This picture pays tribute to friends, family, and fiancés who provide every kind of support through the often grueling process of prepping for the bar. L to R: Bar passer Rachel Gonzalez is backed by her fiancé, previous Bar passer Michael Mahoney (Law ’11), Bar passer Erick Rhoan is backed by his girlfriend Taylor Hartline, while Bar passer Barbara Taylor Bell gets support from her husband.
Also passing the February Bar but not pictured: Brittany Nicol, Karnig Panosian, Matt Schmidt and Jason Taylor
Bar passers were celebrated at the traditional Champagne Reception at San Joaquin College of Law on May 21st. The February Bar brought good news for the SJCL Class of 2011; its Bar pass rate now stands at 80 percent. For some members of that class, that pass didn’t seem like a sure thing. “Why bother looking? I know I didn’t pass.” That seemed to be the feeling knotted up inside Barbara Taylor Bell, as the SJCL grad hesitated before logging in to see if she had passed the February Bar. It wasn’t the best of omens when ExamSoft crashed on her computer after the first question on the first day of the Bar exam. She had to finish with pencil and paper. And then there was the black screen on her computer which confronted her on another day after a ten-minute break. Why bother looking.
Last year, the Fresno Bee ran a picture of Barbara’s family, including her grandchildren, at graduation. They asked the Fresno Pacific grad why she would go to law school at this point in her life. “Every family needs a lawyer,” she told them. Now hers has one.
Erick Rhoan admits he sobbed for a minute after learning he had passed. His grandfather, Joseph Rhoan Sr., died just a couple weeks before Erick took the Bar. Erick identifies him as “one of the great father figures” in his life, adding “he thought he world of me, even keeping a photo album of some of my little Father’s Day arts and crafts I made him in kindergarten.” While his grandfather lived to see him graduate from SJCL, Erick wished he could have seen him pass the Bar as well. He dedicates this victory to his grandfather, but says it’s a bittersweet moment. As for the future, Erick would like to stay where he is. He has been working as a law clerk for Weakley & Arendt for nearly two years, and hopes to stay on as an associate attorney.
Bar passer Karnig Panosian may also be looking to turn a clerkship into an attorney position. He was unable to attend the Champagne Reception because he was working late at the Beth Egan’s (Law ‘95) office, better known as the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.
Rachel Gonzalez also plans to turn her clerk position into that of associate attorney at Cole Fisher Bosquez-Flores Cole & O'Keefe, APC. Her mother, Leah Cole (Law ’92), is a partner in the firm, but that’s not Rachel’s only connection to SJCL. She was joined at the reception by her classmate and fiancé, Michael Mahoney, an associate attorney in the Law Offices of Quinlan, Kershaw & Fanucchi. Michael passed the July bar, but was unable to make it to the November Champagne Reception in his honor. He was included with those hailed and hugged.
Others who passed the February Bar but were unable to attend the reception include Brittany Nicol, Matt Schmidt, and Jason Taylor. Congratulations to all!