How to Become a JAG Lawyer

Co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD

Last Updated: June 6, 2021 References Approved

Becoming a military attorney combines two careers. As an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps, you have the duties, respect, and career opportunities of an officer while providing high quality legal services to active duty servicemen and woman around the world. The JAG Corps of the five branches of the military are skilled professional lawyers who handle legal issues under civil and military law, as well as trained leaders and members of the service community.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preparing for Your Career in JAG

1
Consider your career goals. The Judge Advocate General (JAG) corps of the five military branches is as competitive and demanding as any military career. Along with completing the educational and licensing requirements of the legal profession, you must also be able to meet the same standards as any prospective officer.
- Applicants must be a citizen of the United States.^{[1]
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- JAG candidates must be able to pass a security clearance. The security clearance procedure will investigate your allegiance to the United States, any ties with foreign governments, criminal history, substance abuse issues, finances, and general psychological health. The government investigators use a series of guidelines and you will be given an opportunity to explain the findings. For example, if your credit history is very poor, you can show that the debts were unavoidable and you are in a repayment plan.
- If you are interested in becoming a JAG attorney, you must start your studies so that you will be licensed to practice law and ready for entry into active duty before you are the age of 42 years.^{[2]
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  Research source} The age limit is 40 for the Air Force.
- You must be able to meet all the physical fitness requirements for your chosen branch of the military. ^{[3]
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2
Receive your undergraduate degree. In order to attend law school, you must first complete a bachelor's degree. Neither the American Bar Association (ABA) nor the JAG Corps requires any specific classes or majors. A liberal arts degree including a diverse range of history, sociology, literature, creative writing, and political science will provide a solid foundation for your legal education and military career. ^{[5]
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American Bar Association
Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
Go to source}
- Studying a foreign language is an excellent enhancement to your skills and may assist with your advancement in the military.
- There are no restrictions on your choice of undergraduate school to become an attorney for the military. Instead look to the law school you are considering attending for their requirements. Typically, your degree may be from any college in the United States that is recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education.^{[6]
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- College ROTC programs, such as the Air Force Graduate Law Program, may assist you, both with finances and motivation, to complete the education you need to join the JAG Corps.
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3
Attend Officer Candidate School. College graduates have the option of applying for Officer Candidate School (OCS), which is offered by each branch of the military.^{[7]
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Research source} OCS is the training academy for prospective military officers.^{[8]
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Research source} Because attorneys in the military are commissioned officers, you will have to attend OCS at some point before becoming a military lawyer. While you could attend OCS after you graduate from law school, many candidates attend OCS before law school in order to gain the skills needed to succeed in law school and in the military. OCS offers not only tactical training but also leadership training.^{[9]
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Research source} After you graduate from OCS, you will have the opportunity to join the military as a commissioned officer or you can choose to take time away and go to law school.
4
Take the pre-entrance LSAT exam. The Law School Aptitude Test, often referred to as the LSAT, is a critical part of your law school admissions package. The five-section LSAT is multiple choice and you have 35 minutes to complete each section. ^{[10]
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Law School Admission Council
Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
Go to source}
- Reading comprehension tests your ability to read and analyze long passages of text. The questions will come from arts, humanities, and the sciences. ^{[11]
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  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source}
- The analytical reasoning section challenges test-takers in inference, deductive reasoning, and drawing relationships between statements. ^{[12]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source}
- Logical reasoning will challenge you to identify parts of an argument and draw conclusions based on a presentation of related facts. ^{[13]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source}
- There is also a writing sample that is not included in your LSAT score. However, it is provided to the schools you apply to. ^{[14]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source}
- The LSAT is offered several times a year in different locations in the US and internationally. There are test dates to accommodate religious holidays and Sabbath observances. ^{[15]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source}
- There are free test preparation materials, as well as sample tests for purchase. At a minimum, you should get comfortable with the format of the questions and working under the time limits. ^{[16]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Law School Admission Council
  Nonprofit organization which supports law schools and students in the applications process and administers the LSAT
  Go to source} Commercial materials are not required, but may be helpful.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Completing Your Legal Education

