On the morning of November 16, the State Bar of Texas will congratulate and administer the oath of office to hundreds of incoming attorneys at the New Lawyer Induction Ceremony, held at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin at 10 a.m. Almost 2,000 test-takers passed the July 2015 Texas Bar Exam and are eligible to be inducted at the event.

While the ceremony takes place twice each year, this particular one is notable because it will include not only new lawyers but also established attorneys from across the state. Following the 84th Texas Legislature’s passage of SB 534—which added to the lawyer’s oath a pledge to advance civility and integrity—the State Bar has invited all practicing attorneys to come to Austin to recite the new oath with their colleagues.

If you will be attending the event, you’ll notice that the construction of the Dell Medical School Project is still underway and some streets and parking lots are closed. Please read on for important information regarding these changes.

Be sure to use the hashtag #newTXlawyer when sharing photos and posts on social media. If you’re unable to attend the ceremony in person, you can watch a live stream of the event on the TexasBarCLE website (requires Microsoft Silverlight).

Stay tuned for the December issue of the Texas Bar Journal, which will feature the speech of the bar exam high scorer, exam pass rate information broken down by law school, an essay on the history and importance of the new civility pledge, and photos from the induction ceremony.

Street Changes

  • Red River Street is closed between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 15th Street.
  • 15th Street lanes have shifted, so traffic can be somewhat heavy during morning rush hour.

Parking Options (a map of parking locations is available on the Erwin Center’s website)

  • State Visitors Lot
    1201 San Jacinto
    2 hours free
  • UT Trinity Parking Garage
    1815 Trinity
    $12
  • Lot 108
    Located off the I-35 southbound frontage road near 15th Street
    $12

If you have any additional questions, please contact the State Bar Membership Department at (800) 204-2222, ext. 1383, or (512) 427-1383.