Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn administers the Attorney’s Oath during the ceremony on April 22, 2026.

May 6, 2026 – From first-generation college graduates to internationally trained attorneys, Wisconsin’s newest lawyers reflect a wide range of journeys into the profession. Their journeys represent years of persistence, personal sacrifice, and for some, paths across states and continents.

These new Wisconsin lawyers were admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin in a ceremony before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 22, 2026, taking the Attorney’s Oath and signing the Wisconsin Supreme Court Roll book as the final steps to being admitted.

Jacquelynn B. Rothstein, director of the Board of Bar Examiners, said 48% of the 54 individuals who took the February exam passed it, and 68% of those taking the exam for the first time passed the exam. “The Board extends its congratulations to these men and women here today,” she said.

Wisconsin Supreme Court ​Chief Justice Jill Karofsky, center, welcomed the soon-to-be Wisconsin lawyers, during the ceremony in the Supreme Court Hearing Room in Madison.

The new admittees were welcomed by members of the Supreme Court as well as State Bar President Dan Gartzke.

In her remarks during the ceremony, Justice Rebecca Dallet offered this advice to the new admittees: That strong lawyering is not just about making arguments, but about building meaningful, human connections through intentional communication.

“The reality is that law school doesn't really teach us the key to being a good communicator – forming a connection with the person that we're talking to,” Justice Dallet said.

What helps is to approach every conversation with the intent to understand. “What's important is wanting to connect, wanting to understand someone, wanting to have a deep conversation, even when it would be so much easier to walk away.”

Here are the stories of three new Wisconsin lawyers:

Hayden Searcy signs the Attorney’s Roll book following the ceremony.

Hayden Searcy: ‘Dream Come True’

Hayden Searcy’s path to becoming a lawyer wasn’t a straight one. Growing up in Watertown, he left Wisconsin for college in Ohio and spent years moving around, never expecting to return. “Fifteen-ish years later, life has a funny way of working out,” he said, reflecting on the journey that ultimately brought him back to Madison, where he is now beginning his legal career.

Searcy’s decision to pursue law came after years of uncertainty about whether it was the right path. Although he studied political science and criminal justice as an undergraduate, he initially hesitated to begin law school. It was only later, after reading The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, that his perspective shifted. The book’s portrayal of a society without meaningful legal protections “got me really interested and inspired me to go to law school,” he said.

Searcy earned his J.D. this year from the University of Louisville. He is the first person in his family to attend college, and the only lawyer among his relatives. Searcy starts as an attorney with the Madison office of Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice (formerly Cornielle Law Group LLC), where he will focus on civil defense.

Admissions, coming at the end of years of effort – taking the LSAT, and three years of law school – felt “kind of surreal,” he said, but also exciting. “It feels pretty good, and – a little cliché to say this – a dream come true.”

Hamza Bukhari and his wife, Sania Basharat, welcome their newborn son, Rahmir, at about the same time he was notified that he passed the Wisconsin bar exam.

Hamza Bukhari: A Global Perspective

Hamza Bukhari’s path to becoming a lawyer spans continents, shaped by both ambition and a deep connection to family.

He began his legal education in Pakistan, then earned his law degree through the University of London before moving to the U.S. to pursue an LL.M. at DePaul University in Chicago, and worked as a paralegal at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.

Bukhari’s decision to seek admission in Wisconsin was driven by a personal connection to the state. “I love visiting Wisconsin and this building,” he said of the State Capitol, recalling a visit that left a lasting impression. “I came here about two years ago and I just loved the building and I loved the idea of getting sworn in here.” That moment became a goal – one that ultimately led him to sit for the Wisconsin bar exam and begin his legal career in the state.

For Bukhari, the journey to this day has been both long and deeply meaningful. “Ever since I got into law school, the goal was to become an attorney and practice law. I took a longer route, but the day I've always waited for is finally here,” he said.

The milestone is made even more significant by the presence of his family, including his wife, Sania Basharat, and their newborn son, Rahmir. “On such a special day I get to celebrate with my close family.”

Bukhari’s background gives him a global perspective and a strong sense of purpose rooted in both his personal and professional journey.

Danielle Holder was one of 17 admittees to take the Attorney’s Oath before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 22, 2026.

Danielle Holder: Exending Her Practice

Danielle Holder brings a seasoned perspective to her admission to practice in Wisconsin, having already practiced law for more than two decades in Minnesota.

Based in Minneapolis, Holder was an attorney with the Minnesota Department of Transportation for more than 15 years before becoming in-house counsel for Xcel Energy in the Minneapolis area. Her decision to seek admission in Wisconsin is a natural extension of that work, allowing her to more fully support her company’s operations in the state and expand the scope of her practice.

Holder’s path into the legal profession began as a leap into the unknown. As the first person in her family to attend college, she pursued law because “it seemed exciting,” a decision she says has proven worthwhile over time. “No regrets,” she said. She earned her J.D. at Mitchell Hamline in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“I like working for a single client and getting to know all the legal aspects of that. I practice real estate, but it touches upon regulatory, commercial, and financial areas. It’s nice to be able to have that breadth of work,” she said. “I’m excited for this far into my career to find new things to learn and to expand my practice,” she said.

Welcome to These New Wisconsin Lawyers

Via Foreign License

Conner Brian Brightwell

Danielle Holder

Via Bar Exam

Philip Anderson

Hamza Bukhari

Chloe Callier Carpentier

Jacob Logan Collier

Luis David Escorcia Pimienta

Jennifer L. Fischer

Sawyer T. Kuck

Maria Guerra Lapacek

Paige McCoy

Kenechukwu Tochukwu Nnadi

Daniel North

John F. Pasternak

Hayden Alexander Searcy

Beth Leigh Stevermer

Erin M. Stilp