Presiding over the swearing-in ceremony:
Associate Justice Jon B. Streeter ’81, California Court of Appeal, 1st District
Judge Trina Thompson ’86, United States District Court Northern District of California
Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Cara Sandberg ‘12, president of the Berkeley Law Alumni Association, will offer congratulatory remarks.
You can view the livestream here>>
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I attend if I’ve already been sworn in?
A: Yes. You are welcome to attend the ceremony with your classmates and guests to celebrate your accomplishment of passing the CA State Bar.
Q: I am unable to attend in person, will the event be available online?
A: Yes, the ceremony will be live-streamed and viewable after the event on the Berkeley Law YouTube Channel.
Q: Can I be sworn in for this event online?
A: We are very sorry, but in-person attendance is required to be sworn in. There are many ways to be sworn in. Please review the Attorney’s Oath information on the CA State Bar website.
Q: Where do I find information about my exam results, admission status, and Swearing-In?
A: Those who took the July 2023 exam will be notified of their results on November 9 at 6:00 PM. For more information, please visit the State Bar of California website.
Q: What does Berkeley Law need from me to be sworn in on December 11th?
A: Your completed and signed State Bar oath card (name, address, telephone number, and law school) must be turned in at the registration tables at the event. Please use black ink only and write legibly. Berkeley Law will send the signed cards to the California State Bar office for you. Please date your oath card December 11, 2023.
Q: How do I get my oath card?
A: Digital copies of oath cards and DocuSign instructions will be directly emailed to those who passed the Bar. Please review the CA State Bar Oath Cards FAQs page to learn how to print your digital card. It is your responsibility to arrive at the ceremony with the copy of your oath card.
Q: I have filled out my oath card in another ink other than black, is it still valid?
A: According to the membership office of the Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, the oath cards are ordinarily still accepted. However, make sure not to fill the form in pencil or a conspicuous color as there have been instances that recipients have been asked to re-fill the form appropriately, which prolongs the process.
Q: Can I attend the ceremony if I do not have my oath card?
A: Yes. You may attend with your classmates for celebratory purposes, but cannot be sworn in.
Q: I don’t want to be sworn in to the U.S. District Court. Do I have to participate?
A: Being sworn in to the U.S. District Court is optional.
Q: I already went through this ceremony for the State Bar. I am just here for the U.S. District Court oath. Is that OK?
A: Yes. You are welcome to attend this event for ceremonial purposes, even if you’ve already given your State Bar oath card to someone at the other ceremony.
Q: How do I apply for admission to the U.S. District Court?
A: You need to submit an electronic Petition for Bar Membership, with appropriate fee, directly to that court. You will need to wait until you receive your CA State Bar number. The form and more information can be found here: https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/attorneys/admission
Q: I did not graduate from Berkeley Law. May I participate in this ceremony anyway?
A: We are very sorry, but this ceremony is for Berkeley Law graduates only. You are more than welcome to attend as one of the two permitted guests of a Berkeley Law graduate who has registered for the event.
Q: I am a Berkeley Law graduate, but I did not register by the December 4 deadline. May I still participate and be sworn in?
A: Please email us at alumni@law.berkeley.edu to inquire if any venue seating remains or to be placed on the waitlist.
Q: When will I receive my Bar number?
A: For all cards submitted at the event, we will obtain the presiding judge’s signature and then send them to the California Bar Office. It will take several weeks before the Bar processes all of the oath cards from all of the swearing-in ceremonies that take place across the state. If you have further questions or would like to track the progress of your Bar number, allow for 30 days and then check Attorney Search at calbar.ca.gov to confirm your enrollment and obtain your bar number.
Q: I have not passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). Can I attend the ceremony?
A: Yes, but you cannot be sworn in if you have not passed the MPRE. You are welcome to attend with your classmates and guests for celebratory purposes only. Find more information about the MPRE here. All questions concerning application materials, the administration, processing and/or grading of this examination should be directed to the NCBE.
Q: Will masks and vaccinations be required to attend this event?
A: At the time of publishing, proof of vaccination is not required and wearing masks indoors is optional but recommended. For more information regarding COVID 19 policies at UC Berkeley please visit https://coronavirus.berkeley.edu/.
For more information, see this enrollment guide on the State Bar website.
Still have questions? Please contact Kara Snider at alumni@law.berkeley.edu.
A Note from the Career Development Office
The Career Development Office would like to thank the Class of 2023 J.D. graduates who have already completed their Graduate Employment Survey (GES). If you haven’t yet, please take a couple of minutes to input your post-graduate employment information.
Our accreditor, the ABA, requires that we provide them with the information that the GES asks (without any information that would individually identify you). We also report it (in aggregate form only) to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and a few other national surveying entities to provide a complete national legal employment picture.
Your responses will also help us channel information to you about your specific employer or chosen law firm market. They will also enable us to improve upon the advice we give to students and alumni in the future.
If you are still working on your post-graduate job search and would like to talk to someone in the CDO, please contact us at career@law.berkeley.edu. Remember that the CDO’s services are always available to you at any time in the future as an alum.