From Army to Attorney

A veteran’s journey from military officer to KU Law student

While most of her classmates were studying and participating in extra-curricular activities in high school and undergrad, KU Law 2L Stacy Zaleski was stationed in Korea, Virginia, Colorado and Hawaii. With two degrees and a decade of military service under her belt, the Army veteran decided there was only one logical next step: law school.

Before KU Law, Zaleski held various roles in the U.S. Army, including logistics officer and executive officer, serving both domestically and internationally. Her connection to the military runs deep, beginning with her involvement in her high school’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) and continuing through her participation in the ROTC programs at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis).

In 2012, Zaleski commissioned out of UC Davis as a second lieutenant. In 2016, she met her now husband in Virginia and decided to tie the knot after just three months due to the sporadic nature of military stationing. Now, eight years later, they reside in Manhattan, Kansas—one as an Army Major and the other as a law student.

Zaleski has always been driven by a desire to help others. During her time in the Army, she often assisted fellow soldiers with personal challenges.

“One of my favorite things in the whole world is to help people and to be a mentor,” she said. “My favorite part about being in the Army was when soldiers had questions or issues with their families or their jobs, and we could just sit and talk, and I could offer them advice.”

This passion for helping others pushed her towards a future in the public interest field, but it was her eagerness to learn that ultimately led her to law school.

Zaleski studied linguistics at UC Davis and earned an MBA in logistics online while in the Army. Because she completed grad school online, she felt jealous of students who were able to attend in-person classes and events.

While stationed in Hawaii, Zaleski decided to retire from the military. She always had the thought of going to law school in the back of her mind but didn’t find it feasible during her military career. With her newly open schedule and the GI Bill’s promise of a free degree, Zaleski decided she would start preparing for law school.

“I realized I could do it, and that I could continue in a professional setting in a competitive career. I could use my brain again, and I could have a job that could carry me through the rest of my life,” she said. “The Army breaks you physically after several years, but you can be a lawyer for a really, really, really long time.”

Before choosing KU Law, Zaleski applied to 34 law schools—not from indecision but due to her husband’s unpredictable military assignments. Fortunately, the Midwestern stars aligned when she was accepted to KU Law, and her husband secured a position at Fort Riley.

For Zaleski, the stresses of law school pale in comparison to her military experiences.

“These youngins don’t know. It wasn’t a nine to five. It was whenever the Army said you wake up and go to PT at the butt crack of dawn to whenever you’re done with the day. Law school is a blessing compared to it,” Zaleski said.

During her first year at KU Law, Zaleski, like many other law students, felt overwhelmed. This didn’t stop her from joining a few extracurriculars like the Kansas Law School Military & Veterans Society and Women in Law.

“It’s kind of silly but the Army didn’t really care and would say ‘we’re all equal’ and had some basic female mentorship programs,” she said. “I’m the 2L rep for the Women in Law program which I’m really proud of – to be a part of and help other women go through this process.”

Every year, KU Law’s Career Services Office hosts its Legal Career Options Day event for first-year students. At this event, nearly 100 representatives from employers across the region come to KU. Because Zaleski is a non-traditional student at KU Law, she sometimes feels like an outsider, but at this event, she felt no different than the other students.

“I felt like I really belonged. They were eager to tell me about the profession and invite me to see what they do. They didn’t care that I was a non-traditional student. It didn’t matter. It was just exciting to really get a taste and to see part of the profession,” she said.

After her 1L year, Zaleski was able to put the skills she learned in Green Hall to use as a summer associate with the Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps Office at Fort Riley. While there, she was able to shadow civilian attorneys and advance her knowledge on topics like labor and fiscal law. Now, alongside her classes, the 2L is an extern at their legal assistance office. Zaleski plans to intern at the Kansas Legal Services Office in Manhattan next summer to continue her work in the field.

“I’m definitely interested in public interest, like something where I can continue to serve the community in some way, shape or form,” she said.

Zaleski knows that although her time in the Army may be over, she can live by the lessons it taught her. She said she often tackles difficult situations using a tactic she learned in the Army called an operations order.

“Identify what you want, make a list of all the steps you need to do, and then just do it. If there’s a problem or anything, circle back,” she said. “There’s nothing so hard in life that you can’t overcome with the right help and the right resources and the right support.”

Transitioning from soldier to civilian life can be daunting, but Zaleski encourages other veterans to take the leap of faith, even when it seems intimidating.

“I think the hardest part in pursuing a dream or a goal is that you don’t know where to start. You don’t know how to do it,” she said. “For anybody interested in law school, just do your research and ask questions. Don’t be scared.”

As Zaleski continues through law school and prepares to reenter the workforce, her mission remains clear: to be a guiding light for others who have walked a similar path. She is determined to offer support and encouragement to those navigating their own journeys, ensuring they never feel lost or alone.

–By Casey Bacot