FEBRUARY 2014 BAR EXAM HIGH SCORER REMARKS - Called to the Bar - by Eric Gerard

Sep 21, 2026

February 2014 bar examination high scorer Eric Gerard delivers remarks at a Texas bar admission ceremony. He thanks the Supreme Court and attendees, then credits study support, including Barbri online lectures, and acknowledges Bruce Oakley’s mentorship and leadership at Hogan Lovells. Gerard also thanks his wife, Vanessa, and urges new lawyers to remember those who supported them. He connects the phrase “called to the bar” to a communal ritual and explains its meaning through legal history, from common law traditions to foundational American milestones, culminating in the oath and practice of law.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Called to the Bar - by Eric Gerard

Thanking supporters and mentors

Bar exam pass rate information

Meaning of “called to the bar” and legal tradition

FEBRUARY 2014 BAR EXAM HIGH SCORER REMARKS Eric Gerard (middle) was the high scorer on the February 2014 bar examination. From left: Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, Gerard, and Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht. Gerard, an associate with Hogan Lovells in Houston, is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. Called to the Bar BY ERIC GERARD MR. CHIEF JUSTICE AND MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT; MADAME PRESIDING JUDGE AND MEMBERS OF THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS; the Board of Law Examiners; and the countless other distinguished guests here with us: Please accept our sincerest thanks for sharing in this ceremony, which marks, for many here this morning, the transformation from layperson to lawyer. While our place here is largely a product of years of hard work and determination, it is not all our own doing. Many others have sacrificed to get us to this point, and, second only to taking the oath of office at the end of this ceremony, the most important thing we can do today is thank them for all they’ve done to help us reach this defining moment. For my part, I’d first like to thank that nameless software developer at Barbri who made it possible to watch those excruciating lectures online at one-and-a-half times their natural speed. Whoever you are, wherever you may be, without your foresight and skill, I would never have been able to get through two of those things a day during my time off in February and thus surely would not be here this morning. Second, and more seriously, I’d like to thank Bruce Oakley, who made the trip to Austin this morning with his lovely wife, Jennifer. Bruce is a former judge, a fine lawyer, and an even finer human being. Bruce also happens to be the managing partner of the Houston office of Hogan Lovells, which I joined last summer, so I have to tread carefully here or I may end up with an “urgent” doc review project this coming weekend. It’s safe to say, however, that Bruce has become a mentor both in the law and in life since my wife and I moved to Texas, for which I am deeply grateful. Thank you, Bruce, for your guidance, your wisdom, and your friendship. 596 Texas Bar Journal • July 2014 [texasbar.com](texasbar.com) Finally, and most importantly, I’d like to thank my beautiful wife, Vanessa, the inspiration of both all my success and my joy. While meeting you was the greatest gift I could ever receive, marrying you was the greatest achievement to which I could ever aspire, and the only one that really matters at the end of the day. Those are the people who put me behind this podium. Think about the folks who saved your seat here today. And don’t go to sleep tonight until you’ve thanked them for all they did to help get you here. Let me suggest you think about something else as well: Find a few moments in the days ahead to FEBRUARY 2014 BAR EXAM PASS RATE INFORMATION The table below shows the number of graduates from each accredited Texas law school who took the bar exam for the first time in February, the number that passed, and the percentage that passed. LAW SCHOOL Baylor SMU South Texas St. Mary’s Texas A&M Texas Southern Texas Tech U. of Houston U. of Texas TOTAL TESTED 37 25 111 42 48 24 24 32 17 360 PASSED 33 18 93 28 42 16 22 27 10 289 PASS RATE 89.19% 72.00% 83.78% 66.67% 87.50% 66.67% 91.67% 84.38% 58.82% 80.28% Some nights, as I was leaving my office in downtown Manhattan and walking across Foley Square to the subway, I would stop at the steps of that magnificent courthouse that has served as the backdrop of so many movies and Law & Order episodes. I would stare atthe words etched in granite across the front of its famous portico, words drawn in substance from a letter from newly inaugurated President George Washington to our nation’s first attorney general:“The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government.” And I realize

FAQs

Who delivered the remarks for the February 2014 bar admission ceremony?

Eric Gerard, the February 2014 bar examination high scorer, delivered the remarks.

What groups and individuals does Gerard thank during the ceremony?

He thanks the Supreme Court and court members, the Board of Law Examiners and guests, a Barbri software developer for online lectures, and Bruce Oakley for mentorship. He also thanks his wife, Vanessa.

How does Gerard explain the meaning of being “called to the bar”?

He describes it as a communal ritual in which elders evaluate newcomers before inviting them into the legal profession. He links the phrase to common law tradition and to a historical lineage reaching through major American legal milestones.

Sep 21, 2026

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