FIFTY-THREE OF the 92 new attorneys sworn in on Oct. 27, 2003 - nearly 60 percent - are women, reflecting a pattern of increasing numbers of women attending law school. Currently women constitute about 50 percent of law school enrollments, according to the American Bar Association. Women account for slightly more than 31 percent of the active membership of the New Hampshire Bar.

It is not the first time in recent years that women have outnumbered men in a group of new admittees, but the female percentage this year is believed to be the highest ever.

The new admittee group was one of the smallest in several years for a fall swearing-in (composed primarily of recent graduates who took the July bar exam), but will be followed by a boomlet of admittees who will enlarge the ranks of the New Hampshire Bar next year. More than 120 attorneys are in the process of securing admission to the Bar through the new admission-by-motion process, which was approved by the Supreme Court a year ago and became effective last spring. (See accompanying table of admissions for the past 11 years.)

The group sworn in last week included eight attorneys whose applications for admission-by-motion were approved in time for them to be included in the swearing-in ceremony with candidates who passed the Bar exam last July. However, court officials said that in the future, the admission-by-motion candidates will be sworn in separately. According to court officials, another 20 applicants for admission by motion were approved in mid-October, but not in time to be included in the formal swearing-in, and another 100 or so applicants are currently being reviewed by the Court's Committee on Character & Fitness.

Court officials said admission-by-motion candidates will be sworn in without fanfare regularly throughout the year. A swearing-in for approved admission-by-motion candidates will be held Jan. 13, 2003.

Meanwhile, the bar exam appears to be as imposing an obstacle as ever for today's new graduates. The pass rate for the July sitting for the Bar exam was 62 percent, up from an extremely low 53 percent in the May exam and unchanged from 63 percent a year ago. However, only three years ago, the passing rate percentage was in the mid-70s.

NH Supreme Court Associate Justice John Broderick, along with NHBA President Russell Hilliard and ABA State Delegate Stephen L. Tober, addressed the new admittees, praising the informality and collegiality of the New Hampshire Bar, and providing advice to those just entering the profession. Broderick laid down a black-letter rule: "Never lie - not to your clients or your adversaries or the court. You may have some awkward or embarrassing moments as a result of following this rule, but it will be well worth it. Your currency is your reputation and your reputation can be damaged in an instant. Seeking a momentary advantage can hurt you for the rest of your career."

Broderick also offered advice on balancing the practice of law with outside interests. "If you do not have any interests outside the law, develop one. It will make you a better lawyer."

Based on information submitted by the new admittees, 23 of the 92 listed no business address or indicated they are still looking for legal employment. Twenty-nine are employed by New Hampshire law firms, nine have taken public-sector jobs in New Hampshire, and 13 are employed by Massachusetts law firms. Seven new admittees work as in-house counsel, including five in New Hampshire, and seven are law clerks in the NH state courts. Pierce Law graduates accounted for 22 of the new admittees, followed by Suffolk Law (11) and Boston University (7). Boston College and New England Law School accounted for five each, followed by Vermont (4), and Connecticut and Syracuse with three each.

In recent years, the swearing-in has taken on more of a family feeling, with Bar members being granted the privilege of moving for the admission of sons, daughters and spouses. (A special connection binds a new admittee and a member of the Bar. See accompanying article.) Increasingly, young children and infants are in attendance at swearing-in ceremonies. At the reception, the children wander among parents and well-wishers, freely sampling refreshments and trying out the chairs in the justices' conference room.

This year, the following members of the Bar were moved for the admission by family members:

• Elizabeth H. Cleary, by her father, William Cleary, of the Cheshire County Attorney's Office, Keene.
• Dorcas Jessica Gordon, by her father, Ned Gordon, of Wescott, Millham & Dyer, Laconia.
• Andrew M. Kennedy, by his father, Donald Kennedy, of Kennedy Law Office, Manchester.
• Jared O'Connor, by his mother, Laurel O'Connor, of NH Legal Assistance, Manchester.
• Robert A. Pearce, by his wife, Renelle L'Hullier, of Devine, Millimet & Branch, Manchester
• Cyrus F. Rilee, III, by his wife, Laurie Rilee, of Shaheen & Gordon, Dover.
• Jeanne Saffan-Grill, by her husband, Steven Grill, of Devine, Millimet & Branch, Manchester.

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