Are you a legal professional interested in a new opportunity? Do you want to work for a firm that values diversity as well as the skills and talents military spouses bring to their employer? Then Steptoe & Johnson might...
Finding an attorney position in the federal government can be challenging. You may have to submit numerous applications, the hiring process is lengthy, and you may not understand how attorney positions are classified. Below are the federal government attorney...
By Rebecca Bartlett Part I: The Set-up Now is the time for military spouse attorneys to adapt their legal career, yet again, to overcome the odds. Uniquely, COVID-19 has thrown the entire country right in there with us this...
MSJDN members often encounter licensing difficulties throughout their careers. Most federal government attorneys are only required to be licensed and in good standing in any state, not the specific state where the office is located. Attorney positions with the...
In 2016, Georgia adopted a policy and process for military spouse attorneys to petition for a waiver of the existing rules for admission. Harriet O’Neal, a MSJDN member living in Georgia due to her husband’s military assignment, was denied admission to...
By Sarah Cable MSJDN members are well aware of the challenges associated with continuing their legal careers while accompanying their service-member spouses from state to state and across the world. One of the biggest hurdles they face is the...
MSJDN is excited to announce that the 2018 Professional Excellence Award will be presented to military spouse attorney Cheryl Mason at the Annual Reception on May 17th. Cheryl, known to her colleagues as Cheri, is an experienced attorney and leader, the...
by Katherine Lee Goyette I recently applied for my fourth law license (a military spouse law license at that!) and realized the experience would have gone a lot smoother had I kept a few things in mind. Of course,...
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 Erin Noble It is PCS season in my house, again (sigh). We move every 2 years, which puts us in an almost constant cycle of either planning for or recovering from a PCS. Right now I am in...
On November 15, 2017, the military and legal communities came together for a night of networking and connections. Sponsored by Mayer Brown and White & Case, MSJDN was thrilled to work with Hiring Our Heroes, the American Bar Association, and...
by Sanya Sarich Kerksiek MSJDN members and entrepreneurs Laura King and Brittany Dowd co-founded a virtual and remote company, Ad Hoc Legal Group, shortly after graduating from law school. Ad Hoc Legal offers research and writing services to other...
by Sanya Kerksiek Hiring Our Heroes and Aon sponsored a “Creating a Flexible Workforce” symposium in Chicago, Illinois, on October 13, 2017. The speakers were Carol Sladek (Partner, Aon, Work-Life and Communication), and Cassandra Sullivan (Senior Consultant, Founder &...
by Maria Campbell MSJDN’s 2017 Exceptional Service Award was presented to member Angela Allen at the Making the Right Moves Conference on September 29, 2017. Angela Allen is a Partner at Jenner & Block, a mom, and the wife...
By Karen Scanlan As an ABA affiliated organization, the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA) presents a yearly Women’s Bar Leadership Summit (the “Summit”) during the ABA’s Annual Meeting. The 2017 Summit, Succeeding with Strength and Savvy was...
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....
Cheryl Mason, known to her colleagues as Cheri, is an experienced attorney and leader, the spouse of an Air Force veteran, the daughter of a World War II Navy veteran, and as of September 5, 2017, nominee for Chair...
Making the Right Moves (MRM) is right around the corner and it’s bigger and better than ever! MSJDN’s annual conference is the only one of its kind, designed specifically to support professional development for military spouse attorneys. Whether you...
by Candice McPhillips Bobbie Collins has spent years “paying it forward” by providing pro bono legal work for her local military spouse club on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Kirtland Spouses’ Welfare Club recently honored...
On June 14th, Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) hosted the Military Spouse Employment Summit to focus the conversation on what it means to be a dual-income military family in the 21st century. The half-day event unveiled the results of the...
by Maria Campbell Dear MSJDN Founders: When I showed up at a networking BBQ last September, I hid in the hotel bathroom for 20 minutes. My husband and I had moved to Ft. Campbell less than a week before,...
On May 12, 2017, Homefront Rising returned to D.C. at Holland & Knight LLP for yet another full-day of non-partisan education, training and networking for military spouses interested in routing their careers toward advocacy and public service. The morning...
