Raymond Bilter began law school with a mission: Join the U.S. military be a judge advocate, commonly known as a JAG.
These attorneys serve essential roles in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy, providing legal services to military personnel with family law issues, veterans with benefits disputes and soldiers in courts-martial, for example. Members of the various Judge Advocate General’s Corps sometimes advise military leaders.
From the start of his academic career at the Marshall–Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary, Bilter did everything he could to increase his odds of becoming a JAG. The New Jersey man took classes to prepare for a military law career, including a course in maritime law, and became president of his school’s Military & Veterans Law Society.
For the 29-year-old, joining the JAG Corps means the fulfillment of a dream. The third-year law student was recently accepted into the Navy’s JAG program and expects to receive his commission within the next few months.
“I decided this would be an incredible way to serve my country and be a lawyer,” he says.
Knowing what traits military recruiters seek in JAGs may help prospective law students decide which law schools provide the best preparation for a JAG job, experts say, and it can also inform the decisions of law students who want to stand out to JAG recruiters.
Here are five traits that experts say are essential in a JAG.
1. Versatility: Cmdr. Sylvaine Wong, deputy director for recruiting and diversity in the U.S. Navy JAG Corps, says the most competitive applicants to the JAG Corps are those who have excelled in multiple areas, including academics, sports and other extracurricular activities.
Wong also looks for leadership potential, interpersonal communication skills, a commitment to public service, prior military experience and grace under pressure, she says.
2. Self-reliance: Experts say a beginning JAG is expected to take on hard assignments without much hand-holding. Young JAGs are rarely relegated to the sorts of research tasks that might be expected of young attorneys in a corporate law firm, experienced JAGs say.
“You have a lot more responsibility right out of the box than you would in a private setting,” says Col. Robert DeSousa, a JAG for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
DeSousa says young JAGs are sometimes asked to give legal advice to commanders in combat who need to know which battle strategies are consistent with international law.
Experts say JAG Corps applicants must demonstrate the confidence necessary to practice law in high-pressure environments.
“They want people who aren’t afraid to litigate,” says Capt. Matthew Pinsker, a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Pinsker says one way law students can prove their mettle is through trial advocacy experiences, such as mock trial competitions and internships with either prosecutors or public defenders.
[Discover 10 diverse careers for law school graduates.]
3. Physical fitness: Experts say JAG officers are expected to meet or exceed the fitness standards set for ordinary soldiers, which means that people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, may be disqualified.
Pinsker of the U.S. Army Reserve says physical fitness is crucial for a JAG applicant.
“It’s going to be the one legal interview where they ask about your physical fitness and what you do to keep in shape,” he says.
Bilter, the William & Mary law student, says prospective law students interested in a JAG career should research the fitness requirements for each branch and determine whether they can realistically meet those requirements.
[Hear a JAG attorney describe her military career after law school.]
4. Humility: “You have to be able to put your ego aside and work for Big Army,” says Lt. Col. Gary Port, a longtime JAG who recently retired from the U.S. Army Reserve. “A person who has an attitude and who is out only for themselves is not a good fit.”
Experts say JAGs may be deployed to combat zones and assigned to roles they might not have chosen.
DeSousa says a JAG needs to be comfortable with uncertainty. “If you are someone who wants to feel that they are always in control of their schedule and life, maybe it’s not the right occupation for you,” he says.
Lt. Gen. Dana Chipman, who retired in 2013 after serving as the Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army, says working well with others is a must.
“If you don’t have a team focus, if you tend to be a loner and want to succeed independently and not have to focus on team success, you’re not the right fit,” Chipman says.
Experts say one way for JAG applicants to demonstrate a selfless attitude is through consistent community service and teamwork.
[Consider practicum opportunities when choosing a law school.]
5. Adventurousness: Experts say JAGs should be eager to explore legal specialties, because they will be called to serve in a variety of legal roles. Applicants should communicate their enthusiasm about the variety of legal experiences that the JAG Corps offers.
William & Mary student Bilter says one of the things that attracted him to the career was the diverse array of legal experiences he could get on the job, including an abundance of trial advocacy experiences.
“I’d like to keep learning,” Bilter says. “It keeps it interesting. It keeps it challenging.”
Searching for a law school? Get our complete rankings of Best Law Schools.
More from U.S. News
Sell Yourself to Reach Law Schools
Prepare for a Judicial Career in Law School
Anatomy of a Law School Recommendation Letter
5 Traits Law Students Can Develop to Be a Military Attorney originally appeared on usnews.com
