FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2016) -- Seven Army officers and three civilian attorneys from Fort Drum's Office of the Staff Judge Advocate took the oath of admission on Nov. 2 to practice law in federal court.
Senior U.S. District Judge Norman Mordue, a former air artillery officer and Vietnam War veteran, presided over the ceremony and administered the oath. This was not his first time swearing in a group of Soldiers, and Mordue said that he was pleased to see this new crop of military lawyers admitted into federal court.
"I hope they realize that we appreciate so much of what they're doing, and we respect so much right now of what they have achieved," Mordue said. "They are in the service to help defend our country, and we are proud of that and proud of the accomplishments they have made over the years."
The Honorable Andrew T. Baxter, U.S. magistrate judge, spoke at the admission ceremony. He said that the three qualities every attorney should embody as they practice law are integrity, civility and diligence.
Baxter said that they must remember that the rule of law works and that justice is served only when lawyers represent clients both zealously and ethically.
He added a fourth quality for the Army officers.
"I know this is an Army town, and I know Soldiers can handle more than three things," Baxter said. "So I am going to take the risk and suggest one more quality as a lawyer that you want to consider. And that is your obligation as lawyers to be public servants."
Baxter urged the attorneys to invest more time and effort in serving communities through volunteer opportunities.
"For those of our new lawyers in uniform, and others like Judge Mordue who completed distinguished military careers before becoming lawyers, you exemplify the most honored ideals of public service," Baxter said.
Before the official ceremony, the group gathered for a professional development session with attorneys from federal district courts in the Northern District of New York. Lt. Col. John J. Merriam, Fort Drum deputy staff judge advocate, said that this annual event continues to build the relationship between military and civilian legal professionals in the local communities.
"Actually we've been doing this for decades," he said. "This is just our annual opportunity to bring our new (Staff Judge Advocate) officers in and have them sworn in to practice before a magistrate court. We are part of the profession of law, and that profession depends upon a great many things -- a common set of rules of conduct that foster collegiality, civility and candor. That's what bar associations are about: they bring attorneys together so they get to know each other and form relationships that lead to collegiality."
The types of cases the attorneys can now try in federal court will be offenses against federal law allegedly committed by civilians, such as minor traffic or misdemeanor offenses, but not civil cases like divorce hearings.
"So if it happens on the installation and it violates federal law and committed by a civilian, then that has to be prosecuted before a federal district court," Merriam said.
The following attorneys from Fort Drum received their certificates from Mordue: Maj. Sherod L. Davis Sr., Maj. James W. Kitchen Jr., Capt. Austin Bowyer, Capt. Daniel P. Kelly, Capt. Alana R. Kitchen, Capt. Katlyn M. Van Driessche, 1st Lt. Stephen J. Clarke, D.J. Phillips, Donna M. Reed and Bronwyn I. Wilson.
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