Phi Alpha Delta Law
Fraternity
Initiation
Ritual
2010
The Initiation
Ceremony
After
the room has been properly prepared and the officers have taken their proper
seats, the Marshal shall go to where the initiates, chapter members, and chapter
guests are assembled and inform them that the Initiation is about to commence.
The Marshal shall admit the chapter members into the room where the Initiation
is to take place and seat them in the chairs reserved for members. Then the
Marshal shall escort the guests into the room and seat them in the seats
reserved for guests.
The
Marshal and a designated member shall return to where the new members are
waiting and shall form them into a single line in alphabetical order. After this
is accomplished, the designated member shall return to the Chapter Room and
indicate to the Chapter Justice that the new members are ready to be escorted
into the presence of the Chapter.
While
the Chapter Justice is being so informed that the new members are ready to be
escorted into the Chapter Room, the Marshal shall address the new members:
MARSHAL:
I will now escort you into the
presence of the … Chapter for your initiation into Phi Alpha Delta. Please
give your serious attention to our statement of principles and ideals which will
be given to you during this ceremony.
As you enter the
room, please remain standing until you are asked to be seated.
When
notified that the new members are ready to enter, the Justice shall sound the
Gavel and say:
JUSTICE:
The new members for admission
into Phi Alpha Delta are about to be escorted into the Chapter Room.
Will all present
please stand.
Whereupon
the Marshal shall escort the new members into the Chapter Room and station them
before the chairs provided, taking care that the alphabetical arrangement is not
disturbed.
Then
the Justice shall say:
JUSTICE:
Please be seated
Then
the Justice shall sound the Gavel and say:
JUSTICE:
The purpose of this meeting is
the Initiation of new members into our Fraternity and Chapter. This is a proud
and happy occasion for the … Chapter,
as the benefits of membership in Phi Alpha Delta and active participation in
Fraternity activities will now be possible for a new group of members.
On behalf of the
Chapter, I extend a cordial welcome to our prospective members and their guests.
I ask your careful
attention and earnest consideration of our statement of principles which
follows.
The
Marshal shall then stand at the front center of the seated new members and shall
address the Chapter Justice as follows:
MARSHAL:
Justice …, I am pleased to
present the following new members for membership in Phi Alpha Delta Law
Fraternity, International: Then
the Marshal shall read the list of all new members: B.B., C.D., etc.
I request that they
be admitted into membership of Phi Alpha Delta so that the Bond of Fraternalism
which is the essence of Phi Alpha Delta may be extended to each of them.
Then
the Justice shall address the new members thusly:
JUSTICE:
You have been invited to join
with us in the membership of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International.
Before we proceed, however, there is a duty which the laws of the fraternity lay
upon me. I must place before you certain matters of which we request your
deepest consideration.
Phi Alpha Delta
offers you an opportunity to translate an ideal into the practical side of your
professional life. As aspiring members of Phi Alpha Delta, you must assume
certain obligations and loyally fulfill them. This being so, in fairness to you
and to ourselves, some indication of these obligations should necessarily be
given to you at this time.
The fact that you are
here together is symbolic of our Fraternity. With a common purpose and united by
that bond which is Phi Alpha Delta, we aid each other in finding the way to
honorable professional service within the legal profession. United by that bond,
we can achieve much for ourselves, for our profession, and for humanity.
The attributes of
Integrity, Compassion, and Courage, complemented by Professional Service, are
fundamental principles of Phi Alpha Delta, and the indispensable ingredients of
the character of a true lawyer. The Chapter Officers, here with me, will now
address you concerning these attributes.
Addressing
the new members, the Vice Justice shall say:
VICE
JUSTICE: Integrity is one of
the indispensable attributes of the legal profession. It is that characteristic
which makes a lawyer’s services acceptable before the tribunals of our land.
It is that unchanging
spirit of fidelity to principles which makes it impossible for a true lawyer to
mislead a court, distort the rule of law announced in a decided case, or deceive
a client as to the strength or weakness of his cause. It is that undeviating
loyalty to truth which makes it impossible for one lawyer to mislead another as
to the status of a matter, the availability of witnesses, or the merits of a
cause. It is that subordination of one’s own personal gain or an advantage for
one’s client to a higher principle which makes candor a habit and a lawyer’s
word a universally accepted bond.
