The admissions ceremony was held before members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the Assembly Chamber in the State Capitol building. For additional photos, see the albums on Facebook for the 9:30 a.m. and the 1:30 p.m.​ ceremonies.

May 24, 2024 – The new Wisconsin lawyers include a math professor, a young man who faced drug charges and whose public defender changed his life, a paralegal who wanted to do more to help people, and several first lawyers in their families – and first college graduates, too.

Appearing before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in two separate ceremonies, 185 graduates of Marquette University Law School took the Attorney's Oath and signed the Attorney's Roll book, becoming new Wisconsin lawyers on May 20, 2024.

In a welcoming speech, Justice Rebecca Bradley quoted singer-songwriter Bruce Springstein’s song “Badlands:” “Talk about a dream / Try to make it real / You wake up in the night / With a fear so real / You spend your life waiting / For a moment that just don't come / Well, don't waste your time waiting.”

The point is, Justice R. Bradley said, “don’t wait for your life to deliver whatever it is that you seek. Go out and get it.”

Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler, in welcoming the new lawyers, told them, “You’re about ready to fly.”

“People,” she said, “will come to you when they are not at the peak of their game and you're going to help them get through it. ... You’re going to do great things and help people in amazing ways.”

Marquette University Law School graduates take the Attorney’s Oath in the Assembly Chamber at the State Capitol in Madison on May 20, 2024.

Meet Some New Lawyers

Olivia Brinkmeier’s movant was her father, Judge Scott Brinkmeier, Carroll County, Ill. Olivia is the second lawyer in her family and is very much following in her father’s footsteps, said her mother, Denise Brinkmeier. Judge Brinkmeier was a prosecutor for 27 years before becoming a judge. Olivia is headed to Sauk County as an assistant district attorney.

Daniel Bernard Deida (left), a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney, was movant for Suzanne Caulfield. Caulfield, who holds advanced degrees in math and engineering and is an adjunct instructor at Marquette University, is now also a Wisconsin lawyer.

Daniel Bernard Deida, a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney, was movant for Suzanne Caulfield. “She has a Ph.D. in engineering, and for her 50th birthday gift to herself, she went to law school,” said Deida, a 2022 Marquette Law School graduate. They met as classmates on their first day of law school, with Suzanne attending part time. “I’m so tremendously proud of her,” Deida said. “She is truly one of the smartest people I know.”

Law is Suzanne’s third career. She worked as a mechanical engineer for 20 years, then the next decade as a professor of mathematics, teaching at Cardinal Stritch University until it closed in 2023. This past year, she in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences as an adjunct instructor at Marquette University – being both an instructor and a student. “There were some days where I would stand on both sides of the podium during the same day,” she said. Teaching class, she said, is harder than attending class.

She will practice intellectual property law with Quarles in Milwaukee. “It feels amazing” to have achieved her goal, which took five years. “It was long and hard. It’s been a very interesting and educational journey.”

Dusty Ellen Gross signs the Attorney’s Roll book, the final step in becoming a Wisconsin lawyer, in the Supreme Court Hearing Room May 20, 2024, in Madison.

Dusty Ellen Gross started as a paralegal in Oshkosh, then in Appleton. “I thought that was what I was going to do,” then realized she wanted to do more. “I thought that I could do more at the front end. I just want to help people,” she said. “I know it’s cliché, but I genuinely want to make a difference.”

She’s headed to Wauwatosa to practice in employment law. “I will represent police officer and firefighter unions.”

Dusty is the first college graduate and lawyer in her family.

Matthew Kirlin’s parents are lawyers. His mother, Elizabeth Nelson, is an in-house general counsel with Kemin Industries in Des Moines, Iowa, and his father, Kevin Kirlin, is in employment law in Des Moines. Matthew knew he wanted to follow in their footsteps since learning about what his parents did.

Becoming an attorney, Matthew said, represents “three years and a lifetime of work,” and required overcoming thoughts that he would never achieve this day. “It’s a huge honor” to follow in his parents’ footsteps. “I stuck it out and I’m really happy I did. This is absolutely the best decision I’ve made,” Matthew said.

This day, Kevin Kirlin said, represents a “changing of the guard.”

Matthew will take the Iowa bar exam and seeks to practice in employment law or as in-house counsel doing transactional work.

Matthew Kirlin, foreground, stands as his mother, Iowa attorney Elizabeth Nelson, speaks at the microphone as his movant during the ceremony.

Oluwaseun Chris Ibitoye chose law as an undergraduate at Marquette University. He is the first attorney on his dad’s side and has a relative who is a practicing attorney in Nigeria. He hopes to practice criminal law as a defense attorney in Milwaukee.

On this day, he said, after many years of school, he has achieved his dream. “It’s a wonderful accomplishment and a lot of work and we are so very proud of him,” said Femi Ibitoye, his father.

After so much hard work, and ups and downs, said Nike Ibitoye, “I don’t think it has sunk in yet” that her son is an attorney. “I thank God for that. Today is a great day.”

Ciara Hudson studied political science as an undergraduate at the College of Wooster in Ohio. She wanted to work in a field with many options and realized law provides that. She is from Conway, Mass. She heads to Elkhorn to practice civil litigation with Godfrey, Leibsle, Blackbourn & Howarth S.C.

Having a daughter as an attorney is “amazing” and an honor, said Ciara’s mother, Kelly Hudson. And is the culmination of "a lot of extremely hard work, love, and patience,” and watching his daughter grow, added her father, Kurt Hudson.

Ciara’s thoughts, having just signed the Attorney’s Roll book, “Gratitude. I’m just so amazed that I'm standing here.”

New Wisconsin lawyer Ciara Hudson poses for a photo taken by her mother as her father looks on, after the ceremony at the State Capitol.

Alejandro Aguilar Nieto has become a lawyer “to help people.” With a degree in business administration, law was “the next logical step for me.” Born in Mexico, he came to the U.S. at age 3, and grew up in Green Bay. He is the first college graduate and first lawyer in his family. “Today is the beginning of a new chapter. I’m very excited – a little nervous – for what’s to come,” he said. He is returning to Green Bay to be with family and practice business and real estate law. His mother is happy that her son took this career. “I am proud of him for going this far and I’m happy to be here,” she said.

Lorenzo Rodriguez said this moment is “surreal,” and that it is also “awesome being here with my grandparents,” who raised him. Lorenzo’s path to law started when he was 17 and facing felony drug charges in adult court in Racine County. “I got in trouble, and my public defender at the time – I really looked up to her.” The incident and his defense attorney’s help prompted him to think about his life’s path. “I took (those charges) super seriously and realized I didn’t want to go in the direction I was going.” He reflected on his life and “rewrote my story.”

Lorenzo’s achievement is proof that hard work has its rewards. “We are so proud of him,” said his grandparents Cheryl and Ramon Rodriguez. “I’m glad he stuck with it, I really am,” Cheryl added.

Lorenzo said he gives a heartfelt shoutout to two people: Jamie McClendon of McClendon Law LLC, Kenosha, his public defender at the time, and to the person who connected them – Michelle Rainey, a social worker.

Lorenzo is headed to the Kenosha Public Defender’s Office, “hopefully changing people’s lives like everybody did for me.”

Jude Witkowski, second from left, stands with his family before the Supreme Court Hearing Room after becoming a Wisconsin lawyer.

Welcome to These New Wisconsin Lawyers