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Justice Terrence O'Donnell of the Supreme Court of Ohio spoke to 260 incoming law students about professionalism on Thursday at Capital University Law School's fall orientation program.
“Maintaining professionalism is essential to the practice of law,” Justice O'Donnell said. “I am particularly honored to deliver the keynote address with reference to the level of professionalism expected of all lawyers.”
Justice O'Donnell told the future lawyers that he was extremely impressed with the faculty and administration at Capital University as well as the outstanding gavel presentation program presented at the orientation, a tradition that was started 10 years ago by Steve Bahls, former dean of Capital University Law School. Incoming students are presented with gavels at the opening convocation as a way to instill in them a greater sense of professionalism and make them feel that they are part of the profession from the first day they begin studying law. At graduation, students receive the sounding block that complements the gavel, book-ending their legal education.
Justice O'Donnell is actively involved in promoting the importance of professionalism among lawyers. He is a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Professionalism, which promotes professionalism among attorneys admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, and devotes its attention to the law as a profession and maintaining the highest standards of integrity and honor among its members. He also helped Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer initiate the Court's Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program, a one-year voluntary program for new lawyers that began last month and is designed to help ease the transition from law school to law practice through an ongoing relationship with an experienced attorney.
Justice O'Donnell was appointed to the Court in May 2003 and was elected in 2004. He has been a member of the state judiciary for more than 25 years, and previously served as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and as a judge on the 8th District Court of Appeals in Cuyahoga County.
For a high resolution, publication-quality photo of Justice Terrence O'Donnell, please click on the above photo or visit: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/Press_Releases/2005/odonnell_highres.zip.
Contact: Katie Riedel or Chris Davey at 614.387.9250.