Integrity makes of
each lawyer a custodian of those high principles of the legal profession which
ensure our heritage of human freedoms, individual liberties and equal justice
under law for all of our citizens; to tolerate the abridgement of these
principles is to forfeit the right to declare that one is “of the law” - a
lawyer.
Addressing
the new members, the Clerk shall say:
CLERK:
Compassion and Courage are two
additional principles which every lawyer must possess.
Compassion leads a
lawyer to accept the cause of the unfortunate, the underprivileged, and those
who are the object of scorn and public disfavor.
Courage brings the
lawyer to press these causes and to defend the rights of these persons with full
abilities and a stout heart.
Compassion and
Courage are essential if a lawyer is to be a true servant of the law for all the
people. One who would serve the law and attempt less than complete loyalty to
these principles is unworthy of the status of a lawyer, or of membership in this
Fraternity.
Addressing
the new members, the Treasurer shall say:
TREASURER:
In conjunction with the
principles of Integrity, Compassion, and Courage - and deriving strength from
them - is another which is required.
This principle is
Professional Service.
Professional Service
is of vital importance in our ever-changing world and increasingly complex
society. Professional competence is the capstone of a lawyer’s essential
structure of principles and virtues. Public trust demands the enlightened
leadership which lawyers are especially well qualified to provide. If the legal
profession is to fulfill its responsibilities to society, we, as lawyers, must
assume the obligations of effective and competent professional service and must
discharge these responsibilities with the utmost of our abilities. Only then
will our free institutions survive and the principle of Equal Justice Under Law
become a reality for all of humanity.
Competent and
effective Professional Service, in every form, is a proper complement to a
lawyer’s indispensable attributes of Integrity, Compassion, and Courage and is
the essence of Phi Alpha Delta.
JUSTICE:
So that you may better
understand your responsibilities as a member of Phi Alpha Delta, the Chapter
Vice Justice will now explain to you the symbolic meaning of our Coat of Arms.
Whereupon
the Marshal shall place the Coat of Arms in a position where it is readily
visible to all the new members and proceed to a standing position adjacent to
the initiates. After this has been accomplished, the Vice Justice shall address
the new members thusly:
VICE
JUSTICE: Before you is the Coat
of Arms of our Fraternity. An understanding of the symbols of our Coat of Arms
will give you a better understanding of the principles and ideals of Phi Alpha
Delta and of your responsibilities as a member of our Fraternity.
The Book of Law,
located on the right side of the shield, typifies that immortal and undying
spirit which is in truth the Law - to which all precedents must bow and all
rules conform. May this spirit, which is the law, inspire you with an
ever-abiding faith in the Rule of Law, which is worthy of your loyalty and
support....pause...
The Lamp of Learning,
located above the shield, signifies that only through great industry and
application will true learning be acquired. To be worthy of the title... “a
lawyer” ... you must be diligent in your application to the study of law
throughout your legal career. Only then will your accomplishments serve as a
true guide to those who follow you...pause...
The Scales of
Justice, located on the left side of the shield, represents the impartiality of
the Rule of Law which gives to every individual true justice, without favor or
distinction.
You are of the law...
a lawyer... only if you can judge with impartiality and fairness to all...pause...
The Scroll, located
below the shield, contains the name of our Fraternity...Phi Alpha Delta...and
signifies that fraternal bond which unites us into a cohesive force for the
advancement of the legal profession and of our Fraternity...pause...
Our name...Phi Alpha
Delta...connotes the Greek phrase “Philos Adelphos Dikaios”.
Translated into our
contemporary language “Philos Adelphos Dikaios” stands for “Justice is a
Dear Brother”, and in another translation, “Love of humanity and justice for
all”.
