Judge Advocate General’s Corp

Judge Advocate General’s Corp
Lawyers for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines
2013-2014

Becoming a lawyer for the military can be an extremely rewarding way to serve your country while gaining exposure to a wide-variety of practice areas. Being in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps is truly one-of-a-kind experience. In your first few years as a Judge Advocate, you might be fully litigating a criminal trial, defending the U.S. Government against a taxpayer whose house got damaged by falling aircraft parts, or briefing troops on “shoot/don’t shoot rules of engagement” and laws of armed conflict. Each branch of the military has its own JAG Corps and hires interns and officers through a unique application process:

Army JAG
The Army JAG will be hosting an informational presentation on September 19, 12:00 – 1:00 pm, in 209 BLB. Learn more about the Army JAG Corps; who they are, what they are looking for in prospective candidates, and what you can expect upon joining. All students are encouraged to attend!

Internships – Every Army JAG applicant must (1) fill out an online application form and (2) interview with a Field Screening Officer by November 1, 2013. A Field Screening Officer will be interviewing UHLC students on-campus September 20, 2013. You will be able to bid for an interview through the “Recruiting” tab in Symplicity August 26 – 29, 2013. The online application form can be found at: http://www.goarmy.com/jag/applications-and-procedures.html.

Permanent Positions – Same process as above.

Air Force JAG
Internships – Detailed application instructions for the Air Force JAG internships will be posted on www.usajobs.gov during the application acceptance period. For their 2013 summer internships, the application acceptance period was November 28 – December 27. Stay tuned for updates about the application acceptance period for their 2014 summer internships.

Permanent Positions – Current students can apply for permanent positions through the Graduate Law Program (for 1Ls) and One Year Law Program (for 2Ls). Graduating law students can apply through the Direct Appointment Program. More information can be found here: http://www.airforce.com/jag/.

Navy JAG
Internships – Due to budget constraints, the Navy JAG currently offers only unpaid internships. Click here for the application form: http://www.jag.navy.mil/careers_/careers/opportunities_internship.html.

Permanent Positions – The Student Program is the most common way to become a Navy JAG Officer. It enables law students to commission in the inactive Navy Reserve while attending law school. Upon law school graduation, bar admission, and successful completion of the Navy Office Development School, participants are appointed as active-duty Navy judge advocates. You must fill out an online application and request an in-person interview. Detailed information can be found here: http://www.jag.navy.mil/careers_/careers/opportunities_sp.html. Deadlines for 2013 – 2014 have not been posted yet. Stay tuned for updates.

Coast Guard JAG
Internships – CGJAG has unpaid internships at most legal offices and accepts applications on a continuous basis. Students interested in applying for a summer internship at a particular legal office must send a cover letter, writing sample and resume (and perhaps additional information) to the point of contact for that legal office. To receive contact information for particular legal offices or if you just want more information on available positions, contact the Direct Commission Lawyer Program Manager.  LT Kate Grossman Kate.J.Grossman@uscg.mil. More information can be found here: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/recruit/DCL_FAQ.asp.

Permanent Positions – The application deadline for the Coast Guard’s Direct Commission Lawyer Program is September 16, 2013 and December 16, 2013. All applicants for Coast Guard officer commission programs work with a Coast Guard recruiter to prepare and submit their application. Recruiters likewise arrange an officer interview, commissioning physical exam, and background screen; key components to your application package. Click here for more detailed information about the application process and how to find a recruiter: http://www.gocoastguard.com/find-your-career/officer-opportunities/programs/direct-commission-programs.

Marine Corp JAG
Students interested in the Marine JAG should contact a recruiter for more information. Recruiters can be located here: http://www.marines.com/home.