How Do I ... Make the most of Fall 2019 Enrollment Ceremonies?

Individuals who passed the 2019 July Bar Exam (Congrats!) and have met all admission eligibility requirements—and your family, friends and other guests—are invited to attend the 2019 Fall Enrollment Ceremonies, Friday, Sept. 27, at the Supreme Court of Missouri and State Capitol in Jefferson City. There, you’ll take an oath of admission and be welcomed to the profession by the judges of the Supreme Court of Missouri, officers of The Missouri Bar and members of the Board of Law Examiners.

Each year, the enrollment ceremonies prove to be filled with fun and festivities—but the day can also be overwhelming. Make the most of the Enrollment Ceremonies and keep stress levels low by planning ahead. Here are a few tips to help you take full advantage of this happy and important day.

Know where to go.

The day’s events take place across various spots. To start, you’ll need to register on the first floor of the State Capitol building (201 West Capitol Ave.), right across from the Supreme Court building (207 W. High St.). Registration begins at 7:45 a.m. in the first-floor rotunda of the Capitol. Enter the Capitol from the first-floor South Carriage entrance. Admission ceremonies will take place at the Supreme Court building. Due to the size of the courtrooms, multiple swearing-in ceremonies will be held for enrollees, with the first beginning at 9 a.m. When you report for registration, you will be assigned a tentative time by which you must be in your seat for your assigned ceremony at the Supreme Court building. It’s important that you and your guests do not get in line to enter the Supreme Court building until your assigned time. Each ceremony will last approximately 20 minutes.

The admission ceremonies to the U.S. District Court, Western and Eastern Districts of Missouri, will be held at 10:40 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. in the House Chambers of the State Capitol, located on the third floor. Registered applicants for the federal court admission will be seated on the House floor. Your guests will be able to watch the ceremony from the fourth floor House Gallery. NOTE: You must be enrolled to the state court BEFORE attending the federal court ceremony.

Be mindful of construction.

The Capitol building is currently under construction. The south circle drive is closed to public traffic, and eastbound traffic approaching the Capitol from W. Main St. will be directed to Broadway St. Westbound traffic approaching the Capitol from Capitol Ave. will be directed to the north side of the Capitol. For more information regarding the Capitol construction, go to https://capitol.mo.gov/construction/.

Mingle with Missouri Bar leaders and have a snack.

As a new lawyer, you have many great resources to benefit you and your practice. We provide a host of information online at mobar.org/new-members, but, on enrollment day, Missouri Bar staff, The Missouri Bar Young Lawyers' Section and other organizations will be available to answer questions during a welcome reception for you with brochures, gifts and breakfast. Visit the welcome reception in the third-floor rotunda of the State Capitol building before or after attending the enrollment ceremonies, between 7:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Park in the right spot.

There is a public parking garage on Madison St., two blocks east and one block north of the Supreme Court building. Meter parking is available on various streets downtown. Do NOT park in the lot behind the Supreme Court building, which is reserved for Supreme Court judges and personnel.The Supreme Court building has two separate entrances which are wheelchair accessible. In addition, the courtrooms are accessible via elevator. Please contact the marshal at (573) 751-2117 for handicap parking information, directions to accessible entrances and for other assistance.

Expect security.Attendees and guests will pass through security checkpoints at both the Capitol and Supreme Court buildings. At the Supreme Court, applicants must present a photo ID and a ceremony admittance card at the security checkpoint. Guests will be required to comply with security procedures in order to enter the Supreme Court building, including passing through a metal detector. You should allow 30-40 minutes to walk from the Capitol to the Supreme Court, pass through security and be seated in the assigned courtroom for your ceremony.

Be courteous.

While cellphones are allowed in the Supreme Court building, they may only be used to take pictures and videos. No voice calls are allowed on the second floor of the Supreme Court, including in the courtrooms, at any time.

Remember to sign the Roll of Attorneys.

While at the Supreme Court building and when being sworn in to the U.S. District Court, be sure to sign the Roll of Attorneys. The rolls contain the names of all attorneys enrolled by the courts, and you should be certain that your name is included. You can sign them either before or after the ceremony.

Look Sharp.

When planning your outfit, remember that you are expected to dress in business attire. Revealing clothing and jeans are not appropriate.

Take lots of photos

.Enrollment ceremonies are a time to enjoy! You will find photo props at the reception and an “Officially a Missouri Lawyer!” Snapchat filter will be available at both the Supreme Court building and in the Capitol Rotunda. Take a moment to share your images from the day on social media using #MOLawyers and #NewMOLawyers, and connect with us on our Facebook pages (@MissouriBar and @MissouriBarYLS). You can also find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat using @MoBarNews. If you plan to take pictures in the Supreme Court Library, please know that nothing in the library may be moved or used as props without approval from a member of the library staff. No liquids will be allowed in the library without a lid.

Welcome to the profession! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!