Friends and family from as far away as Hamilton and Palmerston North joined Waipawa born and raised lawyer Bodee Oliver when he was admitted to the bar at the High Court, Napier, last week.
It ended years of study, exams, working through the holidays, and was a bit surreal, hesays.
"I had been looking forward to this since I started university, and suddenly it was here."
Now working full time at Davidson, Armstrong and Campbell as a staff solicitor, he also worked there in the holidays while he was studying and was employed only three days after he finished his final exams in November last year.
Senior partner John Campbell says that during Bodee's work experience, the partners were impressed with his enthusiasm and how quickly he caught on to things.
Since working full time, he has come on in leaps and bounds, Mr Campbell said.
"He is enthusiastic and hard working - his car has already been seen in the carpark on several Saturdays."
Bodee is the only one in his family to follow the legal profession, and now he is officially a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, he is looking forward to a long, fruitful career.
