n 1997, a doctor told Rick and Sherry Moss that their 3-year-old daughter Haley had not yet spoken because she is autistic.

Their daughter would likely never graduate from high school, the doctor said, never make a friend, never get a driver’s license.

On Friday, Haley Moss became a member of the Florida Bar. She took the oath of attorney during a ceremony at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami. The oath was administered by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lisa Walsh.

“I became a lawyer, and I became a judge because I have the facility of speech,” Walsh said, noting she is privileged to have this ability. “It’s a great privilege for me to swear in somebody that has actually had to overcome issues and develop skills that may not be natural.”

Moss’ swearing-in came six months after she gave the commencement speech at her alma mater, the University of Miami School of Law; 3½ years after receiving both a B.A. and a B.S. from the University of Florida; four years after she published her second book; six years after she graduated from the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale; seven years after her art was honored by the Dan Marino Foundation; and 21 years after her parents were first told that none of these feats would likely be realized.

After graduation, Moss landed a job as an associate with Zumpano Patricios. Founders Joe Zumpano and Leon Patricios attended the ceremony with about 15 of the firm’s Miami attorneys.

Moss and Zumpano were introduced by a former partner at the firm whom she met in college. She clerked for Zumpano’s firm last summer and was offered a job upon graduation. For Zumpano, who has a 16-year-old autistic son, the moment was cathartic, as she represents the hopes and aspirations of all those with autism, including his child.