December 2021 Swearing In Ceremony Welcomes New Waves to the California Bar
On Thursday, December 9, 2021, the bi-annual tradition of the Bar Swearing In Ceremony returned in person at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. Caruso Law graduates and their family and friends gathered in Malibu to celebrate the Class of 2021’s incredible bar exam performance.
Alumni Director Jessie Fahy (JD ‘11) opened the ceremony with a prayer for the graduates’ future legal careers. Dean Paul Caron then addressed the crowd. “You have achieved something that Alexander Hamilton never did: you passed not just a bar exam, but one of the most difficult bar exams in the United States of America” he said. “How difficult? The overall pass rate for the July 2021 exam was 53%, and Pepperdine’s pass rate was 84%, our highest pass rate in nine years.”
Dean Caron also thanked the Academic Mastery program team of Ann Camacho, Barrett Schreiner, and Peter Fendel for their tireless efforts to aid the Class of 2021 in taking and passing the California Bar Examination.
Judge Jeremy Dolnick (JD ‘98) of the Orange County Superior Court then spoke and administered the state oath. He gave several pieces of advice to the graduates, including the importance of humility in the practice of law and treating those in the courtroom with dignity and respect.
Judge Margo Rocconi (JD ‘91) of the Central District of California then spoke and administered the federal oath. She reminded the students to thank their professors for their help on the journey, and recalled her own Contracts professor at Pepperdine that encouraged her to not “hide her light under a bushel.” Judge Rocconi likewise encouraged the graduates to let their lights shine in their future careers.
