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...
Justice for Military Families (JMF) is the pro bono legal clinic operated by the Military Spouse JD Network’s Foundation (MSJDNF.) A team of dedicated volunteer MSJDN attorneys and members make the program a success, which to date has provided...
On May 15, 2021, the 2021-22 Board met to begin training ahead of the June 1 start to their term. As part of the event, President-Elect Kristen Jones proudly presented the Mary Reding Smith Excellence in Leadership Award to...
On May 7, 2021, MSJDN celebrates Military Spouse Appreciation day, a day to celebrate military spouses and all they do for our country. Military Spouse Appreciation Day was first recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and has routinely...
President’s Message You may have noticed that MSJDN has been busy recently. With our 10th-anniversary approaching, preparations have been underway for a fantastic virtual celebration. In the lead-up to the big event, we unveiled a new logo, and soon,...
May 2021 As it approaches its Tenth Anniversary on June 15, 2021, the Military Spouse J.D. Network (MSJDN) is proud to announce its Homefront Partners Initiative as well as four of its inaugural partners: Amazon, Morrison & Foerster, Prudential,...
The Military Spouse JD Network is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to supporting military spouses in the legal profession. An active Board of Directors oversees the myriad of MSJDN’s programs and initiatives that are then put into action by committee...
As we begin our next decade, Military Spouse JD Network is proud to announce the launch of our new logo. After careful consideration, we have chosen a logo with symbolism to represent our organization’s identity in both the military...
MSJDN is delighted to announce that two MSJDN members have been selected for the second cohort of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School at the University of Texas at Austin. Please join us in congratulating MSJDN President Dawn Gile and...
By: Michelle Mance Getting a new special needs diagnosis for your child can be very scary and confusing for any parent. With a new diagnosis comes a million different questions and feelings. What does it all mean? What resources are...
By: Zaina A. Niles Doctors’ Day, March 30th, has been an annual observance dedicated to honoring and appreciating physicians unofficially since 1933 and officially since 1958. This Doctors’ Day, perhaps more than any time in recent history, physicians should...
I fell in love with a Marine, and that is how it began. We were high school sweethearts. Shortly after 9/11, he joined the Marine Corps. While I was studying law, he was in flight school. On Memorial Day weekend...
Are you interested in becoming part of the leadership of MSJDN? Consider serving on MSJDN’s Board of Directors. Applications must be submitted no later than February 15, 2021 in order to be considered for a position. Click here to...
Almost four years ago, MSJDN’s New Mexico State Rule Change Team filed proposed rule 15-301.3, “Military Spouse Attorney Limited License,” with the Supreme Court of New Mexico. Proposed Rule MSJDN NM Almost four years later, the rule has still...
As we enter Black History Month 2021, it might be difficult to discern where to focus our attention. Should we be consumed by reflections on the global challenges ushered in by the year 2020? Should we be focused...
In ten years, I moved six times for my spouse’s job. Sound familiar? While my husband was training to be a doctor, we moved to five states, plus Washington, D.C. Through all of those moves, I was a practicing...
2021 Military Spouse Attorney Survey Aims to Collect Comprehensive Data on Licensure and Employment In 2013, MSJDN began conducting a regular survey of military spouses to gather information on attorney licensure, employment, PCS moves, and other important issues for...
As military spouses, we have become accustomed to uncertainty, whether it is location, job transition, or unpredictable changes of plans. Military spouses are resilient beings at their core. 2020 has been an extraordinary year filled with endless challenges and...
On behalf of MSJDN, I wish all of our members and supporters a very happy holiday season! I’m sure we are all very relieved to bid farewell to 2020 and to look to 2021 with the kind of hopefulness...
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...
There can be no doubt that this year has been an extremely challenging year for this country as many, including our nation’s President, have suffered and are continuing to suffer from a widespread pandemic. Nevertheless, even in the darkest...
By: Nicolle Vasquez Del Favero, MSJDN State Licensing Director THE FACTS: On August 13th, 2020, MSJDN learned that an amendment was proposed to Rule 14-805(a)(4)(A), requiring military spouses to pay the full application fee for admission to the Utah...
