After serving in the 3rd Army Ranger Battalion right out of high school, Alex Butler of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, wasn’t sure what would come next. He used his GI Bill benefits to attend the University of Montana, but hadn’t yet settled on a career path.
Butler immersed himself in campus life while continuing to serve in the National Guard. He also served as president of the Associated Students of UM Senate.
“I was really busy in undergrad,” Butler said. “But that was from everything else I was doing outside of the classroom.”
He majored in philosophy, which connected him with Professor Soazig Le Bihan, UM’s Pre-Law Program manager.
“Soazig and I would meet all the time to discuss philosophy,” Butler said. “I joined Pre-Law because I enjoyed my time with her and wanted to learn as much as I could.”
Although Butler’s father was an attorney, he initially dismissed a legal career.
“I spent most of my time engaging with her about how I didn’t want to become a lawyer,” he said. “I thought I would end up going for my doctorate in philosophy.”
Conversations with Dr. Le Bihan eventually led him to consider public service through law. The Pre-Law Program prepared him for the Law School Admission Test and guided his application process. He eventually enrolled in UM’s Alexander Blewett III School of Law.
“It was nice to fully put my attention toward being a student,” he said. “But I still wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after graduating. The idea of being a regular lawyer in a private firm felt limiting. I wanted adventure.”
After graduating and passing the bar, Butler clerked for a judge in Helena. Near the end of that experience, he began calling attorneys to learn about their careers. Conversations with Judge Advocate General’s Corps officers through the U.S. Navy convinced him to rejoin military service.
“Every JAG officer I spoke with loved what they did,” Butler said. “That’s when I knew joining back up was for me.”
Now stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi, Butler advises his commander and others on base as a JAG officer.
“It’s very different than being a lawyer in a big firm,” he said. “I get to help people out with my legal knowledge, but I don’t have to work crazy hours or prepare to go in front of a judge.”
Butler calls the work challenging but rewarding and encourages others to explore similar careers.
“If someone is on the fence about doing this type of service, pick up the phone and start calling people who are already doing it,” he said. “I think you’ll find that the lifestyle is great and people want to help you succeed.”
By Phil Stempin, UM News Service