USC Gould School of Law hosted its annual Bar Admission Ceremony on Dec. 8 at Bovard Auditorium, formally recognizing recent graduates who passed the July 2025 California Bar Examination and welcoming them into the legal profession.
The Honorable Bobbi Tillmon (JD 1977) administered the oath of admission to the State Bar of California. The Honorable Jacqueline Chooljian (JD 1986) administered the federal court oath. Student Bar Association President Caitlin Cummings served as bailiff for the ceremony, which was attended by family, friends and members of the Gould community.
Dean Franita Tolson addressed the graduates and reflected on the preparation and responsibilities that accompany admission to the bar.
“All of us at Gould are certainly proud of you,” Tolson said. “You have proven not only through your thorough knowledge of the law, but also that you have the discipline and the character to be outstanding attorneys.”
Tolson noted that the graduates’ legal education extended beyond doctrinal training.
“Over the course of your legal education, I know that you learned much more than just the lessons in the classroom,” she said. “You also learned lessons in resilience and perseverance and the value of being caring and collaborative. I know that you will be better lawyers because of all of that.”
A judge for the California Superior Court, Tillmon swore the graduates into the State Bar of California, and she also emphasized the importance of ethical practice.
“If I were to give you any advice, I would say no matter how or where you choose to practice, protect your license,” Tillmon said. “It is the most precious and hard-earned asset that you have. You must not let anyone or anything jeopardize your license. You must protect it, and (you do that) by practicing in an ethical and civil way.”
Chooljian, a magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, who administered the federal court oath, encouraged the new attorneys to view their licenses as a means of service.
“I urge you to use your new powers for good, beyond earning a living for your families,” Chooljian said. “You now have a license to serve. You get to use your legal expertise to help people solve their problems, and to make it through what may be very difficult times. That is a noble calling.”
According to the State Bar of California’s results, 92.9% of USC Gould’s first-time test takers passed the July 2025 exam — the third-highest mark among law schools statewide, and more than eight percentage points higher than the overall average for first-time test takers.
The ceremony took place as USC Gould continues to mark its 125th anniversary, recognizing more than a century of legal education and alumni contributions to the legal profession.
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