Jan. 24, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin welcomed 18 new attorneys to its rolls through diploma privilege on Jan. 23, 2024. Graduates of U.W. and Marquette University law schools, they took their final steps in becoming a Wisconsin lawyer in Madison in the Supreme Court Hearing Room.
Among the new attorneys are nontraditional students who pushed pause on their careers to obtain a law degree and others who worked hard to graduate a semester early.
Cynthia Ortega (right) was one of 18 attorneys admitted to the State Bar on Jan. 23, 2024.
Extra Work to Finish Early
U.W. Law School graduate Justis Hagberg described his admission to the State Bar as “a little surreal.”
“It hasn’t really set in,” Hagberg said.
Hagberg grew up near Rice Lake in northern Wisconsin and obtained his undergraduate degree from U.W. La Crosse. He has accepted a position with the Dane County Corporation Counsel in Madison.
Hagberg was part of a cohort that graduated law school six months early, by taking summer classes and an extra class or two during the fall and spring semesters.
“Pushing to graduate early was strenuous,” Hagberg said.
Hagberg said he worked to finish early in part so he could apply for the position with Dane County.
“It was nice to do it with my close law school friends,” Hagberg said. “I couldn’t have done it without being with them.”
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley gave remarks to the new attorneys as they were admitted to the State Bar on Jan. 23, 2024.
'He Told Me I’d Make a Great Attorney'
Jessie Fink decided to attend law school at the urging of a coworker.
“When I was a project manager and landscape architect for Smith Group, I had several projects that ended up going poorly,” Fink said. “I was interfacing with our in-house counsel, and he told me that I would make a great attorney, and he needed help.”
Fink worked part time for the Smith Group, a national architecture engineering firm with an office in Madison, during law school at U.W. She’ll continue to work for the firm as an in-house counsel.
“It’s great to be done after four-and-a-half years of part-time law school and having two kids,” Fink said. “It’s great to be able to move on to the next phase of my life.”
Kamau Faines (center) is one of 18 new attorneys admitted to the State Bar during a ceremony before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Jan. 23, 2024.
'Today Means the World to Me'
For Kamau Faines, admission to the State Bar marked the realization of a childhood dream.
“Today means the world to me, means the world to my family,” Faines said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was young. To finally accomplish it means the most.”
Faines, who grew up in Chicago and graduated from Davidson College, graduated from U.W. Law School.
Faines will be practicing in the venture capital group at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in Milwaukee. He said he went to law school to help change the world.
“I felt like there was a space for me in the field of law,” Faines said. “I got exposed to it in college and realized that I could carve out a way, and it was probably the best way to have an impact in this world.”
Attorney John Hawley (right) moves the admission of Jonathon Bennett Young (left) during a ceremony before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Jan. 23, 2024.
'A Job Well Done'
For New Jerseyite Aaron Earlywine, the journey to the U.W. Law School began with a well-timed word of advice.
“I want to help people, and some of the best advice I got was from a mentor in high school who told me ‘Just be part of a team,’” Earlywine said.
“When you’re an advocate, you’re part of someone’s team and you’re working towards a common goal and something bigger than yourself. That always appealed to me.”
A graduate of Villanova University, Earlywine works as a legislative assistant for Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Chippewa Falls). He also interned with the State Bar’s communications team last year.
Jeff M. Brown, Willamette Univ. School of Law 1997, is a legal writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. He can be reached by email or by phone at (608) 250-6126.
Earlywine said he wants to continue in public service, building on his experience working for Rep. Summerfeld and as an intern with a U.S. Senate committee.
“It means a job well done,” Earlywine said of being admitted to the State Bar.
“I don’t like to leave a job half-finished. Law school is long, there are a lot of nights where you say, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ It’s gratifying to know you pushed yourself that hard.”
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn administers the oath to the new attorneys during a ceremony on Jan. 23, 2024.
A Dream Come True
David Princeton began law school at Marquette University 20 years after graduating from U.W. Milwaukee.
Princeton, who owns a risk management consulting firm in Muskego, is an insurance claims specialist. He said he went to law school “to make a difference in the lives of policy holders in Wisconsin.”
He plans to offer legal services in addition to his risk-management consulting services.
“It’s a dream come true,” Princeton said of being admitted to the Bar. “I’ve wanted this day since I was a little kid.”
Welcome to these New Wisconsin Lawyers
Luisa Meyer
Jonathon Bennett Young
Emma Lou Hawley
Jessie Fink
Kamau C. Faines
Eva Karademas
Mark Fernandes
Leigha Vilen
Noah Greyeagle Lee
Justis Hagberg
Laura Niesen
Kyle Rule
Aaron Earlywine
Justis Hagberg
Cynthia Ortega
David Princeton
Walter Wooley
Emina Zukic