By Amanda Downs Frizzelle Amy Waller Apostol is a military spouse attorney who has successfully navigated the demands of military life while still maintaining a meaningful legal career. A mother of three and a wife to a Navy JAG...
by Maria Campbell MSJDN is thrilled to announce that the 2017 Professional Excellence Award will be presented to member Rebecca Bresnik at the Annual Reception on May 10th. Rebecca Bresnik is Assistant Chief Counsel for International Matters at NASA,...
by Sanya Sarich Kerksiek The Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) has released the results of its fourth annual survey on military spouse attorney demographics and careers. MSJDN developed the survey to help assess organizational impact and to inform the planning of...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for the 2017 MSJDN Members’ Choice Award by members who told us in...
By Natalie Wilson Attorneys’ lives are busy. Military families’ lives are busy, especially when the service member is pulling long duty hours or is absent. Put the two together and the stress and busy-ness seem to increase exponentially. (Johanna...
By Sarah Cable Through hard work and intentional planning, Mary Scott Hunter, a former active duty service member and military spouse, has built an ever-evolving, successful legal career that can serve as an inspiration for MSJDN members. Along the...
By Mariya Volzhskaya I am a “working from home” work in progress. Since following my spouse OCONUS and due to strict limitations on work opportunities where we live, “working from home” has been a challenge to grow into. Before...
By Sarah Ford In a household that functions under a norm of constant change, it has been the ultimate obstacle to become a strong attorney. The successful practice of law appears to demand the status quo and an unbreakable...
By Lindsey Savage You’ve just found out your Active Duty spouse is being transferred to a new location. You immediately begin the latest round of PCS preparations. You start drafting your timeline: when you’ll give notice of your move...
by Sarah Cable Earlier this year, the Military Spouse JD Network put out a call for nominations for the 2016 MSJDN Exceptional Service Award to recognize a member for demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the legal profession and going...
By Courtney Griffin The familiar hallmarks of military life – isolated military installations, prolonged separations, and frequent relocations – disrupt personal and professional support networks. In particular, for military spouses with professional careers, isolated (or overseas) military installations deprive...
By Elizabeth Smith As a former large-firm litigator, I used to spend my days preparing and arguing motions on behalf of corporate clients; taking depositions; evaluating venues, witnesses, evidence and probabilities of a given verdict. On rarer occasions,...
Stronger by Working Together — Building Connection Between Each Other and Organizations I don’t know about you, but military life has brought me many, many learning opportunities, some more poignant than others. The first I learned was never go...
By: Meghan Dohoney, Freelance Attorney and MSJDN Member Between the frequent deployments, having to move every three years, and the stress that comes with military life, it wasn’t long into my marriage that I knew that a traditional legal...
by Thea Pitzen Like my Navy family, many of you reading this may be fans of NCIS, CBS’s long-running and extremely popular action drama series that focuses on the “sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced...
MSJDN is excited to announce that the 2016 Professional Excellence Award will be presented to military spouse attorney Donna Huneycutt at the Annual Reception on May 12th. Donna is co-owner and Chief Operating Officer at WWC, a woman owned consulting firm focused...
How to Outsource Legal Work to a Freelance Attorney By: Meghan Dohoney, MSJDN Member and Freelance Attorney As military spouse attorneys, we balance long hours, difficult clients, combative opposing counsel, frequent moves, countless evenings alone, and the ever-changing schedules...
By Kelly Wilson On my first day as a practicing attorney, my then-boss suggested I read Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, a very on trend book at the moment. What’s funny is that I actually already had the book...
Justice for Military Families is seeking help with the cases listed below. Any assistance that either an MSJDN member can provide, or any referrals to other attorneys that may be able to handle this case on a pro bono...
by Stephanie Martin Halford We’ve all witnessed a DUI checkpoint – usually on a holiday weekend where significant drinking is expected. The checkpoint is in place to ensure that people with the ability to drive do so responsibly....
