Nancy Martinez Ramirez (center, in red) celebrates with her family after the admissions ceremony on May 18. Photos by Shannon Green and Kara Olson. See a gallery of photos for the 9 a.m. and the 11 a.m. ceremonies on the State Bar of Wisconsin Facebook page.

May 27, 2026 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court admitted 170 Marquette University Law School graduates to the State Bar of Wisconsin on May 18 in two ceremonies in the Assembly Chamber at the State Capitol.

After an enthusiastic welcome from Chief Justice Jill Karofsky, lawyer parents, relatives, and even a sibling moved for several students’ admissions. Marquette Law School Dean Joseph D. Kearney, saying he was sad to see these students leave but happy to welcome them as colleagues, moved for the admission for the rest of the class.

Each prospective lawyer took the attorney oath, administered in both ceremonies by Justice Annette Ziegler. Following the ceremonies, the new admittees signed the Book of the Attorney’s Roll.

Making Connections One Conversation at a Time

In her remarks, Justice Rebecca Dallet offered a reminder that the work of building trust, serving clients, and strengthening communities begins in everyday interactions.

“As you embark upon your legal careers, I hope you will seek out and make meaningful connections with your clients, your colleagues, your friends, and that person in line at Starbucks,” Justice Dallet said. “Connecting with others is how we improve our mental health, our happiness, and our longevity. It's how we can move beyond ourselves and focus on our greater good. And it all starts one conversation at a time.”

Soon-to-be-Wisconsin lawyers take the Attorney’s Oath during the 9 a.m. ceremony.

Samantha Crivello: Familiar Name, New Desk

Samantha Crivello begins her legal career at Crivello, Nichols, & Hall, S.C., in Milwaukee, where she interned as a law student.

That “Crivello” in the firm’s name belongs to her grandfather, Frank Crivello, a founder of the firm. Samantha Crivello is familiar with relatives in the legal field: Her mother is Judge Laura Crivello, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and her father is Frank T. Crivello II, at Warshafsky Rotter Tarnoff & Bloch, S.C., in Milwaukee.

There is a benefit, she admits: “People return my emails right away.”

Becoming a lawyer was not always Samantha Crivello’s plan. “I was very adamant of not doing what my parents did for a very long time,” she said. That changed in college, when a broad range of political science classes drew her toward law. She expects her initial practice to focus primarily on civil rights, governmental agency work, and critical incident response.

For Samantha Crivello, the swearing-in ceremony marked the close of one chapter and the beginning of another. “It almost feels like it's been a lead up to this since I was, I don't know, in kindergarten,” she said. “This isn't the end of your educational journey, but it's the end of the sitting in the classroom part of it.”

Judge Crivello said that “the fun part about Samantha being a lawyer is that she's very analytical in thought. When she started to go through her high school years, I thought for sure she was going to be a lawyer because she's so analytical in the way she thinks about things.”

Her father said Samantha’s grandfather would have been proud, adding, “I think the only people who are prouder than he is are her mom and me.”

Samantha Crivello, second from right, waits with her family to sign the Attorney’s Roll book. From left: Atty. Frank Crivello II, sister Sydney, Samantha, and her mother, Judge Laura Crivello.

Haley Haddad: Turning a Goal of Helping Others into a Law Career

Haley Haddad is now the first lawyer in her family. A Milwaukee native, Haddad said Marquette University Law School was a natural choice after attending Indiana University for her undergraduate degree. “I went out of state for undergrad at Indiana University. And I wanted to move close to home, and Marquette is a great law school.”

Haddad said she was undecided in college but knew she wanted a career focused on helping others. “I always wanted to help people, especially those who aren't as privileged as I am. I thought that being a lawyer would be a good way to do this,” she said.

Next, Haddad will join La Fleur Law Firm in Milwaukee, a civil litigation firm, where she will focus on family law.

For Haddad, the swearing-in ceremony marked both the end of law school and the beginning of a new professional chapter. “I look at it as a very big accomplishment,” she said. “Still, it hasn't hit me yet that I'm a lawyer.”