1
Research military legal education programs. If you are seeking a career as a military attorney, there are special programs that may help you with admission, completion, and even funding of your legal education.
- The Army offers a highly-competitive summer internship to second-year law students. Participating in this program gives a law student a chance to further focus their goals and get a taste of life in the JAG Corps. ^{[17]
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- The Air Force offers the Graduate Law Program which combines military training with your legal studies. First year law students are eligible to apply.
- Students interested in the Navy JAG program can apply to The Navy JAG Corps' Student Program. Second year law students who are accepted into the program are commissioned in the inactive Navy Reserve and can transition straight from law school to the Naval Officer Development School. ^{[18]
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2
Attend an ABA approved law school. A Juris Doctor degree, or equivalent, from one of the 200+ law schools approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) will meet the requirements to sit for the bar exam in any state.^{[19]
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American Bar Association
Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
Go to source}
- Attending an ABA-approved law school offers many benefits over a non-approved school. Primarily, with an ABA-approved law degree, you will be eligible to take the bar exam in all 50 states. Bar exam passage rates are also higher for graduates of an ABA-approved law school. ^{[20]
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- Some states, most notably California, will allow a graduate of a law school not approved by the ABA to take the bar exam and be licensed to practice.^{[21]
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  Research source} Licensing in any state is all that is required by the JAG Corps.
3
Complete a course in professional responsibility. The ABA requires that law schools offer instruction in the ethics and responsibilities of the legal profession. A typical course looks at the history and development of legal ethics and how to apply these rules to the practice of law.
4
Satisfy all requirements for graduation. Law schools vary slightly in degree requirements, but to meet the ABA standards,^{[22]
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Trustworthy Source
American Bar Association
Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
Go to source} schools will require you to complete a prescribed field of study. Requirements typically include classes in contracts, torts, property, constitution, civil procedure, and legal research. Most schools require that you graduate with a minimum 2.0 grade point average in your legal coursework.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Becoming Licensed to Practice Law

1
Register to the bar examination. To qualify for enlistment into the JAG Corps of any branch and practice law in the military, you must pass the bar exam. You may take the exam in any of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.^{[23]
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- While it is not required, you should strongly consider taking the bar exam in the same state you attended law school. Registration and exam preparation may be more integrated with the state's licensing authority and fees may be lower.
2
Take the bar examination. The scope and content of the bar exam varies somewhat, but all states use a combination of tests prepared and administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. A typical bar exam lasts two to three days.^{[24]
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Trustworthy Source
National Conference of Bar Examiners
Nonprofit organization responsible for the development of national and state bar examinations.
Go to source}
- The Multistate Professional Responsibility test is a two-hour 60-question exam administered three times per year and tests knowledge of ethics rules of the legal profession. ^{[25]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Conference of Bar Examiners
  Nonprofit organization responsible for the development of national and state bar examinations.
  Go to source}
- The Multistate Bar Examination tests torts, constitutional, criminal, contracts, civil procedure, evidence, and property law. It is a grueling six-hour, 200 question examination. ^{[26]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Conference of Bar Examiners
  Nonprofit organization responsible for the development of national and state bar examinations.
  Go to source}
- The Multistate Performance Test challenges analytic skills with a realistic legal fact pattern. ^{[27]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Conference of Bar Examiners
  Nonprofit organization responsible for the development of national and state bar examinations.
  Go to source}
- The Multistate Essay Exam is a series of 30-minute essay questions drawn from all areas of the law. ^{[28]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Conference of Bar Examiners
  Nonprofit organization responsible for the development of national and state bar examinations.
  Go to source}
- States may also add state-specific essay tests to the array of multistate tests.
- Bar exams are typically administered twice a year with the results released about 10 weeks after the test.
3
Register and apply to the state bar. You will apply to the bar in the same state you took the examination. Different states may vary slightly, but there are some consistent requirements.
- You must be at least 18 years of age when you apply to the state bar.
- While bar entrance generally accepts permanent "green-carded" residents, the JAG Corps requires that you be a citizen of the United States.
- Demonstrate good moral character and fitness. This requirement is satisfied by a thorough background and reference check. You will complete forms disclosing previous addresses, criminal records, treatment for mental illness or substance abuse, and releases of your tax records and credit scores. If you have black marks on your record, you can submit an explanatory statement.^{[29]
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  Trustworthy Source
  American Bar Association
  Leading professional organization of lawyers and law students
  Go to source}
- Provide a set of fingerprints. Some states accept prints sets transmitted electronically by law enforcement, other states require paper "ten cards."
- Pay the required registration fees. This varies by state, but average $300 to $500.
4
Take the new attorney oath. The easier way to take the oath is to attend the state's swearing in ceremony held a few days after the results to the bar exam are released. Each state also has a list of alternate officials that can administer the oath. An example of an accepted official is a district court judge. The state bar will have the appropriate forms and guidelines.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Enlisting in the JAG Corps

1
Choose a branch of the military. With a law degree and admittance to a state bar, you are eligible to seek enlistment and induction into the JAG Corps of all branches of the United States military including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.
- If you joined a JAG Corps through a special program, you will be transitioned from law school to active duty per the branch's internal procedures.
2
Complete the enlistment procedure. The enlistment procedure is different for each branch. You can either speak to a recruiter in person, request to be contacted by a recruiter through the branch's website, or, if available you can apply online. ^{[30]
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3
Enter into training and active duty. If you are accepted and sworn into a military JAG position, you will receive advanced training. The typical commitment is four years of active duty. At the end, you can re-enlist or leave military service. If you have prior military service, either active duty, reserves, or National Guard, you will receive time-in-service credit for pay grades and assignments.