Law students are known to be overachievers, so it’s no surprise that students at the S.J. Quinney College of Law often work all summer to expand their legal skills and prepare for their future careers.
Rising 3L Payton Hampton is no exception. He spent his summer working two prestigious positions halfway across the country from each other, each uniquely helping him prepare to become an attorney in their own way.
Hampton spent the first half of the summer in Idaho Falls working as a summer associate for the firm Hawley Troxell. He primarily focused on healthcare law and litigation,
“I really enjoyed working on interesting research issues, getting to write persuasively, and brainstorming with attorneys about litigation strategy,” he said. “Hawley Troxell also has a great work environment, where the attorneys collaborate very naturally.”
Though Hawley Troxell usually only hires summer associates for their Boise office, Hampton wanted to be at their Idaho Falls office so he could be close to family and spend his downtime fly fishing at some of the world class fisheries in eastern Idaho.
For the second half of the summer, Hampton travelled to Fort Hood to work as a summer intern for the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
“I have a strong affinity for public service, and I also had a lot of leadership and physical fitness experience from my time as a U.S. Forest Service Firefighter,” he said. “That’s why I think the Army chose me for the internship.”
Hampton’s work with the Army JAG Corp mostly consisted of military justice, which includes advising commanders of how they can discipline soldiers and prosecuting soldiers in a Court Martial, and administrative law, including advising commanders on compliance with Army regulations and international law.
During his time at Fort Hood, Hampton participated in other areas of Army life outside of legal work, such as physical and operational trainings.
“Ultimately the JAG Corps’ work is important to me because it furthers the mission of the U.S. Army, to preserve and protect the American way of life,” he said.
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