JAG v. current commercial lit firm job Forum

[Anonymous User]

I need some advice.
I have an offer with the Army to start JAG in October. For those not familiar with the JAG program, it's a 4 year commitment (as, in you cannot quit for 4 years, may be deployed and basically are an army officer). Financially they upside is you're PSLF eligible, can qualify for a low IBR repayment (because your actualy take-home ia usually less tyhan $70,000) but you get alot of un-taxed benenfits such as a couple thousand a month to go to housing expenses, $500 a month for food, and free healthcare etc for self and family and up to $65,000 (which is taxed) in student loan repayment (seperate from PSLF). Professionall the upside is you get to try out lots of different kinds of law (criminal, legal aid type stuff, admin, contract) and get veteran's preferecne in federal hiring afterwards (which is huge for federal hiring purposes). I already know where I will be based for my first 2 years (my first choice) but after those years (or if I get deployed) I could go somewhere really shitty which would mean my partner would have to quit his dream job (which is VERY geogrpahy specific) or our fam would be long distance.
But I also have a current job as the only associate in a 2-Partner law firm that does mostly commercial litigation and transactional work for smaller clients. I bill about 1800 a year, have a salary of $70k, 401k, great health benefits and it is in my target geographic area. I have gotten lots of excellent hands-on litigation experience (I go to court at least once a week, handle smaller matters pretty independently, draft and argue motions, take depos, second-chair jury trials etc) and they even paid for me to get special trial training. The downer: I hate commercial litigation or maybe I just hate the work enviro at my firm. It's kinda like dating someone you're not gonna marry; a filler with an expiration date. Of course I can suck it up and do it for a few years, but my real passion has always been more regulatory enforcement or criminal type stuff, which is what I did throughout lawschool. My dream job is to be an AUSA in my current market and I feel like the longer I do commercial lit, the harder it becomes to transition to what I really went to law school to do.
So my question is: should I do JAG or just wait it out at my firm until I find a better gig? I've been info interviewing like crazy wth people at bigger commercial lit places, firms that specialize in other civil lit, the AUSA, clerks, in-house. But there's no consensus. If I wanted to do federal work anywhere, JAG would obviously be the better professional option. But it's not easy for JAGS have find post-JAG work in this my target geogrpahic market and there are limited federal employers here. Financially JAG is hand's down the better option (because my salary is about the same but I get that PSLF AND the loan repayment). But I really am not into the whole military thing (I love working out, I hate the patriotic bs, and the idea of being stationed for 2 yrs at Ft. Polk terrifies me). How much am I professionally forceslosing what I really wanna do by staying in this job as oposed to JAG?

[zot1]

Do JAG if it's something you really want to do. The military is not for everyone and even just the 4 year commitment could be terrible if you're not a good fit.

If you're just looking for something better to do, wait for a civilian offer.

[joman8390]

But I really am not into the whole military thing (I love working out, I hate the patriotic bs, and the idea of being stationed for 2 yrs at Ft. Polk terrifies me).

I think you have answered the question for yourself, if you are not into "the whole military thing," you will hate being in the military and should not commit yourself to 4 years of military service. Furthermore, the JAG Corps and the military as a whole is a calling, not merely a job that you think has good benefits, if you don't feel that calling you should not join, because as you know you are committed to 4 years active and 4 years reserve when you sign on the dotted line--there is no way out. Also, if you "hate the patriotic bs," you should also probably think again about whether the military lifestyle and thus military service is right for. (I'm not intending to bash you in anyway, just remember that the military is a 4 year commitment to a full-time lifestyle not merely a job).

Also you should keep in mind that YOU WILL NOT get veterans preference unless you deploy to a combat zone or other area where an expeditionary or campaign medal is authorized. The days of 5 points of veterans preference for all active duty military regardless of where they served ended at the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom. You should also know that even if you do deploy and receive veterans points, they are not directly applied to jobs above GS-11 (perhaps GS-12 I don't recall) but either way all attorney jobs start at GS-13/14/15, so while being a veteran certainly helps, points are not applied like they are at lower pay grade positions (i.e. a vet can score 105 or 110/100, whereas a non-vet can only score a max of 100).

[Anonymous User]

Agree with the above poster - if your heart's not in it, do your soldiers a favor a stay in your current job. I'm not a JAG, but I used to be enlisted, and the worst officers I worked for went into it with a self-interested attitude. I sincerely don't mean that as a personal attack, but military service, especially as an officer, is more than just taking a job because it's the best decision financially.

You don't have to agree with US foreign policy (I certainly don't), but you should probably have stronger feelings than just getting a commission for the loan forgiveness and exit opportunities. To your credit, the fact that you have an offer from JAG indicates that your interviewer thought you'd make a good JAG, and I believe one of the criteria the interviewers look at is a desire to serve. You may not see yourself as patriotic, but if you were genuine in your interview, then I might be wrong.

Some people tend to equate being patriotic or having a desire to serve with being politically conservative. In the past, the institutional culture may have had a part to play in the military's large conservative demographic, but things seem to be trending the other way. In my opinion, the military needs more forward thinkers in leadership positions to correct some of the cultural quirks that no longer make sense.

[TheSpanishMain]

I have an offer with the Army to start JAG in October. For those not familiar with the JAG program, it's a 4 year commitment (as, in you cannot quit for 4 years, may be deployed and basically are an army officer

You're not "basically" an Army officer. You are an Army officer. You will wear a uniform, get a bad haircut, take your semi-annual physical fitness test, deploy if you're ordered to, live at Fort Polk if that's what your orders say, etc. Now, obviously, being a JAG officer is different than being an infantry officer, but the military is still the military and I'm not sure you're really grasping the implications of that.

But I really am not into the whole military thing (I love working out, I hate the patriotic bs, and the idea of being stationed for 2 yrs at Ft. Polk terrifies me). How much am I professionally forceslosing what I really wanna do by staying in this job as oposed to JAG?

Don't do JAG. I'm frankly kind of surprised you applied, and I'm even more surprised that they accepted you. I don't mean that as an insult: I'm sure you're a smart person with decent credentials. That said, the whole JAG selection process is designed to identify and reject people like you: people who aren't genuinely interested in the military and just see it as a stepping stone to veterans benefits, federal preference, loan repayment, etc. Again, that's not an insult. The military isn't for everyone and that's fine. But if you join the military, especially as an officer, for the reasons you stated you're not doing anyone any favors. Any enlisted soldiers working for you don't deserve it.

[Runner2008]

Completely agree with the above posters. Stay out of JAG; the military, and leading enlisted soldiers, is nothing short of a calling. It's not just a "job change" you're considering. This is much bigger.

you are asking whether you should join a group
of people who dedicate their lives to the "patriotic bs." Our enlisted deserve better than this.

For what it's worth, I've been in the military for seven years and have a couple deployments under my belt. You will not be successful with your perspective/attitude.

[navykev]

But if you join the military, especially as an officer, for the reasons you stated you're not doing anyone any favors. Any enlisted soldiers working for you don't deserve it.

+1

Speaking as someone who served 20 years in the military (enlisted) including 6 combat deployments (4 of those with JAG officers in my unit) - you need to be 100% committed to it - especially as an officer. In the civilian legal profession it is all about you (and the firm). If the job sucks, you can find another and quit. If you are a jerk to work for, your paralegal just finds a new job and walks out on you. In the military, it's all about the mission and leading and taking care of the people that work for you. You and your soldiers can't quit. It is important that you are committed to the mission and taking care of and leading your soldiers. If you are not 100% committed to being a military officer and all that entails - do not do it.