Summer Experience: Zach Brockway ’26L This past summer, Zach Brockway interned for the Trial Defense Service (TDS) of the U.S. Army JAG Corps.

Zach Brockway ’26L

Zach Brockway ‘26L is a third-year law student at Washington and Lee and is originally from Houston, Texas. He is the president of the National Security and Military Law Society (NSMLS) and works in the Criminal Justice Clinic. This past summer, Zach interned for the Trial Defense Service (TDS) of the U.S. Army JAG Corps. After law school, he plans on returning to the U.S. Army JAG Corps with the goal of working in criminal defense.

How did you find/get this position?

I realized I had an interest in the JAG Corps after interacting with several JAG officers, especially at the Law, Ethics, and National Security Conference in Durham, NC. I submitted my application online and interviewed at W&L with a JAG Officer who is a W&L alum (JAG officers come to W&L every year to interview for internship positions).

Describe your work experience.

The field office I worked at was understaffed, so I had the opportunity to take on many responsibilities. The working environment fostered professional growth by allowing me to interview clients and develop defense strategies in a collaborative, fast-paced atmosphere. While the internship provided a rich professional experience, the best part was the people and the collaborative environment.

What were some skills you developed this summer?

I developed a range of valuable skills, including interviewing and counseling clients, formulating defense strategies, and trial-prepping clients through direct and cross examination exercises. I also gained experience in various aspects of criminal procedure, drafting matters to exclude evidence, engaging in negotiations, and handling clemency matters. Additionally, I strengthened my abilities in client advocacy specific to Army procedure; there is an art in addressing military commanders in the adversarial setting, and I learned how to prepare a client-centered defense while addressing the audience specific to the Army.

What surprised you about the work you did this summer?

I was fascinated by the due process rights of the soldier in relation to the aims of the government with regard to the soldier’s job, rank, and pay. The government would defer charges it could not pursue to the soldier’s command, and the command would then cite the criminal statutes as a means of separating the soldier from the Army. The soldier would go through a nonjudicial criminal trial to retain his job, rank, and associated social status in the organization. In many respects, being tried through nonjudicial means for crimes cited in statutes or the code of military justice absent sentencing can be just as traumatic as a courtroom and thus warrants a great level of care and client-centered defense.

What was your favorite aspect of this summer work experience?

My favorite aspect of this experience was being in a position to help those who needed help, often through one of the most challenging times of their lives, while being prosecuted or separated for reasons that do not define them. I was grateful to substantively help defendants who are too often facing unreasonable charges with the possibility of appalling punishments. It is indescribably fulfilling to solve problems and fight to reduce or eliminate charges and their accompanying draconian punishments.

Has this experience helped you figure out post graduate plans, and if so, how?

This experience has solidified my interest in public service as well as my passion for defending people in the criminal justice system and to do so in a setting that is collaborative and meaningful. I received an offer from the Army JAG Corps to return as a commissioned officer, and I accepted.

How do you think this experience will shape the rest of your time at W&L Law?

Despite the differences in military law and the procedures in defending soldiers, the fundamentals of trial advocacy and defense strategy are proving to be useful in my work for the Criminal Justice Clinic. I am confident my experience working in TDS will hold its value for the remainder of my time working in the clinic and in my practice focused classes that exercise trial advocacy skills.