Student Pursues J.D./M.P.S. Degrees as Way to Accomplish Marine Corps Mission as Judge Advocate
Syracuse Law Students Pursing JAG Careers Explain Paths to Four Different Military Branches
You’re pursuing a concurrent J.D./Master of Professional Studies program in forest and natural resource management at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) while serving as a Marine officer. What drew you to this path?
As an undergraduate at Oberlin College, I grappled with the idea of becoming a Marine officer. I played football at Oberlin, so being a student athlete led me to want to pursue a career that likewise was built around camaraderie and physical fitness. That was primarily what attracted me to the Marine Corps, but I also had my close friend and teammate, 2nd Lt. James Fitzgerald, chasing the same goal. Having someone around to navigate preparation served a great deal of motivation and inspiration.
However, I was reluctant to follow through after rediscovering my childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. I immediately started studying for the LSAT, determined to start my 1L year in the fall of 2025. Syracuse Law stood out because of its national security programs and the work being done through the Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL) that could help me further a military career, in case I wanted to revisit the Marine Corps. After confirming I was going to become a Marine judge advocate, I began searching for unique ways that could help me become more knowledgeable in a less-familiar field. Environmental disputes struck me as fascinating, and I anticipate it will be relevant throughout my future career. Thus, with SUNY-ESF right next door, and the College of Law offering a very opportune joint degree, it was a no brainer that I would expand my legal education.
When did you decide to combine the law with military service?
As soon as I started at Syracuse Law, I began asking how I could build a career in national security law. I met with the Hon. James Baker, director of the SPL, seeking direction, and he graciously introduced me to Cpt. Jarred Sausville at the law school’s annual JAG Day. After talking with Captain Sausville and my dad, I realized that there was grave risk of regret if I didn’t fulfill the goal I slated for myself just a year prior, especially when I can continue pursuing a profession in the law at the same time. After coming to that realization, I knew the Marine Corps was the direction I wanted to take. I’m now a second lieutenant and a student judge advocate in the Marine Corps.
How do you balance law school, military responsibilities, and your other graduate work?
Discipline. The Marine Corps' core values are honor, courage, and commitment, and I try to live by those values every day. I can’t point to a specific experience that taught me how to dedicate myself to a goal, so I credit all of my driven and high achieving friends, teammates, and mentors from over the years with teaching me that skill. The discipline they’ve instilled in me has transferred into my professional life and academic endeavors. The responsibility that comes with being a Marine is significant, and, having gone through training and a multitude of high-pressure situations, I feel prepared to make the right decisions in tough times in order to further the Marine Corps mission and protect the Marines under me as an officer.
How is the Marine Corps pathway to becoming a JAG different from other branches?
Marine judge advocates are Marine officers first and attorneys second. You don't simply graduate from law school and become a Marine lawyer. As a law student, you attend Officer Candidates School (OCS), where you're screened and evaluated for your ability to lead Marines. If you graduate OCS and earn commission as an officer, you return to law school, pass the bar, get licensed, and then you receive orders to The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. There, you're trained as a Marine officer to qualify as a rifle platoon commander followed by attendance at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island, for specialized military legal training. Then you take your first duty tour, likely at one of the major Marine installations. Because marine judge advocates are unrestricted line officers, they are able to serve non-legal billets throughout their service, thus, the Marine Corps does not have a standalone JAG corps.
What areas of law interest you?
I'm particularly interested in operational and environmental advising, as well as criminal litigation and policy. National security law is fascinating because constitutional doctrine and interpretation are constantly evolving. Economic warfare and artificial intelligence are going to create significant legal questions that attorneys will be at the forefront of addressing. I'm also interested in environmental disputes. Many Marine installations are located along coastlines, and questions about rising sea levels, regulations, and national security will increasingly intersect. Environmental advising is also critical in the post-conflict reconstruction period, so having the opportunity to do impactful work domestically and internationally is exciting and motivating for me.
What advice would you give a law student considering becoming a Marine judge advocate?
Become the best student you can be by being introspective and staying conscious of the personal values you live by. For me, that's physical fitness, spirituality, and constantly becoming more knowledgeable. If I can check those boxes every day, then all this time opens up to fulfill my law school obligations. Establish that discipline first, and you’ll be better prepared to fulfill your responsibilities as a law student and as a Marine. That creates the foundation to succeed at both. Also, don’t forget where you came from. Phone calls are free, and it’s imperative to stay connected to those who got you where you are no matter how far they are from you physically. Although tackling the workload may sometimes be isolating, it’s always nice to receive the unexpected check in from those who have been a positive influence over the years. Do the same for them — be the unexpected force for someone else.