Military spouses shouldn’t have to sacrifice their careers, but due to frequent moves, many often have to leave their jobs and chances of career advancement behind. That’s why we created the Military Spouse Managed Review® (MSMR) program.
Our MSMR program was created to provide career opportunities for military spouses who are lawyers. Their character, knowledge, loyalty, vast experience, and dedication are the foundation of our program. Most of them come from various law firms and companies and would otherwise be in practice today. However, they have willingly chosen to put their military families before their career aspirations. Thus, supporting a spouse who is putting their life on the line to allow the rest of us to pursue OUR dreams.
In addition to being held to a higher standard through systems such as the rigorous “Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System” (DEERS) – which is necessary for any Military Spouse for On-Base Access – the skills military spouses provide are invaluable and include:
Most goals in life start out with a dream. For many, the dream of becoming a lawyer is what pushes them through the long and arduous commitment it takes to achieve it. After completing four years of undergraduate school, taking the LSAT exam, three rigorous years of law school, and finally, the bar exam, lawyers finally get to start their career.
While some attorneys have the privilege of working at a prestigious law firm or moving up the corporate ladder in the legal department of a major company–military spouse attorneys face unique obstacles that can hinder their ability to achieve those same career goals. Military families frequently relocate, making it difficult for the spouse to find a new job in the new location.
At the same time, military spouses may also be dealing with the absence of their spouse due to deployment. Too often, military spouses are faced with professional demands that conflict with the unique needs of a military family. While efforts are underway to eliminate geographical licensing requirements for military spouse lawyers and legal professionals, a lack of opportunities remain.
When Jennifer Andres joined the TCDI staff in 2016, she brought a personalized view of the problem attorneys who are also military spouses face. As a military spouse and attorney herself, she understands first-hand the unique challenges military spouses face, especially those with a law degree. When Jennifer brought forward the idea of using military spouses for document review, it immediately made sense to us.
This is how our MSMR program was born. TCDI understands that this is a win-win for all involved. Our MSMR program offers reliable and flexible career opportunities for military spouses while creating a diverse pool of qualified, adaptable, and experienced reviewers for our clients. And for us at TCDI, MSMR is an opportunity to support Jennifer and other military families while also gaining vital team members.
The MSMR program is an opportunity to do tremendous good and, at the same time, realize better service and better outcomes, while improving cost control. MSMR is a true partnership, in which we can all have a direct impact on its success.
The only sacrifices in this equation have already been made by the military spouses. For the rest of us, it is just a matter of fitting ourselves around them. What are the components of this partnership, and where do we all fit in?
The majority of military spouses believe that the military lifestyle, which includes frequent moves, deployments, long hours that keep service members from assisting with parenting, and living in areas with poor local labor market conditions—has negatively affected their employment opportunities.
Many touching personal stories can be found online by searching “jobs for military spouses.” If you're interested in learning more about the unique career challenges faced by military spouses, we encourage you to do a little homework of your own. We think you'll agree this is a segment of society well worth our support.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to introduce the Military Spouse Managed Review (MSMR) program to you. Military spouses are a tremendous untapped resource. It is estimated that in 2017, military spouses faced a shamefully high 16% unemployment rate, with even more spouses underemployed. Within the military spouse community there are a large number of licensed attorneys with exceptional capabilities.
MSMR is designed to build a partnership between these spouses and the business community, which can benefit greatly from their skills. We have built a program that seeks to employ these spouses in document review jobs using our advanced technology. This technology provides a platform that allows military spouses to make contributions from their homes while juggling their family and military responsibilities.
As with all partnerships, everyone has a role to play. The spouses have already made a profound sacrifice for our country, and now it’s our turn to support them in return. TCDI has built the infrastructure and the program to highlight their capabilities, and to bring it to you with exceptional service and quality. Your part in this equation is to supply the work. You are the source of fuel that can make this program excel, and as a result, change the lives of these military spouses. We are not asking for a charity contribution. In fact, we believe that we are offering you the opportunity to capitalize on exceptional talent and service, while at the same time, reaping significant cost and flexibility advantages.
I invite you to look closely at this program, and work with us. I believe that MSMR is the most significant and worthwhile effort we have ever embarked on as a company in our 36 years, or that I have personally in my 40 years in business.
Join us.
Bill Johnson
CEO
Contact us at info@tcdi.com for more information on how you can get involved.