Patrick Johnstone, a 2016 graduate of Texas A&M School of Law, is a Supervisory Realty Specialist at the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Prior to law school, Johnstone spent time working in finance, obtained an undergraduate degree in chemistry, and worked with human genetic disorders as a research laboratory technician. However, Johnstone often found himself thinking about water management. He loved being around the water and “wanted to be involved professionally in a field that somehow kept [him] involved with water.” Originally from Oregon, Johnstone moved with his wife and two boys to Fort Worth to attend Texas A&M Law.
When reflecting on his time at the law school, Johnstone shared that he “was fortunate to participate in many meaningful experiences.” He sought opportunities that allowed him to further his interests and quickly discovered the right career path for him. Johnstone’s internship with the Trinity River Authority of Texas provided him with “a glimpse into the everyday lives of attorneys working in fields related to the environment and natural resource management,” which was what led him to seek a position with the USACE. He also participated on a two-week trip to Guanajuato, Mexico, led by Professor Gabriel Eckstein, to learn about Mexican approaches to natural resource management. In addition, Johnstone honed his legal writing skills while serving on Law Review, and found that “the additional time and exposure to legal writing, grammar and syntax was invaluable.” He encourages all law students to participate on a journal because it “is incredibly important to be able to write well” and to be able to communicate in a competent and professional manner.
The USACE is tasked with military engineering and construction activities, as well as a variety of civil works activities. In Texas, USACE manages most lakes and flood control activities, and maintains intercoastal waterways. As a Supervisory Realty Specialist and as Chief of the Disposal Section that encompasses most of Texas, Johnstone manages “a small team that ‘disposes’ (i.e., conveys away) federally held real property.” These disposals require considerable assessment of the legal minutiae, because each one must comply with a wide variety of federal property and environmental laws. They can also require numerous environmental assessments, but Johnstone finds “working through regulatory schemes/requirements challenging and interesting.” For students interested in this field, Johnstone highly encourages taking Advanced Legal Research. He also recommends taking natural resource courses, participating in internships, and taking Administrative Law to learn how to “better navigate the regulatory world.”
Johnstone shared that working for the USACE is usually “similar to working in any other office environment” and that most of the workforce are civilians. However, there are some differences. For example, upper management is often regular army personnel. USACE is headed by a lieutenant general, and “the person in charge of [his] area is a colonel, and is referred to as the ‘Commander.’” Outside of work, Johnston enjoys cooking, traveling, and teaching. He may even be back at Texas A&M Law one day! He said: “I very much enjoyed law school. I know that makes me sound a little crazy, but I like academics. I’m considering coming back for a LL.M!”