“Military service completely changed the trajectory of my life. It was four-and-a-half years of intense personal growth. The military quickly taught me that my capabilities were greater than I previously thought and surrounded me with other great people that helped me to be the best I could be,” says 3L Christopher Smith of his “non-traditional” route to law school.
Uncertain of his long-term career plans, Smith enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division after completing an associate degree from Salt Lake Community College. During his service, he deployed overseas twice and notes among his accomplishments becoming a Jumpmaster and earning both the Combat Infantryman and Expert Infantryman badges.
“By the time I left the military, I was more focused and ready to take on a challenge like law school,” Smith says. “I decided I wanted to become an attorney because I like the idea of being an advocate for others. By doing so, I could continue in a service-oriented career where I could make a meaningful impact in my community.”
Upon his Army discharge, Smith pursued his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah and graduated magna cum laude in 2022. He chose the S.J. Quinney College of Law for its emphasis on experiential education and its proximity to the mountains, where he pursues a variety of leisure activities outside of class.
“There are countless classes, internships, clinics, and Pro Bono Initiative experiences that made me confident I would be prepared to practice law upon graduation. Because the school is in the heart of the state’s capital, it is easy to take advantage of opportunities to meet and work with a variety of attorneys and judges,” Smith says.
He also appreciates the small class sizes at Utah Law, which allowed him to quickly meet and build relationships with his classmates.
“I think the class sizes also make it easier for professors to get to know their students. The school’s highly accomplished faculty is, honestly, shockingly accessible and willing to provide individual assistance to students to help them succeed,” Smith says.
With a passion for advocacy, Smith is active with the Pro Bono Initiative as the student director for the Veterans Legal Site and has helped many veterans with their legal issues. It has been an impactful experience for him.
“For an evening every month, I help facilitate an event where veterans get help with a variety of legal problems. While not every consultation brings good news, the veterans typically always leave with greater clarity on what they are facing,” Smith says. “It is my favorite thing to see a visibly stressed client leave the clinic feeling optimistic and with an understanding of how to fix their problem. In all the chaos of law school, the Veterans Legal Site is a great reminder that I came to law school to have a service-oriented career.”
Another standout experience for Smith was his judicial externship with the Utah Supreme Court during his 2L year.
“I spent a semester working with Justice Diana Hagen and her clerks. Observing how the court thinks through legal issues and weighs the legal arguments was an eye-opening experience that changed the way I read cases and think about my own arguments. While I still have much to learn after graduating, I am confident this experience, along with many others, will help me begin my legal career on a high note,” he says.
Smith is most proud of his recent publication in the Utah Law Review, titled “Drone Assassinations: The Limits of the President’s Constitutional Authority to Strike Foreign Military Officers with Drones Without Congressional Approval.”
“If you told a younger me that I would be published for anything, I would have been shocked. It was a fun experience and something I am proud to share with my friends and family who have supported me through my law school experience,” he says.
With graduation in sight, Smith looks forward to his clerkship with Magistrate Judge Daphne Oberg at the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.
“I am thrilled that I will be clerking for a federal judge after graduating and passing the bar,” he says. “Beyond the clerkship, I hope to have a career in civil litigation, where I can act as an advocate for my clients.”
Chris Smith was named the University of Utah’s Student Veteran of the Year! Check out his Humans of the U article for more about his military service.