Student Name: Tyler A. Rube
Law School: Gonzaga University Law School
Status: Rising 3L
Undergraduate: U.S. Air Force Academy (Legal Studies)
Other Degrees: Masters, Webster University (International Relations)
Home City/State: Phoenix, Arizona
Tyler Rube, a rising 3L and current Gonzaga Law Student Bar Association vice-president, was born and raised in Phoenix, Ariz., and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at 17. After a few years, Rube was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy and subsequently graduated as Class President in 2007. He then worked as a Special Agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, where he conducted felony-level criminal and counterintelligence investigations.
While on active duty, Rube deployed to Afghanistan twice, including between his 1L and 2L years. He received the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
LD: What factors did you use to choose a law school?
TAR: I focused primarily on Gonzaga Law School’s passion for public service. Specifically, my law school is one of only a few in the country that has a minimum requirement for pro bono hours before graduation — 30 hours are required, though most students average just under 150 hours. This true dedication to public service struck a chord with me because “Service Before Self” is and has been a personal core value since I joined the military.
LD: What’s been your most valuable experience so far?
TAR: The lessons learned during the difficult, yet incredibly rewarding and exciting experiences in Moot Court competitions have already served me well as a current intern with the U.S. Attorney’s office. At the same time, the support Gonzaga Law School showed me while I deployed to Afghanistan during my 2L year is something that will always be very special to me and reaffirmed my decision to choose Gonzaga Law. Although I was literally on the other side of the world, I still felt closely connected to my classmates and school, which offered me something very exciting to look forward to upon my return.
LD: What do you plan to do with your law degree?
TAR: As one can imagine, I intend to use my law degree to serve my local community of Spokane, Wash., although what that means precisely isn’t clear right now. I can say that working at the U.S. Attorney’s office is one of the most rewarding opportunities that I have ever had; it brings a huge feeling of satisfaction trying to make a difference in my community.
My duties in the U.S. Attorney’s office focus primarily on legal research and writing about the various issues surrounding our current caseload. The types of projects I have been fortunate to work on comprise murder-for-hire crimes, bank robbery, tax fraud and a wide variety of other felony offenses. In addition, I’m helping to prosecute cases on our petty offense docket. The opportunity to work with and provide support for the AUSA is simply an amazing opportunity.
