The MSJDN Board is pleased to announce lifetime memberships! Open to all individuals, lifetime memberships are a wonderful way to declare your support for MSJDN and invest in our mission to improve the legal profession for military spouses....
“Burn it down.” Watch out New Mexico, comedian and military spouse Ashley Gutermuth is coming for you – and anyone else standing in the way of military spouse licensing and employment! On Friday, July 16, MSJDNers and friends...
The Military Spouse J.D. Network Foundation (MSJDNF), the charitable arm of MSJDN, announced a partnership with the American Bar Association’s Military Pro Bono Project to expand legal resources for Gold Star families. Justice for Military Families (JMF), provides pro...
Military Spouse J.D. Network Foundation (MSJDNF), the charitable arm of the Military Spouse J.D. Network, a national organization of military spouse attorneys, is launching the Justice for Military Families (JMF) Grant Program. The program will provide grants to eligible...
For years, Amazon has been a big supporter of MSJDN’s mission and has been a changemaker when it comes to hiring and supporting military spouses. Last month, over 30 MSJDNers joined Amazon leadership and legal recruiters for a members-only...
On April 26, 2022, the Honorable Cheryl Mason, Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals joined Military Spouse Representing Veterans Fellows Jennifer Healy and Zenobia Lockhart to discuss the importance of veterans’ advocacy in our profession. During this professional...
By: Trang Peltier Disclaimer: Other than the sourced information, this article is based on my personal experiences and impressions in raising my autistic child and should not be treated as generally applicable to the Autism community or construed as...
By: Trang Peltier Disclaimer: Other than the sourced information, this article is based on my personal experiences and impressions in raising my autistic child and should not be treated as generally applicable to the Autism community or construed as...
The Department of the Army has updated the filing instructions for spouse state re-licensure and re-certification costs reimbursement. Military spouses can request reimbursement for licensure and certification costs (up to $1,000) arising from a permanent change of station...
On March 11, 2022, the Kentucky Supreme Court amended Kentucky Supreme Court Rule 3.040 to include waiver of annual bar dues for military spouses. This exciting new rule is the result of a years-long campaign by MSJDN volunteer Erin...
Military Spouse JD Network was founded with the novel idea of modernizing licensing rules to allow military spouses to continue their legal careers while accompanying their service member spouse from state to state. Since then, through the tireless...
Last week, we were thrilled to launch MSJDN’s new Distinguished webinar series–in which we’ll hear from industry coaches and recruiters about different ways to distinguish ourselves within the legal profession. To kick off the series, we heard from...
By: Sharon James Ackah Children sometimes recount the benefits of virtual school, citing such pleasures as later bedtimes, increased snack breaks, and creative activities such as lunchtime baseball or pop-up outdoor classrooms. Yet, many children gleefully returned to school and...
Within our military community, around 43% of the 1.3 million active duty service members are people of color. Conversely, within our legal community, the percentage of African American lawyers is even lower—roughly 4.7%. Every year, we as a community,...
The Military Spouse JD Network’s leadership and members were thrilled to attend the Army’s Military Spouse Attorney Recognition Ceremony this afternoon. In 2014, the Army JAG Corps launched its Military Spouse Attorney Hiring Program, which uses the flexibility in...
Earlier this week, the state licensing team finally received an update, albeit a bittersweet one, on the long awaited Virginia Rule amendment regarding the removal of the local counsel supervision requirement under Rule 1A:8, Military Spouse Provisional Admission. Despite...
Happy Holidays from MSJDN! This holiday season, your board is reflecting on the banner year we had in 2021 and the exciting things in store for 2022! On June 15, 2021, MSJDN celebrated its Tenth Anniversary! It...
As you may remember reading in our blog post earlier this year, “Waiver of Annual Bar Dues: Easing the Challenges of Military Spouse Attorneys—A Nationwide Movement Starting in Kentucky,” MSJDN has been working to even the playing field for milspouses...
Fellow MSJDNers, This Veterans Day, I am thrilled to announce a partnership between MSJDN and the Veteran’s Legal Advocacy Group (VetLAG) to create a unique legal fellowship program exclusively available to military spouses stationed abroad – the Military...
By: Jennifer Young I had a moment on Veteran’s Day last week where I realized that the conditions of being a military spouse are hindering me from successfully utilizing the PSLF program. I feel like I am playing a...
The Military Spouse JD Network Foundation is proud to announce that it was selected by Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families to support their Community Navigator Pilot Program, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The competitive grant...
By: Renunda Shea Lee, MSJDN member MSJDN hosted our 9th Annual Making the Right Moves (MRM) 2021. The conference provided prolific speakers, creative thinkers, valuable career guidance and a space to discuss personal and family growth. Kristen Jones, set...
By Katherine Baum Hispanic Heritage month does not start at the beginning of September, as an acknowledgement to the diverse anniversaries of national independence for Latin American Countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua recognize September 15th as...
