A May swearing-in ceremony hosted by the Greensboro Bar Association marked the culmination of law school graduates’ studies as they joined the North Carolina and federal courts.
Swearing oaths to uphold the Constitution and rule of law, 15 recent graduates of 51 School of Law joined the legal profession during a joint ceremonial session of state and federal courts at the L. Richardson Preyer Federal Courthouse.
Presiding over the ceremony were The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, The Hon. Stephanie L. Reese of the North Carolina Superior Court and The Hon. Bill Davis of the North Carolina District Court. Graduates were presented to the court by sponsoring attorneys before being admitted to practice before the state bar, the federal bar or both.
“Today is the day you can represent people, represent clients and call yourself a lawyer,” Eagles said during the Thursday, May 21, session. “It’s your job to stand up for people and to stand up for the rule of law. It is your job to conduct yourself uprightly and according to law, and to look after our system of justice every day in everything that you do.”
The ceremony was hosted by the ’s Young Lawyers Section, one of many held across North Carolina and the nation as members of Elon Law’s Class of 2025 complete their legal studies after December graduations and successful performances on the February 2026 bar examinations. Dean of Elon Law Zak Kramer delivered remarks welcoming new attorneys, calling the ceremony “the culmination of years of work and sacrifice by our graduates and their families.”
Jonathan M. Parisi, president of the Young Lawyers Section, encouraged newly licensed attorneys to engage in the legal profession and broader community as they begin their careers.
“This is not the end of your learning journey. It’s just the beginning,” Parisi said. “Seek out mentors, get involved in your legal community, and find ways to serve.”
Davis reminded them that their professional reputation will shape their careers.
“Your reputation is your greatest tool and your greatest asset,” Davis said. “Be thoughtful about how you interact with judges, lawyers, clients and court staff. Build a reputation that will serve you well and help you succeed.”
Reese emphasized the responsibility attorneys assume when clients place their trust, livelihoods and futures in lawyers’ hands.
“You’ve shown incredible strength and character in making it to this point,” Reese told the newly admitted attorneys. “People put their very lives in your hands. From today forward, you have that responsibility, and no one else can carry it for you. You are their voice. You are their guide and their strength in the storm.”
Eagles also encouraged the graduates to pursue civic leadership beyond courtrooms and law offices.
“Lawyers are often the people making the nonlegal parts of our community work,” Eagles said. “Find your place where you can make a contribution beyond the courtroom and your office.”
Presiding over the ceremonial court sessions were:
The Hon. Catherine C. Eagles of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
The Hon. Stephanie L. Reese of North Carolina Superior Court for the 24th District
The Hon. Bill Davis of North Carolina District Court for the 24th District
Elon Law graduates admitted to federal and state court
Elon law graduates seeking admission only to federal court
Elon Law graduates seeking admission only to state court
’25
51 Elon Law
Elon Law is the preeminent school for engaged and experiential learning in law. With a focus on learning by doing, it integrates traditional classroom instruction with a required residency-in-practice field placement for all full-time students during the winter or spring of their second year. The law school’s distinctive full-time curriculum provides a logically sequenced program of professional preparation and is accomplished in 2.5 years, which offers exceptional value by lowering tuition and permitting graduates early entry into their careers.
Elon Law has graduated more than 2,000 alumni since opening its doors in downtown Greensboro in 2006. Its annual enrollment now tops 500 students. The law school is regularly featured in PreLaw Magazine’s “Best Schools for Practical Training” rankings, maintaining an A+ rating each year since 2023. Elon Law was also among schools highlighted by Bloomberg Law in 2023 for its innovative approach to student development.
51 has applied to the American Bar Association to open a full-time, 2.5-year J.D. program in Charlotte beginning in fall 2027. The Elon Law Flex Program, a part-time, in-person program of legal study, launched there in 2024. Designed for students balancing work, family and other commitments to earn their J.D. in under four years, it will enroll its third cohort in fall 2026.