Our name thus
signifies the two basic precepts upon which our Fraternity is founded:
Fraternalism - the joining together in a common spirit; and Justice - that ideal
which we who have chosen the legal profession must preserve by exemplifying the
principles of Integrity, Compassion and Courage and by devoting our time and
talent to Professional Service...pause...
The Column, which
supports and sustains all the other symbols on the Coat of Arms, represents our
membership, whose duty it is to maintain the principles and ideals of Phi Alpha
Delta and to pass them on, intact, to those who follow us.
Then
the Marshal shall return to seat provided for the Marshal. Thereafter, the
Justice shall say:
JUSTICE:
So that you may have a better
understanding of the principles upon which our Fraternity was founded, the
Chapter Clerk will now address you.
Thereupon,
the clerk shall address the new members thusly:
CLERK:
Phi Alpha Delta is unique in
that it is the only law fraternity which was founded as a result of a legal
controversy. It has grown to its size and structure today from a series of
events commencing in 1897.
On November 4, 1897,
the Illinois Supreme Court, without prior notice, adopted a rule retroactively
affecting all new members for admission to the Bar. In response, a group of law
students formed the Law Student League with the avowed purpose of obtaining an
exemption for those students who had commenced their legal education prior to
the adoption of this rule. The League was successful in obtaining passage by the
It soon became
apparent that this type of organization had universal appeal and that its
benefits should be made available to all members of the legal profession.
Accordingly, Lambda Epsilon Fraternity was dissolved by unanimous action of the
Third Biennial Convention, meeting at the Colonial Tavern in South Haven,
At a subsequent
meeting in
By 1910 the number of
chapters had grown to twenty-three. In 1969, the Fraternity chartered its first
active chapters outside the boundaries of the
Thus, growing from a
tiny nucleus originating in a legal controversy at the turn of the century, Phi
Alpha Delta has achieved a position of preeminence among the law fraternities.
As you become members
of Phi Alpha Delta, we ask your aid and support to ensure that our Fraternity
and its principles will endure into the future - as it has in the past - with
the aid of those who have preceded you as members of Phi Alpha Delta Law
Fraternity, International.
Then
the Justice shall address the new members:
JUSTICE:
You have now heard our
statement of those principles and ideals which must dominate the professional
activities of a member of Phi Alpha Delta, and indeed, of every member of the
legal profession...pause...
To signify your
acceptance of these principles and ideas as your own, I will now administer to
you the Oath of Membership in Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International.
Will the new members
please stand.
Then
the Marshal shall stand at the rear of the new members. Thereupon, the Chapter
Justice shall stand and raising the right arm in the manner of giving an oath,
shall administer the Oath of Membership, saying:
JUSTICE:
Raise your right hand and
repeat after me: I solemnly and sincerely promise and swear...that I will
support...the laws and legal precepts of my country...and of its legal
entities...that I will respect their courts...and obey their legal
mandates...that I will be just and honorable...in all my professional
activities...and will be faithful...to those whom I represent...and that I will
support...the Constitution, Rules and Principles...of Phi Alpha Delta Law
Fraternity, International,...insofar as they do not conflict...with my religious
or civil duties.
JUSTICE:
Please be seated.
After
all the new members have been seated, the Marshal shall return to the regular
station, and the Justice will be seated. Thereupon, the Justice will say:
JUSTICE:
In a moment you will sign the
Official Roll of the Chapter signifying your formal entry into the membership of
this Chapter.
You will receive the
Fraternal Greeting of the Fraternity, which consists of a normal handshake with
the index finger extended along the wrist of the other member touching the
pulse. This greeting is symbolic of the Bond of Fraternalism which Phi Alpha
Delta exemplifies.
Thereupon,
the officers shall leave their posts and in single file, station themselves near
the table upon which the Roll of the Chapter is placed.
After
all officers are at their proper stations, the Clerk shall open the Roll of the
Chapter to the proper place and distinctly call, alphabetically, the name of
each initiate, who will then sign the Roll.
After
the signing of the Roll of the Chapter, the Justice shall extend the Fraternal
Greeting to each initiate, followed by the Vice Justice and Treasurer.
