Marine Corps Judge Advocate

The Marine Corps is interested in hiring 1Ls, 2Ls and 3Ls for the summer of 2026 and full time thereafter. Once admitted to practice, this summer internship will develop into a guaranteed full-time offer, contingent upon graduating law school and being admitted to the bar. To be clear, the Marine Corps will guarantee qualified applicants a full-time job following law school, as a 1L, 2L, or 3L.

After successfully completing a summer contract, Marine Corps Judge Advocates prove themselves in the same training pipeline as every Officer in the Corps. You will attend Marine Corps Officer Candidates School (OCS) over the summer for 10 weeks in Quantico, VA as an Officer Candidate. Upon completion of OCS this summer, you will earn the title of Marine Officer. You’ll then return to law school (whether that is 2L or 3L year), complete your JD, apply for admission to the state bar, then enter active duty as a Judge Advocate with the Marine Corps. During law school, you will accrue time in service (seniority), which will translate into higher pay and accelerated eligibility to draw pension benefits.

LIFE AS A MARINE LAWYER

Marine Judge Advocates will immediately carry a robust caseload and will quickly be first chair on felony level trials in federal court.

During your first tour, you’ll serve in many of the following roles: prosecutor, defense attorney, victim’s legal counsel, and legal assistance attorney. You’ll have the unique opportunity to practice law across diverse legal portfolios, gain criminal litigation experience from the start, and lead a team. The work of Judge Advocates may also involve advising commanding officers, overseeing criminal/administrative investigations, and practicing in other areas of law, including but not limited to: civil litigation, law of armed conflict, maritime law, tort claims, labor law, environmental law, operational law, cyber law, and international law.

Very few lawyers in the private sector get exposure to such a variety and high-level experience immediately upon graduation from law school. Even fewer earn the right to do so as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Marines possess critical character traits, a team-building mindset, and are not driven by billable hours, marketing, or profit. Marine Corps Judge Advocates have an accelerated promotion timeline and competitive compensation, receiving a salary above equivalent entry-level state and federal legal positions.

The Marine Corps is offering you a chance to practice law in its purest form free of the distractions inherent in civilian practice: you don’t need to advertise and win clients, there is no minimum billable hour requirement, you don’t even need to bill your time. Unlike working in a state’s attorney’s office or as a public defender, the Marine Corps will start you off on a team of prosecutors or defense attorneys working on felony and misdemeanor cases.

Benefits include:

Ø  Est starting salary/total compensation: $92,000-$138,000 (some of which is tax free)

Ø  Up to $110,000 in additional compensation (Judge Advocate Continuation Pay)

Ø  TA/Full coverage for LL.M. or Grad School

Ø  Full medical and dental insurance

Ø  30 days paid vacation per year

Ø  Federal holidays off

Ø  401K retirement with employer match

Ø  VA Home Loan

Ø  Defined Benefit Pension plan

Ø  Security Clearance