On October 24, 2022, the Military & National Security Law Students Association (MNSLSA), along with the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), co-hosted a JAG Corps career panel to discuss career opportunities in JAG for each of the branches of the United States military. Second-year law student Emily Bushman, President of the MNSLSA, welcomed those in attendance and introduced the panelists for the lunchtime event.

Attendees were joined by panelists Captain Matt Yelverton, Chief of Adverse Actions for the 11th Wing, United States Air Force; Captain Tamika Lipford, Active Duty Accessions Officer in the Judge Advocate Recruiting Office, United States Army; Major Chris Daniels, AV-8B Harrier Pilot, United States Marine Corps; Captain Doug Brown, Officer Selection Officer, United States Marine Corps; and Lieutenant Kalyssa Maile, Staff Judge Advocate for Naval Support Activity, United States Navy. Also participating in the discussion were student panelists David Kendall (3D), Army; Jen Rocha (4E), Navy; and recent alumnus Daniel Kim ’22, Marines.

After each of the panelists introduced themselves, the group began the moderated discussion about opportunities for careers in JAG, led by Dean Stephen Payne. Prior to becoming Dean of the Law School and working in private practice, Dean Payne served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps at the U.S.Army Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Georgia. Dean Payne posed a series of questions to the panelists that covered a variety of topics including basic overviews of serving as a JAG officer in each of the branches; the types of law students could expect to practice as a JAG lawyer; how interested students could get involved with internships, externships, and the application process for a career in JAG; and the types things each panelist considered while choosing which branch to serve. As the discussion drew to a close, additional questions were posed by those in attendance.