Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County Court of Common Pleas Law Clerk Alicia Millspaugh poses with Judge Gregory Hammond Friday morning after she took the Oath of Admission to the Pennsylvania Bar in the Main Courtroom.

For the past few months, Warren County courthouse has been working with one law clerk.

On Friday, that clerk, Alicia Millspaugh, took her Oath of Admission as an attorney after passing the Bar Exam.

Judge Gregory Hammond administered that oath to Millspaugh.

“It’s a big deal,” she said. “Now, I turn in the paperwork and I’ll be a lawyer.”

“This is a huge day for Alicia,” Hammond said. “We’re all proud of you.”

Passing the Bar Examination is a major and memorable professional achievement. It is generally the culmination of a seven-year path to becoming a lawyer.

“There’s no feeling like the feeling when you hear you passed the Bar Exam,” he said. “You’ll never forget it.”

For Millspaugh, her first day at the courthouse after hearing she passed started much like any other.

Hammond said they talked about what was coming up and the work she would be doing for about 20 minutes. “Then she left,” he said.

She poked her head back in to mention that she had passed.

Millspaugh made her way to Warren County from the eastern part of the state. She studied political science at West Chester University, passed the Law School Admission Test, and went on to the University of Georgia School of Law.

“After COVID, I wanted a clerkship,” she said. “Legal writing is my strength.”

Hammond confirmed that as he spoke about Millspaugh following the administration of the oath. “She is incredibly talented… an unbelievable writer,” he said.

He supplies her with some background and “a couple bullet points,” when he needs a draft opinion.

“Twice as fast as I ask for it, I get back a 15-page masterpiece,” Hammond said.

While he pores over it to make sure there are no errors, he typically finds none and his response is often, “Looks great. Print it out and I’ll sign it. That’s our working relationship.”

The county was fortunate that Millspaugh was willing to move across the state.

“I have relatives on this side of Pennsylvania,” Millspaugh said. “I applied over here.”

She received an offer and started working.

In June, law clerk Tayler Moses accepted a position as an assistant district attorney for Erie County.

That left Millspaugh as the only law clerk in Warren County.

“I’ve been doing the job of two people,” she said.

That should end soon.

Hammond said a new clerk is expected to start on Monday.

Millspaugh’s mother, Becky, and her grandfather, Richard George, were in attendance at the ceremony, as were numerous court and courthouse officials.

“I’m so proud of her,” Becky Millspaugh said. “She has an amazing heart. It’s not just about her… it’s about her using what she knows to help others.”

Alicia Millspaugh was given the floor to speak following the ceremony. Her comments were brief, but heartfelt.

“Thank you for coming and for supporting me,” Millspaugh said. “This is really exciting.”