July.06.2016
Three years ago, we identified a goal of hiring more lawyers who are military veterans. We wanted to give back to those who have served our country. We also knew that veterans bring valuable skills and experience to the practice of law: grit, determination, relentlessness, leadership and a global perspective.
We looked for a source for hiring from this community, but we found none. That’s when the idea for the first-ever Veterans’ Legal Career Fair was born.
Now heading into its third year, the Veterans’ Legal Career Fair brings together top legal employers – including law firms, corporate legal departments and government agencies – with talented veterans, active-duty service members and military spouses who are lawyers. In each of the past two years, the Washington, D.C., event has attracted approximately 40 employers and 150 candidates from all over the world – including from military posts in Germany, Uganda and beyond.
We’ve been fortunate to partner with a dedicated team of co-founders from Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, the American Legion, American Lawyer Media, Shearman & Sterling and the D.C. Diverse Partners Network in making the Veterans’ Legal Career Fair stronger every year.
In addition to facilitating hundreds of job interviews, the career fairs have featured valuable presentations that provide advice for veterans on how to transition to civilian employment effectively and for employers on how to support them in the process. Speakers have included Col. Will A. Gunn (USAF, Ret.), former General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Col. Holly O’Grady Cook (USA, Ret.), Director of D.C. Operations for the American Bar Association; and the Honorable Robert Rigsby, Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Superior Court and retired U.S. Army Colonel, among many others.
To find out more, please visit www.veteranslegalcareerfair.com.