE HAS BEEN IN AND EVERYTHING, ASKED THE INEVITABLE QUESTION, WELL, AMONGST ALL THESE FILMS THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED SUCH RECOGNITION FOR OVER THE YEARS, IS THERE ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO YOU, AND THAT IS YOUR FAVORITE? AND HE SAID, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THERE IS, AND SO HE SAID, WELL, WHICH ONE IS THAT? AND HE SAID "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD". AND HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU IN THIS AUDIENCE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT MOVIE. AND IT IS WHAT HE SAID NEXT, THOUGH, THAT STIRRED ME. WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE HONOR TO PLAY THIS HEROIC FIGURE IN AMERICAN CULTURE, THE AMERICAN LAWYER, AS THE AMERICAN LAWYER SHOULD BE, IN THIS FILM, AND HE SAID THIS, REALLY, IS A HIGH POINT OF MY LIFE, TO REPRESENT THAT CULTURAL FIGURE TO THE PUBLIC OF THE WORLD. WELL, I WAS VERY MOVED THAT HE WOULD SINGLE OUT HIS ROLE THERE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE NOTED WAS THAT HARPER LEE, THE AUTHOR OF THE MOVIE THAT THE BOOK -- THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK THAT THE MOVIE WAS BASED ON, WAS A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF US AND IN FACT HIS CHILD'S DAUGHTER WAS GOING TO BE NAME AFTER HARPER LEE HERE, AND THAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED, BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS THAT HERE, LISTENING, TO THIS MAN WHO, IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTORS TO EMERGE FROM AMERICAN FILM, SAY THAT IT WAS HIS GREATEST HONOR TO GO AND PORTRAY THIS CULTURAL FIGURE, THE AMERICAN LAWYER AS THE AMERICAN LAWYER SHOULD BE, WAS THE HIGH POINT OF HIS LIFE, AND CONTRAST THAT WITH THE INCREDIBLE HONOR THAT YOU HAVE, THAT YOU GET UP EVERY MORNING, AND YOU GO, AND YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THAT REAL AMERICAN LAWYER, AS THE AMERICAN LAWYER SHOULD BE. SO I ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE ELSE'S, AND I REMIND YOU OF THE ENORMOUS PRIVILEGE THAT YOU HAVE, TO SERVE OTHERS IN OUR SOCIETY, UNDER THE RULE OF LAW THAT MOST OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT. ANOTHER TRADITION AT THESE OCCASIONS IS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT TO JOIN THE NEW ADMITTEES FOR A PHOTOGRAPH IN THE FRONT, AND SO IF THE MARSHAL WILL STOP THE TRAFCK FOR US, I -- THE TRAFFIC FOR US, AND I AM GOING TO ASK A SPECIAL FAVOR, BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT EVERYONE REMAIN IN THE COURTROOM, UNTIL WE HAVE THE NEW ADMITTEES EXIT THROUGH THE BACK DOORS HERE, AND WE WILL LEAVE THE BENCH IN JUST A MINUTE AND GO DOWN THE HALLWAY, AND WE WILL MEET ALL OF YOU OUT THERE ON THE FRONT STPS STEPS, SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO. SO I SAY TO THE AUDIENCE, TO YOU THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND OLDER PEOPLE SO MUCH DURING THEIR LIVES, WE CONGRATULATE YOU, BUT WE ESPECIALLY CONGRATULATE AND CHALLENGE THOSE NEW ADMITTEES OF THE BAR THAT INDEED, NOW, WILL CARRY THE MANTEL OF THE RULE OF LAW HERE, IN FLORIDA. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. WE WILL BE IN RECESS TO TAKE THE PICTURE. [APPLAUSE]