It was a fine and sunny day on Friday the 22nd of August 2003. I had flown home to attend my admission ceremony. My long hard and tedious years at law school and legal professionals had concluded. It was at last the day for me to be admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. We had two choices. We could choose to attend the ceremony in the same town where we studied, and this would be organised for us. Alternatively we could lodge our own paperwork at the high court to request permission to be enrolled in your home town. Naturally, as I had friends and family attending the ceremony, it made sense to be admitted in my own home city.
On the day of my admission I was not in very good health. I was slightly underweight at the time and experiencing stabbing pains and difficulty with my stomach. Fortunately I managed to make it through the day, but not without some stress building up. So much so that when we left the ceremony for celebratory drinks and later dinner, it all came too much for me. I needed some fresh air, and so I had to escape for a little bit. Having stepped outside for some fresh air, I took a short stroll, of about half an hour. By the time we returned to our guests, I felt much better, and was then able to enjoy the rest of the evening.
My Cousins and Uncles and Aunts have travelled down from Auckland. It was fabulous to see them there and I was very emotional. It was so good of them to take time away from their busy work schedules, not to mention, using up their holiday leave. Just to see me. My friends too came. My friends from my work at Farmers, and my friends from church. It certainly is a memory I shall not forget anytime soon.
I was very privileged that the Judge was the same one that my classmates and I had spent many many hours reading and poring over his Judgments. To actually meet him in the flesh was for me, like meeting a celebrity! My sponsor was family friend Murray Callender. The CEO of the government department to which I worked (and now my former boss and friend), also leant me his ceremonial legal wig for the occasion.
Alice Letts 