Law firms may not be hiring right now, but Uncle Sam is still looking for a few good men — and attorneys are taking note.
The U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force report a surge in applicants for Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps jobs in recent years, according to recruiters and military attorneys.
That trend accelerated in 2008, and several branches report that they are on track to hit record numbers of applicants in 2009. Snagging a position as a military attorney is more competitive than ever. "We can be more selective because we have so many more applicants," said Lt. Cmdr. Jennie Goldsmith, a Navy JAG recruiter. The Navy received more than twice as many applications in the now-complete 2009 recruiting period than it did in the previous year.
It's difficult to pinpoint the precise reason, but the recession certainly seems to be a factor. Major law firms have laid off thousands of attorneys in the past year, many recent law school graduates have been struggling to find employment and some solo practitioners are having a hard time keeping the lights on.
"People are looking for stability right now. We don't offer the salaries that the larger law firms do, but we offer diverse practices and diverse locations," said Lt. Col. Paulette Burton, the chief judge advocate for recruiting for the Army. "As the economy continues to go in this downward spiral, [judge advocates] can count on their salaries and their benefits. We don't lay people off."
Beefed up recruiting efforts and a wave of interest among young people in public service also are contributing to the flood of JAG Corps applicants. Cmdr. Jon Peppetti, a Navy judge advocate since 1996, has noticed a shift in the mindset of new military attorneys.
"People are coming in with a greater sense of purpose," said Peppetti, who is assigned to an aircraft carrier group in the Atlantic Ocean. "I think there really is a sense of calling. People want to be part of a team."
Each service branch recruits its judge advocates separately. Some compile applicant data by calendar year, others by the fiscal calendar, which extends from the start of October to the end of September. The Army has the largest JAG Corps, with approximately 1,700 judge advocates. Burton didn't have hard numbers, but said Army JAG Corps applications increased by about 30% in fiscal year 2009.
CHOOSIER THAN EVERThat boost in applications has allowed the services to be choosier than ever. The selection board looks for well-rounded candidates with leadership potential, Burton said. "I'm really impressed by the backgrounds of the people here," said 1st Lt. Brett Cramer, who graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law in May 2008 and is five months into his training to become an Army judge advocate. "A lot of people who haven't considered the JAG before are looking at it now."
The Air Force has the second-largest JAG Corps, with about 1,200 judge advocates. In 2008, it received 769 applications for 120 positions, up by 27% from the 605 applications it received in 2007, according to Lt. Col. Bryan D. Watson, an Air Force judge advocate. The Air Force received 480 applications between January and the end of May, meaning 2009 is on pace to eclipse last year's total.
"Anything that we could say about why there has been an increase would be purely anecdotal," Watson said. "It may well be that at least part of it is due to our increased visibility. But it may be because of the economic situation. We just don't know."
Melody Briand, who graduated from the University of Akron School of Law in December 2008, was initially rejected by the Air Force JAG Corps last fall. She reapplied and was accepted in February, when the selection board chose just 20 of the 210 applicants. She recently passed the Ohio bar and will begin her military training in August.
"I was definitely concerned after I was rejected, but I was told that [rejection] is common and I should just keep applying," Briand said. "I really didn't think I would get it."
The Navy JAG Corps has approximately 750 judge advocates and has seen the most dramatic increase in applicants from 2008 to 2009 — a 100% jump. The Navy received 923 applications for the 2009 fiscal year, Goldsmith said, and accepted about 75. Slightly more than 8% of the applicants made the cut.
The Marine Corps, which has the smallest lawyer compliment at about 440 judge advocates, has also seen an increase in applications, said Capt. K. A. Laretto, the deputy staff judge advocate for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command. The total number of applications was not readily available because the Marine Corps doesn't maintain statistics on the number of applications it rejects, Laretto said. It typically accepts 45 judge advocate applicants with no prior military service per year and another seven to 10 who are already officers in the Marine Corps.
"The slots fill up very quickly," Laretto said. "The number of applicants we have been accepting has been pretty constant in recent years, but we are seeing rising interest, especially with the economy being the way it is."
