I've Been Officially Lawyerised!

My official lawyerfication occurred today in the Supreme Court as His Honour Chief Justice Spiegelman admitted me as a lawyer in New South Wales. I didn't have to do or say very much except bow at the appropriate time and say "So help me God" when the oath and affirmations were read out. Chief Justice Spiegelman then gave a speech about the profession that we were entering into, giving a bit of history of the admission ceremony which goes back some 180 years in New South Wales and reminded us of our ethical obligations and duties to the Court. This included maintaining our convictions even when the public sentiment was against us. I then had to sign the "Roll of Lawyers", after which I had something to eat at the cafe upstairs. I am now also the proud member of a practising certificate, which will be going straight into the office and not the poolroom.

I must say, after seven years of working towards this moment, I sense of real satisfaction of what I have achieved, but more than that, sheer relief. This has been the biggest and longest project in my life thus far and I am glad that I have attained the end to which I have strives. I've had many role models and mentors along the way, but none have been more influential to me than Jarrod Rebecchi aka "Toadie" from "Neighbours" and the late Lionel Hutz from "The Simpsons". They have both been sources of inspiration for me and have truly set the benchmark for my future practice as a legal practitioner.

Is this the end, or simply a new beginning for me? Truth is, I don't like false bifurcations, especially when I'm feeling exhausted from the events of the day. I'll give everything a little time to sink in before I make my decisions about where to go from here. I only have one ambition at this stage - to go to the Bar, where I hope my learned colleagues will be shouting.