Ethan Lamb: A Sports Law Path from Milwaukee to North Carolina

For Ethan Lamb, law school felt like a natural path because of the subjects that had interested him most throughout school. “My best classes were history, social studies, civics, and economics, so it seemed like a natural route.”

Lamb came from North Carolina to Marquette because of its sports law program and hopes to build a long-term career in sports law. He was a legal intern for the Milwaukee Brewers from May 2025 to April 2026, focusing on areas including intellectual property and real estate. “It was amazing,” he said. “I enjoyed every second of it.”

Next for Lamb is taking the bar exam in North Carolina – while keeping his Wisconsin license – and continuing to work in sports-related legal practice.

His mother, Kim Lamb, traveled from North Carolina for the ceremony and said the day was emotional. “I’m overjoyed because I know how hard Ethan has worked to get here,” she said.

Family members prior to the 9 a.m. ceremony wave at the new admittees.

Macy Oleszczuk: A Full-Circle Family Moment

For Macy Oleszczuk, being sworn into the Wisconsin bar continues a family connection to the legal profession. Her father, Timothy Oleszczuk, previously practiced law, and her older brother, Griffin Oleszczuk, graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2022.

Macy said her interest in law began early and grew through school, family influence, and seeing her brother’s path. “I've always wanted to go to law school,” she said. “Every class that I took surrounding it was always very interesting to me.”

The swearing-in carried special meaning for the family. Griffin moved Macy’s admission after Timothy had moved Griffin’s admission, creating a full-circle moment for the Oleszczuks. “It means a lot to have my entire family here,” Macy said.

On this momentous day, “You think about the moment when you were a first-year law student stressed about your first exam and wondering, can I pass?”

Next, more studies: Macy plans to pursue an MBA at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Joseph Tierney V: Carrying Forward a Family Legacy

Joseph Tierney V is the fifth in his family – and the numbers I through IV have all been lawyers.

His father, Joe Tierney IV, with Amundsen Davis in Milwaukee, said the family legacy is meaningful, but secondary to his son’s choice to serve others. At age 84, Tierney V’s grandfather, Joseph Tierney III, still practices, with Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols, S.C., in Milwaukee.

Tierney V’s decision to pursue law was not automatic, and only came during college for him. “I really wanted something directly, intellectually stimulating,” Tierney said. “I've always loved to read, I debated in high school, and that was when it started being the right fit for me.”

Tierney said he sees law as a way to bring his interests together while staying connected to people and doing practical problem-solving. “Law is both academic in nature as well as service oriented.” Tierney said he will pursue business law in some form, drawing on his experiences in tax, real estate, M&A, and professional sports law at Marquette.

For Tierney V, the swearing-in ceremony “captures not just the last three years of law school, but also a lifetime of development up to this point,” he said.

His mother, Jennifer Tierney, moved his admission to the bar 28 years after she was admitted herself. “That's such a great privilege. And we are so very proud,” she said.

Joe Tierney V signs the Attorney’s Roll book following the 11 a.m. ceremony.

Diego Romero: Outstanding New Lawyer

Diego Romero became the first lawyer in his family – following years of hard work and determination.

Romero, recognized in 2025 – when a 2L – as the Outstanding Public Interest Law Student of the Year from Marquette, said the moment felt meaningful not only for him, but for his classmates as well. “It's a big accomplishment,” Romero said. “I'm grateful for my parents and all my friends, the professors, all my supervisors, everyone that mentored me along the way.”

Romero said he entered the legal profession to have a career centered on service and justice. “I wanted to go into a profession where I could help people,” he said. “I was passionate about justice and righting wrongs in the world and promoting accountability.”

Originally from Gilberts, Illinois, a small town in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Romero plans to work in southeast Wisconsin in worker's compensation or personal injury law. His parents, Miguel and Teresa Romero, were there to celebrate the milestone. “Oh, I am so proud of him,” Teresa said. “Very proud and very happy for him.”

Welcome to These New Wisconsin Lawyers