On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued a new Proclamation that expands his temporary suspension of the entry of individuals to the United States. This Proclamation follows a prior Proclamation of April 22, 2020, which temporarily suspended the entry to the U.S. of...
In recent years, both the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) have emphasized the importance of identifying and treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst the military population. The DoD now requires mandatory PTSD/mental health screenings...
The U.S. Air Force announced the creation of its Military Spouse Attorney Hiring Program. The Program allows military spouse attorneys to be noncompetitively hired into civilian attorney positions in the U.S. Air Force TJAG’s hiring authority pursuant to Air...
Recent domestic events have highlighted that inequities still prevail in our communities and in our justice system. As a military spouse bar association, MSJDN is committed to the principle that all people deserve equal protection under the law. Our...
The Military Spouse JD Network is a volunteer-run organization dedicated to supporting military spouses in the legal profession. An active Board of Directors oversees the myriad of MSJDN’s programs and initiatives that are then put into action by committee...
By Samanta Martinez-Villarreal When I first decided to go to law school, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to live apart from my husband for a minimum of 3 years. It was just the reality...
In these days of required social distancing, I am so grateful for the MSJDN virtual community. Unlike most bar associations, our members, for better or for worse, are pre-programmed to expect the unexpected. Covid-19 has definitely changed business as...
On January 30, 2020, the Supreme Court of Alabama officially adopted a military spouse exception to the reciprocity rule for admission to the Alabama State Bar. Under the rule, military spouses who will be stationed in Alabama for more...
Justice for Military Families: Pro Bono for Military Families by Military Families The Justice for Military Families (JMF) team has been busy in recent weeks. As I finish my tenure as Pro Bono Director and turn over the position...
By Gina Hannah “Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape” is the mantra of MSJDN’s 2018 Making the Right Moves Volunteer Service Awardee, Adrianne Blake. Adrianne is an activist and avid volunteer for...
Up next in our “Get to Know Your MSJDN Board” series is Karen Scanlan, MSJDN President-Elect:
by Jasmine Green McNamara Choosing where to take the bar exam is the easiest part of becoming a lawyer for most law graduates. For military spouse lawyers, it’s one of the most difficult and frequent issues we face in...
by Tamar Yellin I had the privilege of attending the latest AMPLIFY Military Spouse Career Intensive this March in Seattle, along with 2 other MSJDN members. The program was put on by the In Gear Career and Hiring our...
By Johanna Thibault As attorneys, and especially as military spouses, we are particularly prone to creating a life full of “busy-ness”. It seems we are in a perpetual mode of fighting for our career and/or defining our self worth....
by Maria Campbell I had hoped by the time I started writing this post on finding a job, I would have already secured a permanent attorney position—that way I could write this post with more authority. But, as fate...
by Camille Edwards Bennehoff So your spouse just got orders, and you are going to make a permanent change of station (PCS) to a new state or country. How do you find a job? Networking may be your key...
The North Dakota Supreme Court adopted Rule 3.3, effective October 1, 2016, granting temporary licensure to practice law to military spouse attorneys stationed in North Dakota pursuant to Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. The rule offers military spouse...
by Kulia Petzoldt The movers show up, always a little later than I hope, and long before the box emerges that holds my toolkit, we inevitably need it. It happens each time, and no amount of labeling or planning...
By Anna Blanch Rabe Last week on May 4, the 2016 AFI Military Spouse of the Year Town Hall was held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. This event brings together Military Spouses from all branches...
On Sunday, July 12, 2015, during MSJDN’s annual Strategic Planning weekend at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia, MSJDN President Eleanor Vuono presented Communications Director and Board Member Libby Jamison with the inaugural Mary Reding Smith Excellence...
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...
Stories Around the Table (“Stories”) is exactly what it intimates: a collection of short stories about life in and around the military. Male and female military spouses, service-members, mothers of service-members, and children of service-members all gather around an...
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...
On February 22, 2015, Lisa Villacis was sworn in to the Virginia State Bar under Rule 1A:8, the groundbreaking Military Spouse Provision Admission rule adopted in May 2014. Lisa is the first military spouse to be sworn in by the Supreme...