Last year, the first ever Veterans’ Legal Career Fair took place in Washington, D.C with the goal of matching veteran and military spouse attorneys with law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. Hosted by Orrick, the event was a...
by Maureen Lavery Thanks to the ubiquity of home computers and easily accessible high speed internet connections, telecommuting is becoming increasingly common: a 2015 Gallup poll found that 37% of workers telecommute at least occasionally, an increase of almost 30%...
by Natalie Wilson As military spouse attorneys, we wear many hats: military family member, attorney, wife, home front manager, and more. With the title “military spouse attorney”, we are automatically giving two of those roles a primary position in...
By Rachel Hsiao “To be or not to be? That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by...
By Emily Macey When I started searching for my first attorney position at the start of my career, I spent a substantial amount of time on the road traveling to interviews. Fast-forward to the present and technology has replaced...
By Angelica Kang Now that the chaos of the holidays is over, the time has come to think about the National Military Family Association (NMFA) Spouse Scholarships. Applications are currently being accepted, but only until January 31. The NMFA...
By Rachel Hsiao As a military spouse, having a career is not easy. As a military spouse who is also an attorney? I am sure you are all aware of the challenges and obstacles we face. The option I...
MSJDN’s annual career conference is scheduled for October 23, 2015 in Seattle, WA. Hosted at the offices of Bracewell and Giuliani LLP, Making the Right Moves will be a full day of education and networking opportunities for military spouses...
Military spouse attorney Jessica Ortiz, who worked diligently in support of licensing accommodation in Oklahoma, was the first MSJDN member to be sworn in under the rule. Like many military spouses, Jessica found herself in a state far from home thanks...
By Rachel Hsiao We have all been there – our career or the military? We face a decision between which side of our relationship will supersede the other. Our spouse’s (the service member’s) military career or our professional career as an...
As an attorney and vice president of business development at a real estate and investment firm based in New York, NY, Leigh Searl has built a successful career facilitating real estate transactions and advocating on behalf of her clients....
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When I graduated from law school, I had a résumé that basically screamed, “Atlanta!” Or, if not Atlanta, perhaps New York. I had attended college in New York, and, a few years later, law school in Atlanta. As a...
Last month, the first ever Veterans’ Legal Career Fair took place in Washington, D.C with the goal of matching veteran and military spouse attorneys with corporate legal departments, law firms, other private sector employers, and government agencies. Orchestrated by Orrick,...
“You can and you must!” This was the opening message delivered to the attendees at Homefront Rising, a political boot camp for military spouses interested in running for office co-hosted by MSJDN and In Gear Career. Jocelyn Benson, a...
The Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) is thrilled to announce that Prudential Financial, Inc. is our newest Homefront to Hired partner. Prudential, headquartered in Newark, NJ, is one of the world’s largest financial institutions with about 47,000 employees in...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to nominate employers who are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. During the month of April, we put the Employer Spotlight on each of the nominees to tell the stories of those supporting military...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers that are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Members’ Choice Award for doing just that, by members...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers that are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Members’ Choice Award for doing just that, by members...
MSJDN is excited to announce that the 2015 Professional Excellence Award will be presented to Christina Guerola Sarchio at the Annual Reception on May 6th in D.C. Currently a partner in Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP’s Washington, DC office,...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers that are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Members’ Choice Award for doing just that, by members...
Editor’s Note: MSJDN asked its members to help us spotlight employers that are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Members’ Choice Award for doing just that, by members...
Military Spouse JD Network is now accepting applications for its 2015-2016 Board of Directors. MSJDN currently has one-year and two-year position open on its Board. To be considered for appointment to MSJDN’s Board of Directors, a candidate must (1)...
Today is your last chance to save a seat at Homefront Rising at a reduced rate! Ticket prices will increase to $95 on April 1st. It’s a worthwhile expense at any price, but don’t be an April fool –...
For many military spouse attorneys, pursuing traditional legal careers while their partner is on active duty can be like trying to shove a square peg into a round hole. In response to the challenges of balancing a legal career...
Perseverance in the face of adversity and the belief that your destiny is not fixed and you can improve your skills through hard work and effort are more than just ideas. They are concepts that define MSJDN members. According...
MSJDN is proud to announce that Lieutenant General Flora Darpino has been named as a recipient of the ABA’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. LTG Darpino, the senior military legal advisor in the U.S. Army and a...
