2026

As a school that holds cura personalis, or care for the whole self, as one of its values, Santa Clara Law makes sure to celebrate and support its students from all walks of life. Among our diverse population are our veteran and military-connected students, who bring a unique perspective as they navigate law school and the wider legal field. 

This fall, the Veterans Law Society (VLS), one of our law student organizations, was officially launched. Its mission is to foster community among veterans, service members, and military-connected students, including spouses, dependents, family members, students interested in Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG Corps) service, allies, and supporters. It also seeks to educate the broader Santa Clara University campus about the experiences, contributions, and professional pathways of veterans, service members, and their families, both in law school and in the legal profession. And, in the spirit of inclusive excellence, it plans to collaborate with other student organizations, faculty, alumni, and community partners, such as the Santa Clara University Student Veterans Organization (SVO).

The founding effort was brought together by students Lacey Lutes (President), Noel Varela (President), Alexander Tapia (Vice President), and a growing leadership team, with support from Director of Student Life Rianna Mendoza, Senior Director of Office for Campus Climate and Belonging Raymond Plaza, and faculty advisor Professor Wes Porter. Professor Porter is a fellow veteran, former Navy judge advocate, and current federal magistrate judge.

One of VLS’ priorities is connecting full-time and Flex JD students. It intentionally built its E-Board to connect full-time and Flex JD students with representation from both programs and a President from each—Lutes from the full-time JD program and Varela from the Flex JD program. It is also in the process of selecting additional Flex JD student representatives to strengthen that representation and ensure both groups help shape its priorities, resources, and programming. Professor Porter teaches in the Flex JD program, providing another connection to the Flex student experience. 

“We wanted VLS to be a community united by service and support—a place where veterans and military-connected students know they have people they can turn to. For me, that means helping each other through law school, sharing resources we’ve had to figure out along the way, and learning from veterans who have built careers in the legal profession. Our goal is to build something students can count on long after we graduate,” says Varela.

Below: Zachary Dullea, Lacey Lutes,
and Alexander Tapia

Today, the organization has 25 members and has already begun several efforts to build community, share resources, and connect students with veterans in the legal profession. It participated in the full-time LSO Club Day in August and Flex JD Club Day in October. Earlier this month, VLS helped coordinate a classroom visit by Santa Clara Law alumnus and veteran flag officer Rear Admiral Peter Koebler, J.D. ’96 to connect students with his military leadership and professional experience ahead of Veterans Day.

Future plans include developing an outline bank and sharing practical resources to support its members throughout law school, hosting an oral argument of the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals (AFCCA) at Santa Clara Law to give students an opportunity to observe military appellate advocacy firsthand, and hosting a session to help members learn about VA education benefits.

Interested in learning more about the Veterans Law Society, getting involved or exploring opportunities to collaborate? Reach VLS at veteranslawsociety@scu.edu or vls@scu.edu.