Each semester, the Office of Clinical Legal Education at Syracuse University College of Law marks an important milestone for its clinic students: the Clinic Swearing-In Ceremony. The event formally welcomes students into their roles as student attorneys and underscores their professional and ethical responsibilities to the clients they will serve.
On February 5, 2026, 81 law students participating in Syracuse Law’s clinical programs took the Student Attorney Oath during a ceremony presided over by the Hon. Wendy A. Kinsella L’95, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of New York. The ceremony was held in the College of Law’s Melanie Gray Ceremonial Courtroom and brought together students, faculty, and administrators to celebrate the start of the students’ clinical practice experience.
During the ceremony, students pledged to act in the best interests of their clients, uphold the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, and serve with integrity, diligence, and courage; commitments that mirror the responsibilities they will assume as licensed attorneys.
“You are no longer just students of theory,” Judge Kinsella said. “You are now practitioners in training, ready to use your skills for service and advocacy. This journey ahead will be very demanding, but it is also immensely satisfying.” Judge Kinsella reminded students that lawyering is as much about listening and compassion as it is about knowing the law. She emphasized the importance of treating clients as people, not problems, maintaining respect and integrity in every interaction, and earning trust as counselors and advisors.
Syracuse Law offers seven in-house clinics that allow students to represent real clients under faculty supervision, applying doctrinal learning in high-impact, hands-on settings, and is among the very few law schools nationwide to offer fully online, in-house clinical experiences as part of an ABA-approved hybrid JD program. Three clinics, the Sherman F. Levey ’57, L’59 Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, Transactional Law Clinic, and Bankruptcy Clinic, are offered online through the College’s innovative JDinteractive (JDi) program.
The JDi program is a flexible, ABA-approved hybrid Juris Doctor pathway designed for students who cannot relocate or attend law school full time on campus. JDi students complete the same curriculum, meet the same academic standards, and participate in the same experiential learning opportunities as residential students, including live-client representation through Syracuse Law’s clinical programs.
“Clinical education is where students begin to see themselves as lawyers,” said Professor Jessica Murray, Director of the Transactional Law Clinic. “Whether students are working in person or online, the clinic experience demands accountability, empathy, and real-world problem-solving. The oath they take at the swearing-in reflects the ethical responsibilities to their clients that they will uphold in their clinical work and in practice once they are admitted to the Bar.”
The ceremony was hosted by the Office of Clinical Legal Education and opened by Professor Suzette Meléndez, Director of the Syracuse Medical Legal Partnership. Dean Terence Lau L’98 also addressed the students, emphasizing the seriousness of the oath and the responsibility that comes with representing underserved and often marginalized clients.
“This ceremony reflects who we are as a law school,” said Professor Beth Kubala, Executive Director of the Office of Clinical Legal Education. “Our clinics place students in positions of real responsibility, serving clients who may not otherwise have access to legal representation. The oath they take today is the foundation of ethical lawyering, and the beginning of a transformative professional journey.”
For students, the ceremony marked a powerful transition from classroom learning to client-centered advocacy.
“Taking the oath marked a shift in our legal careers,” said student attorney Pamela Reynolds L’26. “Knowing that real people are relying on our work carries weight far beyond an assignment. That responsibility is humbling, motivating, and central to why I came to law school.”
The Spring 2026 Clinic Swearing-In Ceremony reaffirmed Syracuse Law’s long-standing commitment to experiential education, access to justice, and preparing students—across modalities—for meaningful, service-driven legal careers.
