Capt. Rachel Kennedy, ’15, USAF JAG Corps
Rachel Kennedy is a 2015 graduate of The University of Akron School of Law and a member of the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps. Here is what Rachel had to say about her experience at Akron Law and the JAG Corps opportunity:
The JAG Corps is an incredible opportunity to practice law in a variety of areas all over the world without having to take the bar exam more than once. As a JAG, during any given week, I will brief a commander on possible punishment options for their Airmen, provide legal assistance by creating a will for a deployer, review a contract for the funding of a new building, aid Air Force Office of Special Investigations in obtaining a search authorization (warrant), and hold a Court-Martial (trial) where an Airman is sentenced to confinement (jail) for violations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Akron Law aided in my preparation for this career field. During my time at Akron Law, I participated in an externship with the United States Public Defender’s Office, an internship with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Stow Prosecutor’s Office. Akron Law provided me with a variety of class options outside the required courses. I took classes such as family law, bankruptcy, trial advocacy, immigration, advanced criminal procedure, and negotiations. These classes have been instrumental in providing me with a well-rounded knowledge base on which to build my JAG career.
For me, public service was always the end goal. I had considered military as an option when I was younger, but you can never be certain where you will end up or what type of law you will practice. Immediately following law school, I was able to gain some very valuable experience while working as an Assistant Director of Law for the City of Akron and ultimately applied for the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps.
When considering what I wanted my future to look like, I didn’t want to be limited to practicing law in only one state. I also wanted to make sure that I had the opportunity to grow both in experience and in my knowledge of various sections of law. The Air Force JAG Corps is all of that and more. It is a family, it is a purpose, it is an incredible career and it is a 100% obtainable goal for a student or graduate from The University of Akron School of Law.