In the age of the Internet, email, smart phones, and teleconferences, working remotely is becoming increasingly possible – and common – for attorneys. A quick Google search on the topic will reveal everything from job postings by Lumen Legal...
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...
Six, yes, SIX of our talented MSJDN members are among the newly announced nominees for the 2015 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year. Join us in congratulating Maria Chavez-Black, Tara Gaston, Elizabeth Jamison, Tatiana Matta, Natalie Wilson,...
MSJDN Member Christina Guerola Sarchio has had a varied, exciting career that would be the envy of any lawyer. It is also the product of a surprising journey. Currently a partner in Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP’s Washington, DC...
On December 15, 2014, the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma approved a licensing accommodation for military spouse attorneys moving to the state due to their active duty servicemember’s orders. This new rule makes Oklahoma the twelfth state...
“I quickly learned that uncertainty would be the norm. And we should embrace the time we have together.” Jocelyn Benson In 2010, Jocelyn Benson became a newly-minted military spouse on the brink of her...
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). ...
Happy Holidays from Lindsey Savage, Membership Chair, and the entire membership committee. We have been hard at work to identify and secure valuable membership benefits for you and are excited to share what’s coming in 2015: ABA Discount: Be...
Two years ago, Michelle Etchebarren decided it was time to take a step forward and make her dream of having her own business a reality. At the same time she was conceiving Attorneys in Motion, a special court appearance...
On October 24, 2014, MSJDN Member Maria Chavez-Black received the Attorney of the Year award from the American Bar Association’s Immigration Justice Project (“IJP”) in San Diego, California. The IJP’s mission “is to promote due process and access to justice at...
“This is amazing. A group that is sympathetic and understanding of what I am going through!” That was Evelyn Guevara’s reaction when she found Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) after googling “military spouse attorney.” Evelyn met her husband in...
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been mistaken for the court reporter when you walk into a room to take or defend a deposition. If your hand is in the air, chances are you’re a woman. In 1987, the...
Every October, the American Bar Association creates an annual national spotlight on pro bono through their Celebrate Pro Bono campaign. Justice for Military Families is part of the national pro bono community; we provide pro bono legal services to the...
Due to the humanitarian crisis at our Southwestern border, various advocacy organizations are seeking assistance for the thousands of children who have crossed our borders seeking protection, safety, and family who already reside in the United States. From October...
Making the Right Moves (MRM) is a conference dedicated to the professional development of military spouse attorneys. This year, the second annual MRM conference will focus on creating and following a successful career path tailored to the unique needs...
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...
Author’s Note: Jennifer McBee was the first person to be admitted to the North Carolina Bar under the Military Spouse Licensing accommodations in January 2014. We sat down with her to discuss her experience, talk about the process, and gather...
MSJDN is pleased to announce our nomination of Justice Sandee Marion to receive the Sarah T. Hughes Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. Justice Marion is thoughtful, intelligent, a consummate professional, and a military spouse attorney! Not only has she...
The Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners has voluntarily enacted a military spouse attorney licensing policy as of March 2014. The following message appears online: “The Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners welcomes inquiries and applications for Admission on Motion from attorney spouses of...
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...
As we reported last week, two MSJDN members are presenting MSJDN’s licensing accommodation proposal to the New Jersey Supreme Court today. We share the remarks of our New Jersey State Directors Jennifer Talley and Katie McDonough on the blog today as...
On Friday, May 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of Virginia issued an order adopting a new attorney licensing rule aimed at easing the burden on military spouse attorneys seeking to practice law while on orders to military installations in Virginia...
Editor’s Note: This is the eleventh and final installment in MSJDN’s series highlighting the employers MSJDN members say are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Member’s Choice Award...
Editor’s Note: This is the ninth installment in MSJDN’s series highlighting the employers MSJDN members say are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Member’s Choice Award by members who told us...
Editor’s Note: This is the seventh installment in MSJDN’s series highlighting the employers MSJDN members say are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Member’s Choice Award by members who told us...
Editor’s Note: This is the sixth installment in MSJDN’s series highlighting the employers MSJDN members say are going above and beyond for military spouse attorneys. Each employer in this series was nominated for MSJDN’s Member’s Choice Award by members who told...