It
is appropriate and recommended at this portion of the ceremony that each
initiate be invested by the Vice Justice and Treasurer, aided by the Marshal,
with an appropriate item of Fraternity jewelry, or in lieu thereof, with a Red
Carnation, the official flower of the Fraternity.
Thereafter,
each initiate should return to the seat heretofore provided. After the above has
been accomplished, the officers shall return to their seats.
Then
the Justice shall address the Chapter, saying:
JUSTICE:
Members of Phi Alpha Delta, I
take you all to witness that the new members here present have been duly
initiated into our Fraternity and Chapter, have taken the Oath of Membership,
and have signed the Official Roll of the Chapter.
Then
the Justice will sound the gavel and shall address the new members:
JUSTICE:
Will the new members please
stand.
After
all new members are standing, the Justice shall stand and raise the right arm in
the manner of giving an oath and say:
JUSTICE:
Now, by virtue of the authority
vested in me, I declare you members of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity,
International, and of the … Chapter of the Fraternity. I hereby invest you
with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereto.
Please be seated.
After
all new members are seated, the Justice will be seated and, addressing the new
members, shall say:
JUSTICE:
On behalf of all members of Phi
Alpha Delta, I extend to you a cordial welcome into our Fraternity. We are happy
to have you join with us in furthering the principles and ideals of Phi Alpha
Delta.
Here
the Justice may add such additional words of welcome as are appropriate.
Then
the Justice will face the Alumnus Member and say:
JUSTICE:
I now recognize …, who is
present as a representative of the Alumni of Phi Alpha Delta.
The
Justice may add such introductory remarks as may be appropriate to further
identify the Alumnus Member.
Then
the Alumnus Member will stand and say:
ALUMNUS
MEMBER: As a member of the
Alumni of Phi Alpha Delta, and representing all of its alumni members, I extend
to each of our new members a fraternal welcome into our Fraternity...(pause)...
Facing
the new members, the Alumnus Member shall say: To
you, our new members, we offer the assistance of the Alumni in the achievement
of your goals. I urge each of you to seek the aid and guidance of the Alumni of
Phi Alpha Delta whenever we can be of service. You will find us ever ready to be
of help to you...(pause)...
Turning
to face the assembled Chapter Members (or Chapter Officers), the Alumnus Member
shall say: To you, the older
members of this Chapter, I commend these new members and urge you to make them
welcome in your midst so that they may soon realize the true and full
significance of membership in our Fraternity.
Then
the Alumnus Member shall be seated.
Thereafter,
the Justice shall address the new members thusly:
JUSTICE:
The development and maintenance
of a special relationship between the student and alumni members of Phi Alpha
Delta is of vital importance and is a unique characteristic of our Fraternity. I
commend to you the greetings of our Alumnus Member.
Then
the Justice shall face the Alumnus Member and say:
JUSTICE:
… name
of Alumnus Member, on behalf of our Chapter, please accept our
sincere appreciation for your presence and participation, which will serve as a
reminder to each of us of the Bond of Fraternalism which exists between all
members of Phi Alpha Delta.
Then
the Justice shall address the new members thusly:
JUSTICE:
Your initiation into Phi Alpha
Delta is now completed, and you are now full members with us in Phi Alpha Delta.
I charge each of you to hold foremost in mind the principles and ideals to which
you have subscribed today. With your help, Phi Alpha Delta can remain a real,
living force for the advancement of our profession and so of humanity.
Adjournment
The
Justice shall sound the gavel and say:
JUSTICE:
Will everyone present please
stand.
We have gathered here
today to advance in this meeting the principles and ideals of Phi Alpha Delta by
the initiation of the new members present here with us.
The admission of our
new members will ensure the future of Phi Alpha Delta and of our Chapter, and we
are indeed proud to have them join us in Phi Alpha Delta.
In adjourning this
meeting, let us do so with the firm resolve that our new members will be made
welcome into our midst as full members of this Fraternity and Chapter.
I now declare this
meeting of the ... Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International,
adjourned.
Thereafter,
the members present will be afforded the opportunity to greet and congratulate
the new members.