One to Watch: Rachel Jag
06/30/2021
Rachel Jag (鈥�17)
Legislative Correspondent for Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-Kan.)
As a law student, Rachel Jag got involved in public service by serving as a PILG Auction chair and then as an intern with the Republican National Committee.
After graduating, she knew wanted to continue down that path but didn鈥檛 have an immediate way forward.
She worked at a law firm briefly before joining the office of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (鈥�00). There she was involved in litigation, and though she enjoyed the experience, litigation 鈥渏ust wasn鈥檛 my jam; I wanted to use my writing and all the other stuff I learned in law school: reading the law, having policy debates, going that route,鈥� she said.
One day she was contacted by a fellow SLU LAW alumna who worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee and was looking for Election Day legal volunteers for a campaign in Topeka.
鈥淚t was because I met somebody that day and reconnected with them a few weeks later that I ended up getting hired by Rep. LaTurner鈥檚 office,鈥� she said.
Once in D.C. she had a bumpy start: Her second day of work, Jan. 6, was the day of the Capitol riot, during which she and her fellow Hill staffers had to barricade inside the office for several hours, and then that night they found out their congressman had tested positive for COVID-19. But besides the initial chaos, Jag鈥檚 found the silver lining of moving to the capital during the pandemic.
It鈥檚 a cooperative mentality, and I gained a lot of those qualities from being a SLU LAW student."
Jag
鈥淚鈥檝e been Missouri born and raised, but I knew I loved D.C. and have always had the draw,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing that I鈥檓 getting adjusted to living halfway across the country and to a whole new type of job while things are shut down because it gives me time to get on my feet.鈥�
In her role, Jag uses her legal skills by researching bills and drafting letters, and she sees a parallel with her time in law school.
鈥淪LU is a community where everyone is supportive. The value of community really helps in my world. Working with a team here and trying to represent another community on the Hill, you try to think 鈥� how can you serve the team? How can you serve the congressman? And how can you help him serve his people? It鈥檚 a cooperative mentality, and I gained a lot of those qualities from being a SLU LAW student.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy to go down a nontraditional path with my law degree,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚 love the movement here and I love Capitol Hill. I think the sky鈥檚 the limit. As long as they鈥檒l have me, I鈥檒l be here.鈥�
鈥� By Maria Tsikalas