“'Go Out of Your Way to Look for Veterans': Increasing Recruitment and Breaking Barriers in Big Law,” The American Lawyer

Partners Brent Caslin and Todd C. Toral were featured in The American Lawyer’s article on veterans in Big Law, which discussed the low number of veterans in the legal industry. The article observes that veterans account “for just 2.8% of attorneys and 1.8% of those in Big Law but they bring a unique set of skills and varied life experiences that firms would be remiss to overlook.”

"There's an extraordinary amount of effort being done to bring diversity to Big Law, and I think veterans need to be part of that discussion. There are a lot of ways to do it, and one is to go out of your way to look for veterans. It might require a bit of out-of-the-box thinking, but the industry is already doing so for other diversity efforts,” said Mr. Caslin, a US Army veteran.

As for the characteristics among veterans that make them great candidates to practice law, Mr. Toral, a former infantry officer in the US Marine Corps, says, “It’s not just the grit, but the sense of honor and integrity and the ability to lead in dynamic situations that overlaps with being a lawyer. It is not an easy or seamless transition but take that notion of integrity… always doing the right thing, bringing the level of grit to do the hard cases and litigate the very best for sophisticated clients.”

Read the full article here.

© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

“'Go Out of Your Way to Look for Veterans': Increasing Recruitment and Breaking Barriers in Big Law,” The American Lawyer

Partners Brent Caslin and Todd C. Toral were featured in The American Lawyer’s article on veterans in Big Law, which discussed the low number of veterans in the legal industry. The article observes that veterans account “for just 2.8% of attorneys and 1.8% of those in Big Law but they bring a unique set of skills and varied life experiences that firms would be remiss to overlook.”

"There's an extraordinary amount of effort being done to bring diversity to Big Law, and I think veterans need to be part of that discussion. There are a lot of ways to do it, and one is to go out of your way to look for veterans. It might require a bit of out-of-the-box thinking, but the industry is already doing so for other diversity efforts,” said Mr. Caslin, a US Army veteran.

As for the characteristics among veterans that make them great candidates to practice law, Mr. Toral, a former infantry officer in the US Marine Corps, says, “It’s not just the grit, but the sense of honor and integrity and the ability to lead in dynamic situations that overlaps with being a lawyer. It is not an easy or seamless transition but take that notion of integrity… always doing the right thing, bringing the level of grit to do the hard cases and litigate the very best for sophisticated clients.”

Read the full article here.

© 2026 Jenner & Block LLP. Attorney Advertising. Jenner & Block LLP is an Illinois Limited Liability Partnership including professional corporations. This publication, presentation, or event is not intended to provide legal advice but to provide information on legal matters and/or firm news of interest to our clients and colleagues. Readers or attendees should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to matters mentioned in this publication or at this event. The attorney responsible for this communication is Brent E. Kidwell, Jenner & Block LLP, 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654-3456. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Jenner & Block London LLP, an affiliate of Jenner & Block LLP, is a limited liability partnership established under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 615729. Information regarding the data we collect and the rights you have over your data can be found in our Privacy Notice. For further inquiries, please contact dataprotection@jenner.com.

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