Veterans Bring Valuable Experience to Their Careers at Foley

In observance of Veterans Day, celebrated each year on November 11, Foley recognizes the tremendous commitment, sacrifice, and courage of its attorneys and business professionals who are active duty service members or have previously served in the United States military. We are honored to work alongside so many incredibly brave and selfless individuals and are grateful for their noble service.

While these colleagues don’t wear the uniform in the firm’s offices, they do bring with them years of valuable experience from serving our country that carry over into their careers at Foley. When asked to share how their time in the military helped them prepare for and succeed in the legal field, this is what they had to say:

“The Air Force taught me leadership, attention to detail, perseverance, and the ability to tackle any obstacle. As a teenager, I was tasked with instructing water and land survival to pilots while packing parachutes and G-suits. Today, I have the honor of leading a law office while participating in military justice and civil law across the country as well as mentoring new paralegals. The military has afforded me the opportunity to gain experiences otherwise impossible to obtain, and I am proud to continue to serve as a member of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.”
Alicia Schweitzer, Director of Public Affairs | U.S. Air Force (2005 – Present)

“I served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy, and later the Navy Reserves, for nine years. Through two deployments and various other experiences on land and at sea, I learned discipline, mental toughness, and attention to detail. These traits have helped me to lead others and quickly make critical decisions in high-stress environments. I left military service in February 2022 and am incredibly proud to have served.” Alexa Goldstein, Associate | U.S. Navy (2013-2022)

“The military instilled in me an appreciation for rules and a devotion to attention to detail. These characteristics have proven useful for my work at Foley, especially because my practice is concentrated in commercial contract work, which is precise work with its own set of rules. My cryptology background also provides a complementary backdrop for my participation in Foley’s “Blockchain in Supply Chain” series, which focuses on the impact that encrypted blockchain technology has on global supply chains.”
Jenny Wang, Associate | U.S. Navy (2003-2009)

“Serving four years in the Army as an armor officer, dealing with mechanized high-intensity combat operations — being able to shoot, move, and communicate at high rates of speed — prepared me for a legal career in unexpected ways. As a litigator, I understand intuitively that organization, preparation, strategy, and speed are of the utmost importance to winning cases. Dedication and loyalty to clients as well as professionalism to an adverse party are just a few of the many qualities the military instilled in me that have served me well throughout my legal career.” F. Phillip Hosp, V., Partner | U.S. Army (2002-2006)

“My four years in the Air Force taught me time management and problem solving skills, a disciplined approach to life, and how to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously. One of my key administrative responsibilities was maintaining the physical library of Air Force Regulations for my squadron. When there were changes to the regulations, I was the one responsible for swapping out the pages and ensuring the regulations were current — that was my first exposure to regulations. Today, I am a consumer finance regulatory attorney, and thankfully, I have Westlaw to maintain the statutes and regulations I use.” Sharal Henderson, Special Counsel | U.S. Air Force (1991-1995)

“My time in the Marine Corps taught me a lot about the law and working with computers. But more than that, I learned the importance of teamwork and to appreciate the value each member contributes to the success of an organization. I’ve learned how to stay calm when there’s a crisis and to be flexible. It also gave me the confidence to attempt difficult tasks and the courage to always finish what I start.”
Caroline Karr, Technology Support Supervisor | U.S. Marine Corps (1983-1989)

“As a JAG lawyer aboard an aircraft carrier during combat operations in the Vietnam war, I did and learned things in the Navy that helped me immeasurably in later life and in particular in my law practice. Initially, that was with an NYC firm specializing in admiralty and maritime matters and later in Washington, where I developed a general commercial practice. My practice today still reflects that mix of business and maritime matters, and continues to benefit from my Navy experience.”
Steve Chameides, Partner | U.S. Navy (1968-1974)

Click here to hear more about Steve’s path to Foley, the four years he spent as an officer in the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps during the Vietnam War, and more.

Interested to know more?

Click here to listen to Patrick McMahon, Senior Counsel and Co-Chair of the firm’s Veterans & Allies Affinity Group, reflect on what he learned about teamwork, leadership, and resilience while in the Air Force, and how those lessons apply to his current litigation practice.

Read about the 30-year military career of Partner Jeffrey Kopp, a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and former Commander of the 91st Legal Operations Detachment (JAG) in Darien, Illinois.

While Veterans Day happens just once a year, we are grateful to our veterans every day for their servitude to our country.