Awesome Judge Swears Lawyer Into the State Bar While Bouncing Her Baby on His Hip
It's a challenge to graduate from law school. It's also really tough to be the parent of a 1-year-old. Doing both at the same time obviously makes someone a real-life superhero, and that's exactly what Belmont University College of Law graduate Juliana Lamar is. Lamar formally earned her right to practice law last week, BuzzFeed News reports, and a video of her being sworn into the Tennessee state bar is now going viral, because yes, she's amazing, and also, Judge Richard Dinkins offered to let her 1-year-old son be a part of the momentous occasion. He even held the L.O. as he administered her oath.
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Lamar told BuzzFeed News of the milestone, "On the day of my swearing-in, right before we began, Judge said he wanted Beckham to take part in the moment. And I am so glad he did because to have my son take part in one of the greatest moments of my life was truly a blessing." Lamar had previously worked for the judge as a clerk in the Tennessee Court of Appeals and considers him an inspiration and major supporter.
Another one of Lamar's cheerleaders, her law school colleague Sarah Martin, posted a clip of incredible moment on Twitter, writing, "Y'all. Judge Dinkins of the Tennessee Court of Appeals swore in my law school colleague with her baby on his hip, and I've honestly never loved him more." She went on to explain that Lamar is "a badass," elaborating that her colleague was "back at school within a week of an emergency C-section before she was even allowed to drive or climb stairs."
Y'all. Judge Dinkins of the Tennessee Court of Appeals swore in my law school colleague with her baby on his hip, and I've honestly never loved him more. pic.twitter.com/kn0L5DakHO
— Sarah Martin (@sarahfor5) November 9, 2019
Martin also added that Lamar is one of four amazing women who welcomed little ones during their time at law school.
She's one of four women in our class who became moms while in law school. Women are amazing.
— Sarah Martin (@sarahfor5) November 9, 2019
Another Twitter user and lawyer named Stephanie pointed out that the kind of support Judge Dinkins showed Juliana Lamar is what working moms across all industries deserve.
Think how different things would be if more working moms had this kind of support within their industry. We make it so hard for women to have careers and a family. This is such a nice thing to see.
— Stephanie (@_stephanieESQ) November 11, 2019
Although Judge Dinkins and Lamar's colleagues are obviously standing with her, Lamar says she could have used more support from her law school, which she said had a strict policy about how many classes a student could miss. "The pressure I felt was horrible, and I hope it has led my law school to rethink its policies for future mothers," Lamar told BuzzFeed News. "I understand having a child during law school is often a choice, however, as young female professionals, there is not a perfect time for us to have children."
That's a truth all too many people will relate to. With hope, they can look to Lamar as an inspiration. According to Martin, the young lawyer's judicial clerkship will be up August 2021, after which she'll practice sports/entertainment or corporate law.