By Rachel Phillips Bob Marley, in his infinite wisdom told us all, “don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing, gonna be all right.” I’m sorry Bob, as much as I try, I do worry. I worry a...
The Supreme Court of Iowa has enacted a military spouse attorney licensing policy as of September 2021. The following message appears online: “The Supreme Court of Iowa recognizes the unique mobility requirements of military families who support the defense of...
MSJDN Member, Carolyn (Cari) Wilson, lost her battle with metastatic breast cancer on August 31, 2021. Carolyn was a criminal defense attorney, military spouse, dog mom, and amazing cook. Her strong passion for criminal defense work was evident and...
By: Lyndsay Lujan, President Elect 2021-2022 As MSJDN enters its second decade, the organization is celebrating significant progress for military spouses in the legal profession. MSJDN’s 2021 survey results give a snapshot of just how far we’ve come and...
For military spouse attorneys stationed in New Hampshire, it has been a challenge to maintain a legal career during their family’s time in the jurisdiction due to the military lifestyle being incompatible with law licensing requirements. However, thanks to...
By: Zaina Niles & Trang Peltier Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) Heritage Month originated with Congress in 1992. On April 30, 2021, President Joe Biden stated in observance: “My Administration also recognizes the heightened fear felt by many Asian American communities...
Growing together. That’s one way to describe the partnership and shared focus of MSJDN and one of its inaugural Homefront Partners, Prudential Financial, Inc. Since its founding, MSJDN has served as a trusted supporter and advocate for military spouses...
by Rachel Smith Whether to remain a practicing attorney is an issue and theme that runs through the career of many MSJDN members. My husband likes to remind me that I will always be an attorney. I may not...
By Devon Bozard The heart contracts upon hearing the moving stories of spouses and families who find themselves in the position of caregiver to a loved one who has been wounded in service to our country. These “Hidden Heroes”...
By Sanya Sarich Kersiek Making the Right Moves (MRM), MSJDN’s annual professional development conference, took place this past Friday and Saturday. New this year was a members’ retreat on a second day providing plenty of time for building connections....
By Maureen Lavery On October 21, 2016, the Military Spouse J.D. Network will kick off Making the Right Moves 2016, MSJDN’s annual career development conference created for the specific needs of military spouse attorneys. This year’s conference will be...
Editor’s note: Reprinted with permission from the November 2014 edition of Bar Briefs (a monthly publication of the Louisville Bar Association). For information contact Jenny Bencomo at 502.583.5314 or jbencomo@loubar.org. By JonVieve Hill As a student at the University of Louisville...
By Catherine Stanton Justice for Military Families (JMF) is the MSJDN pro bono initiative that connects military families with legal needs to legal assistance from military spouse attorneys. JMF currently partners with Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) to provide legal counsel...
By Katherine Goyette MSJDN presents the 2015 MSJDN Survey Report, revealing the results of the military spouse attorney survey that ran from late December 2014 to mid-January 2015. 225 military spouse attorneys participated in the survey, allowing MSJDN to understand information about the organization’s...
By Sarah Ford On March 17, I attended a luncheon and panel discussion in Nashville, TN hosted by the Lawyers’ Association for Women-Marion Griffin Chapter (LAW). The presentation was conducted by our own Josie Beets, who was joined by...
Editor’s Note: In preparation for her assumption of the role as President of MSJDN, we sent our President-Elect Eleanor Vuono to participate this year’s American Bar Association Bar Leadership Institute to learn best practices and enjoy some excellent networking and...
by Kari-lynn Wenciker MSJDN proudly reports that our licensing efforts are continuing to find success across the country. After recent rule changes in Oklahoma and New York (making it 12 states with military spouse specific accommodations), our efforts continue in over 10 states, including...
by Brooke Goldberg In December, the National Military Family Association (NFMA) held its annual Leadership Luncheon. This year, they examined the question, “Does a Work-Life Balance Exist for Women in the Military Community?” The question was asked of four...
by Lillian Yob On January 15, MSJDN’s President-Elect Eleanor Magers Vuono and I met with the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Amar Sarwal, Vice-President and Chief Legal Strategist, to talk about areas where our organizations share interests and opportunities may...
by Eleanor Magers Vuono Volumes have been written about the stresses of new parenthood, including the exhaustion, the shock of sleep deprivation, and the anxiety about basic life functions (is she eating enough? breathing right? pooping properly?). Motherhood brought...
By Rachel Hsiao It was a hot, humid, and muggy summer day when I joined my fiancé Patrick, an active Army Guard Reservist, for my first Family Organization Day (or mandatory fun, as the military likes to call it). ...
Note: This is the first in a series of articles to address federal hiring preferences. Stay tuned for more information on the Military Spouse Preference for excepted service, including attorney positions. By Lizanne Carlson Acquiring a Federal job can...
The Military Spouse JD Foundation was formed as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity to house MSJDN’s pro bono and education programs. This year, 2014-2015, MSJDN is pleased to announce the Foundation’s inaugural Board of Directors. The Foundation’s Board will work...
