Liberty Law graduates launch into the legal profession at Supreme Court of Virginia swearing-in ceremony

Over 20 recent graduates from Liberty University School of Law were sworn in before the Supreme Court of Virginia earlier this month, taking an oath that signifies their admission to practice in the courts of the Commonwealth and celebrating their entrance to the law profession.

The Admission & Orientation Ceremony was held on Dec. 3 and is sponsored by the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Section. Participation is not required, but it admits new attorneys to practice in all courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia instead of seeking admission in each individual court.

Liberty Law Dean Timothy Todd and Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development Rodney Chrisman attended the ceremony alongside the graduates. As part of the ceremony and as a member of the Virginia State Bar, Todd was invited by Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn to sponsor the motion for the Liberty Law graduates to be admitted. Todd then read each of the graduates’ names before the court, and each stood when his or her name was called. The clerk of the court administered the Oath of Fidelity to the Commonwealth and the Oath of Attorney at Law.

“This is one of my favorite days of the year,” Todd said. “It is incredibly special — and a privilege — to move for the admission for our recent graduates here in Virginia. The ceremony is a special session of the Supreme Court of Virginia and a hallmark for new Virginia attorneys. It truly culminates their journey to becoming lawyers. As a member of the Virginia State Bar, I’m humbled to be a part of that journey.”

Prior to the ceremony, Liberty Law held a luncheon in Richmond for the graduates and their families to fellowship and reunite with each other.

Brooke Santoyo (’25), who currently serves as a law clerk for two judges in the Lynchburg Circuit Court, said being sworn in represents her “professional commitment to the people of Virginia.”

“After three intense years of law school, it was an honor to be sworn in before the Supreme Court of Virginia and be formally entrusted with the responsibility to serve clients and uphold the rule of law,” she said. “Being sworn in for the Commonwealth of Virginia is significantly important for me because it is not only the place where I am beginning my career, but this Commonwealth was the beginning for many of the nation’s earliest lawyers and statesmen. The law was shaped here by figures whose work still guides our legal system to this day.”

Santoyo said she was grateful to have her Liberty Law family beside her.

“To have taken this step alongside my classmates made the day even more meaningful. Being together at the ceremony — remembering the first day of law school and seeing how far we had come to become Virginia attorneys — was a special moment,” she said.

For over 20 years, Liberty University School of Law has been Training Champions for Christ to enter their careers as practice-ready attorneys and legal professionals. With an innovative Lawyering Skills Program, Liberty Law is modeling for the academic world how to equip students to pursue excellence in their field while maintaining a commitment to biblical values. Liberty Law offers a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) with 12 areas of study; Juris Master (J.M.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) programs are offered online.