Interview with Quan Vu (JD 2012), Army JAG Corps

Quan Vu graduated from GGU School of Law in 2012. He is currently stationed in Fort Rucker, Alabama serving as the Chief of Legal Assistance with the Army Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG).

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Describe your overall job searching strategy after graduation, or after the bar exam.

My job goal since I started law school was to be in the Army JAG Corps.  During school, I reached out to LCS to put me in contact with Army recruiters.  As a 2L, I did informational interviews to find out more about the job and the application processes.  As a 3L, I had an interview with a field-screening officer (FSO), which I coordinated through LCS.  I submitted my application in the fall of my 3L year. 

During law school I interned at a non-profit, the San Francisco City Attorney Office, and a clinic at GGU.  Each of my experiences taught me a different layer of being a lawyer, from client interaction to writing memos or conducting research.  These did not have a direct link to being a JAG attorney, but the skills I learned were all relevant to being a good attorney.

Would you have done anything differently during your initial job search?
If there were something I would have done differently, it would be to apply and get into the Army JAG summer internship.  These are selective paid internships, which allow you to work directly with JAG offices in different parts of the country.  I would also have liked to be a law clerk for a judge.  Judge Stuart Hing in Alameda County has been a big supporter of GGU and employs several law clerks.  I would have loved to work for him.

What is your daily routine like at your current position?
The legal assistance office works with service members directly.  On a daily basis we help service members with a wide variety of issues.  Usually if a service member is getting ready to deploy, we help him/her draft a will.  We also help with family law issues such as divorce or child custody.  And sometimes if service members need to break their lease agreement due to deployment or change of duty station, we help with those issues.

What do you enjoy the most about working with JAG?
What I enjoy most about the job is that I can help service members one-on-one and I can resolve their issues and bring them peace of mind. What makes this job unique is that there is not a set of prescribed characteristics that makes a good JAG officer.  However, the one thing we have in common is that we are willing to work as a team and are not afraid of taking initiative.

Any last words/advice for students and recent graduates?
To current students:  Law school is the time to reach out to people, organizations, mentors, etc., to find out what it is you want and to align your actions to your goal.  Plan your internships six months to a year out.  There are places like LCS and mentors who want to help.  Don’t think it is all work and no play, because going out and bonding with your classmates is part of the experience.

To recent graduates: Nothing in life worth having comes easy.  I say this because I passed the bar the second time around.  But failure the first time made me realize how much I wanted it and I worked even harder and smarter.  Don’t stop trying to find that job that will make you feel satisfied.  Good luck in your goals and go live the dream.