Fast-forward to the next morning.
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| First task: read and figure out what all this means. |
I arrived 10 minutes before the reporting time for my character interview and, to my surprise, saw maybe a couple hundred people already waiting in their chairs. The woman at the check-in told me the section I was assigned to. Of course, most of the rows were filled with soon-to-be-admitted lawyers in (mostly) black suits, and I had to step over a couple of people to get into the back row, pressed up against the windows. I sat down, started chatting with a girl who just sat down next to me, and then, heard my name being called. My interviewer was a very friendly and relaxed, and the interview was quick and painless. I signed a card with the oath I'm required to take, received an envelope containing a certificate that I have been duly licensed and all that good stuff, and was out of there in less than 20 minutes.
After having a Leslie Knope-style power-breakfast with my fiance, we headed over to the Convention Center at the Empire State Plaza. Applicants were to sit in the central area, and the guests were to sit in the raised levels. I picked a random seat, close enough to the stage, but not too close. I got to catch up with some law school classmates, then, about 40 minutes later, the ceremony was about to start. Six justices walked onto the stage, the court was called into order with a "hear ye, hear ye, hear ye," and the presiding justice walked up to the podium. The standard ceremonial words were uttered, and an unaccompanied local vocalist sung "America, the Beautiful" (thankfully, only the first verse, since the full version is ridiculously long).
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| Leslie Knope would be proud. |
The keynote speaker was the Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts for the State of New York. She made the perfect speech for a ceremony like this: not overly dramatic or rousing, but solid and appropriately engaging. I didn't feel any different as a person, but I listened to every word, with the keen awareness that I had just become a licensed professional and that the presiding justice, the justice who administered the oath, and the keynote speaker were all women. I was formally welcomed into the legal profession in a ceremony that was essentially led and run by women. Even the majority of six justices on stage (including the three I just mentioned) were women. And the best part was, it wasn't even a big deal. But in a world where progress for women have come so far and have so far to go, I will always remember the composition of the court that swore me in.
I'm taking this as a good sign as I embark on my new journey. Wish me luck.
弁護士資格、いよいよ正式に取得！
1月21日、ニューヨーク州弁護士資格取得の最終手続きの為、州都・オルバニーに向かった。バー試験合格からおよそ3か月、ようやく正式に弁護士となるのだ。翌22日朝、character interview（個人の倫理性を審査する面接）が予定されていた。与えられた集合時刻10分前に到着した時には、既に200人程度の候補者がスーツを着て待機していた。だが、幸いにも、受付けを済ませ指定エリアの席に座って5分と経たないうちに、名前を呼ばれた。そして、簡潔な面接を済ませた後、宣誓の言葉が書かれたカードに署名し、資格取得を示す証書等が入った封筒を受け取り、残るは正午からのswearing-in ceremonyだけとなった。
エンパイア・ステート・プラザのコンベンション・センターで開催されたセレモニーは、まず、開廷の言葉と6人の判事の入場によって始まった。主席は、最高位の判事が務め、Pledge of Allegiance（米合衆国への忠誠の誓い）や"America, the Beautiful"のパフォーマンス等、アメリカで開催されるセレモニーで典型的な事項が手早く行われた。
その後、式はとんとん拍子で進んだ。裁判所書記官が、候補者755名全員にニューヨーク州弁護士資格を与える動議を出し、それが認められ、全員で就任宣誓（oath of office）を行った。そして、あっと言う間に私たちは正式な弁護士となった。
基調演説は、ニューヨーク州主席行政法裁判官（Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts）によって行われ、この手の式に適切な演説であった。自分が違った人間になった気はしなかったが、首席裁判官の言葉一つ一つをかみしめながら、ついさっき資格を要するプロフェッショナルになったこと、また、主席の裁判官、基調演説を行った裁判官、そして宣誓を執行した裁判官が全員女性だったことを考えていた。私は、女性が司るセレモニーによって法曹界に迎え入れられたのである。式に参加した6人の裁判官の過半数も女性で、しかも、女性の主導性が自然であった。だが、女性の地位が向上しながらも、まだまだ改善の余地がある中で、私がこれらの事実を忘れる事はないと思う。