Isn’t MSJDN all about lawyers? Lawyers create stress, they don’t relieve it! But, attorneys are actually uniquely well-suited to talk about stress relief. At the end of the day, we fix problems for a living and stress is just...
On October 8, 2014, 12 members of the Military Spouse JD Network were admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. Sponsored by D.C. Circuit Court Judge Patricia Millett and O’Melveny & Myers counsel Meaghan...
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...
The Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) is a group of military spouse attorneys, founded in 2011 by two military spouses frustrated with the challenges of maintaining a legal career that seemed incompatible with the military lifestyle. They formed MSJDN...
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...
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...
MSJDN member Donna Huneycutt is an inspirational reminder of how incredible and supportive military spouses are. She has steered her career in a way that allows her to enjoy every workday, and still maintain the energy and drive to...
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The Military Spouse JD Network congratulates board member Natalie Wilson on receiving the Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award from the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association. This award is presented annually to recipients chosen based on overall contributions to...
On October 17, 2014, the Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) will host Making the Right Moves: Leadership and Development for Military Spouse Attorneys. The event, organized by MSJDN with platinum sponsorship from the Center for the Study of Women in the Military...
MSJDN members Hayne Beatrous Caliva and Lauren Roland attended the North Carolina Defense Business Association (NCDBA) Chairman’s Annual Luncheon in Raleigh on July 23rd. DBANC is comprised of a wide variety of businesses, organizations, and individuals with several things in common, including: prior military...
As part of its annual Stars of the Bar recognition, the Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia (WBA) has named Mary Reding Smith, Immediate Past President of the Military Spouse JD Network, a 2014 Star of the...
Military spouse attorneys are in a New York state of mind after learning that the New York State Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) has recently published a military spouse attorney licensing policy. The following message appears online: NOTICE TO MILITARY SPOUSES SEEKING...
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...
On April 7, 2014, MSJDN asked members to register to pay dues for the first time in the organization’s history. After several years of unprecedented growth and success, MSJDN needed funding to continue to increase our reach, expand programs, and...
On May 30, 2014, approximately 20 MSJDN members visited the Supreme Court of the United States for a special “behind the scenes” tour. After assembling by the John Marshall statute on the ground floor, tour guides took the group...
At the MSJDN Annual Reception on May 7, 2014, President Mary Reding passed the MSJDN torch to incoming President Rachel Winkler, our 2014-2015 MSJDN President. Now, MSJDN is accepting applications for open slots on the Board of Directors that...
Editor’s Note: This is the eighth 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 third 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...
The Military Spouse JD Network wants to shine a big spotlight on employers that are really making a different for military spouses. We all know the (abysmal) statistics on military spouse employment, and the legal profession is certainly no...
DITH Press Release: Austin, TX ~ For Immediate Release Longstanding Texas Support of Military Community Extends to Military Spouse Networks. Brunch next week at iconic Austin Club honors and thanks Judicial and community members, features Texans who stand behind...
On February 23, Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) will be having a brunch at the iconic Austin Club in Austin, Texas. The event, called Deep in the Heart of Texas, is being held to celebrate a year of Texas...
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...
Two members of MSJDN’s Board of Directors were named Spouse of the Year for their respective Army bases, and one of them was selected to compete for the title of Army Spouse of the Year in Tuesday’s vote. Rachel...
One year ago, in February 2013, Texas became the first state to initiate a licensing accommodation policy for military spouse attorneys without a formal rule change so that it could begin consideration of military spouse applications immediately. The License...
Update: Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act today, by a vote of 226-195. The Act now moves to the Senate for consideration and voting. MSJDN will continue working on this issue in the coming week and asks members to...
MSJDN has been very open about their strong support for Patricia Ann Millett‘s nomination for U.S. Appeals Court for the Washington, D.C., Circuit. On October 31, 2013, Pattie’s nomination was blocked by Senate Republicans because of unrelated party politics....
Military Spouse JD Network (MSJDN) and In Gear Career announce that they will be co-hosting Homefront Rising, an innovative exercise in political training for military spouse attorneys and other military family advocates. This ground-breaking,...
In the last week, our military communities have been stricken by natural disasters and man-made tragedies: the flooding in Colorado and the shooting at the Navy Yard. Although US military personnel are stationed in every corner of the globe,...