The Military Spouse JD Network is an all-volunteer organization, and we have many programs and initiatives that we are working on across the country. All of MSJDN’s great works are overseen by an active Board of Directors, which works...
By April Carson On a daily basis, Capitol Hill staffers in both houses of Congress are hard at work on matters of national importance. Their work directly affects not only the military but the entire federal government, and the...
By Megan Evans There are many exciting things happening right now for MSJDN on the state rule change front! Since the last update, one state has passed a rule change, one state has an accommodation policy, and more states...
On the heels of widespread pension cut debate, military spouses are rallying on the Hill next week to learn about what it takes to run for office, from both sides of the aisle. Congressional decisions affect every aspect of...
Four MSJDN members are among the newly announced nominees for the 2014 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year. Join us in congratulating Josie Beets, Reda Hicks, Betsy Post, and Rachel Winkler for their dedication to the military...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MILITARY SPOUSE JD NETWORK www.MilitarySpouseJDNetwork.org milspouse.bar@gmail.com ARIZONA SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZES SERVICE OF MILITARY SPOUSE ATTORNEYS In what makes only the second state approval of a nation-wide effort to remove barriers for military spouse attorney employment, Arizona...
On September 27, 2012, Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) participated in the Department of Defense State Liaison Office (DSLO) Annual Conference. Through their USA 4 Military Families Initiative, DSLO seeks to engage and educate state policymakers, not-for-profit associations, concerned...
The excitement surrounding the support of the ABA and the Conference of Chief Justices has turned into action on the ground. Rule changes are taking form across the country. MSJDN members are leading the efforts to educate state and...
With the support of Chief Justice Myron T. Steele of the Delaware Supreme Court and the guidance of Judge William L. Witham Jr. of the Delaware Veterans Court, the Military Spouse JD Network has initiated the rule-change process in...
The Conference of Chief Justices voted to support a resolution for admission of military spouse attorneys without examination. The Conference of Chief Justices was founded in 1949 to provide an opportunity for the highest judicial officers of the states...
Last week, North Carolina’s Governor Bev Perdue signed a law reducing barriers for military spouses in licensed professions. See http://www.stripes.com/news/army/continuing-us-trend-nc-helps-military-spouses-with-licensing-1.184047 The White House Joining Forces and the Department of Defense campaign to address barriers for military spouses in licensed...
MSJDN and Board Member Lori Volkman were profiled on the Department of Defense’s Family Matters Blog. Read more here.
Military Spouse JD Network Happy Hour Sponsored by Montage Legal Group Thursday, July 5, 2012 5:00– 8:00 PM Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 8970 University Center Lane San Diego, CA 92122 Please RSVP to Marianne.Gatti@gmail.com
The Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) launched on June 14, 2011, and in that short time has grown from two members to hundreds. Thanks to the diligent effort of its members, the need for military spouse attorney licensing reform...
A guest Blog by MSJDN member Ashton Montgomery, Esq. In June the Congressional Military Family Caucus (CMFC) held their annual Summit at the National Infantry Museum at Ft. Benning, Georgia. The purpose of the event was to provide an...
MSJDN was featured on the White House’s Joining Forces Initiative blog. Read more here.
New York State Bar Association Recognizes Unique Licensing Challenges Facing Military Spouses The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) partnered with the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) last week to submit a barrier-breaking new rule to the Chief Judge...
MSJDN was featured by the Chair of the Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel in the Spring 2012. Read the column here.
MSJDN and member Lauren Pope were featured in The Indiana Lawyer.
Check it out! “Mission Accomplished: Military Spouse Network Gets ABA, White House Attention.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MILITARY SPOUSE JD NETWORK www.MilitarySpouseJDNetwork.org milspouse.bar@gmail.com FIRST STATE APPROVES MILITARY SPOUSE ATTORNEY ADMISSION Idaho Recognizes Unique Challenges Facing Military Spouse Lawyers The Idaho Supreme Court approved Idaho Bar Commission Rule 229, Military Spouse Provisional Admission, providing...
Licensing and employment for military spouses is important to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). MOAA has provided MSJDN with wonderful support since we began working to reduce licensing barriers for military spouse attorneys. They provided us with...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MILITARY SPOUSE JD NETWORK www.MilitarySpouseJDNetwork.org milspouse.bar@gmail.com HISTORIC ABA VOTE TO REMOVE LICENSING BARRIERS FOR MILITARY SPOUSE ATTORNEYS New Orleans, Louisiana — February 6, 2012 — The policy making body of the American Bar Association voted today...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MILITARY SPOUSE JD NETWORK www.MilitarySpouseJDNetwork.org milspouse.bar@gmail.com NETWORK LAUNCHED TO UNITE MILITARY SPOUSES WITH LAW DEGREES Website and Facebook Group allow military spouses to connect and advocate for eliminating barriers to the practice of law. June 14,...