Law students still account for the majority of judge advocate applicants, but several of the branches have noted a spike in applications by practicing attorneys. That trend suggests that the sluggish economy is prompting more attorneys to consider the military, recruiters said. "I'm getting phone calls from licensed attorneys, where they mention that job security is something they're interested in," said Goldsmith, the Navy judge advocate.
The Navy JAG Corps typically receives 40 to 50 applications annually from attorneys in private practice. In 2009, it received applications from about 200 practicing attorneys — a 300% increase. The Air Force received 322 applications from practicing attorneys in 2008, up by nearly 36% from 2007. Already in 2009, 212 practicing attorneys have submitted applications. Although the Army does not break down its recruiting statistics between law students and practicing attorneys, Burton said that there was an increase in the number of practicing attorney who applied during its spring selection cycle. Practicing attorneys typically make up 20% of the applicants accepted, she said.
"A lot of them, I've noticed, practice in solo law firms that just aren't making money right now," Burton said. "I haven't seen a lot of people from the large law firms."
AFTER THE SERVICESome judge advocates end up leaving the military to go into private practice. The military does not keep statistics on the careers of former judge advocates, but several people familiar with the JAG Corps estimated that between 60% and 70% end up in government positions, with another 20% to 30% going to private practice. A few take jobs with nongovernmental organizations. "I've known folks to go into private practice or government employment, including the Department of Justice," Watson said. "I know people who have gone on to become county or state prosecutors. There are even people who have gone into academia. The judge advocate experience translates well."
Being a judge advocate doesn't pay like large law firms, which offer starting salaries as high as $160,000 for first-year associates. Judge advocates — who are officers — make the same base salaries as non-JAG Corps officers in their branch. They receive a monthly tax-free housing allowance and a basic allowance that varies according to base assignment. The military traditionally has not offered law school loan repayment help, the Army recently announced that it would begin offering loan repayments of $65,000 for judge advocates.
Starting base pay for Army judge advocates is about $40,000 a year, Burton said, but the various allowances add about $14,400 to that total. Starting compensation including allowances for Marine Corps judge advocates is between $42,000 and $52,000, Laretto said, while total Navy compensation starts at between $53,000 and $60,000.
Although recruiters can't match the salaries offered at large law firms, they tout the hands-on roles that judge advocates play and the ability to practice many different types of law. Most judge advocates start off providing legal help to service members and their families. They prosecute and defend military personnel before courts-martial and advise military leaders on the rules of engagement, the Geneva Conventions and other operational issues.
Judge advocates have been active in Iraq and Afghanistan, often being called in to help commanders plan military strikes with an eye to avoiding civilian casualties and adherence to the laws governing armed conflict.
Laretto, the Marine Corps judge advocate, served in Iraq and handled legal tasks ranging from evaluating claims by Iraqis for damages caused by the U.S. military to advising Iraqi judges on legal procedures.
The prospect of early courtroom experience — something they wouldn't typically get in the law firm environment — is a particular draw, according to the recruiters.
Courtroom experience was one of the reasons that 1st Lt. Chris Fuller committed to becoming a Marine Corps judge advocate before he enrolled at Seton Hall University School of Law in 2006. The Marine Corps commissioned Fuller, who graduated in May, three years ago and he will begin his military training after taking the New York and New Jersey bar exams this summer. Judge advocates must be admitted to a state bar — which state doesn't matter — before they begin their military legal training.
Fuller liked the idea of simultaneously building a military and legal career — and having a job waiting for him lifted a lot of pressure, he said.
"I heard of a lot of my fellow students had job offers taken away or had their offers deferred, so I think I'm in a good place — careerwise — in this job climate," he said.
Briand said that serving her country, getting early trial experience and the stability that comes with a military career were all reasons that she applied to the Air Force JAG Corps. She's not surprised that many other young attorneys have followed suit.
"It's much more selective than I ever thought it would be," Briand said. "I think the economy is the reason applications are up. I have friends from law school who graduated last May who still don't have jobs. It's really tough out there right now."
Karen Sloan can be contacted at karen.sloan@incisivemedia.com.
