2L Alessandra Coote attended the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, earning her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. She spent five years as an engineer officer in the U.S. Army and also graduated from the Sapper Leader Course as a combat engineer.
“I served in the Tenth Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York, and in the United Nations Command along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in South Korea,” Coote recalls. “After the army, I transitioned to a data analyst role at a San Francisco startup and eventually became a data scientist.”
This job led to Coote’s interest in the intersection between computers and the law.
“I decided to attend law school after seeing how poorly the law dealt with data and computer-based technology and wanted to help shape those discussions,” she says. “So much of our lives is spent online, but the law has not caught up with this new digital landscape. From social media regulations to the thousands of serious crimes committed behind a keyboard via hacking, I love thinking about these problems wearing both my computer nerd and law student hats.”
The mountains drew Coote to Utah Law when she was applying for law school, but there were other benefits as well.
“I love hiking and snowboarding, and I really like the small class sizes and location,” she says. “I also like the people here. From classmates to faculty, everyone is so welcoming and helpful. We all truly care about and support one another.“
Though Coote says she has felt support from others at the College of Law as a veteran, there is room to grow in this area.
“I wish people would ask us about our experiences, but be prepared for some wild stories,” she says. “I enjoy sharing my military experiences during class. We each have a unique perspective and want to talk about it. My experience as a woman in the officer corps is going to be much different than a man who served as a non-commissioned officer, but the common thread we have is respect for each other and all we went through.”
After graduation, Coote plans to specialize in cybercrimes.
“With my background in computers, I want to help prosecutors break up hacker groups but also make sure that individual, ethical hackers don’t get unfairly prosecuted,” she says. “My dream is to work for either the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EEF) or the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).”
Providing veteran support at the College of Law
On Nov. 13, 2023, Utah Law opened a Veterans Support Center (VSC) satellite location to help military-connected students build community through shared space. Resources include a work-study position, free coffee, tea, and snacks provided by the University of Utah VSC, and one-on-one time with VSC staff members.
“Veterans Support Center staff visit periodically to meet with students, answer questions, and ensure the military-connected members of Utah Law are receiving the support they need,” says Bret Alexander, belonging and access program manager. “Utah Law values its veterans and works hard to lift them up through every avenue possible. This work was driven by Professor Emeritus Jim Holbrook, Brian Burton, and me in conjunction with Fa’a Taupa’u, Angela Brink, Mario Reeve, and Brandon Mowes at the VSC.”
Learn more about the Veterans Support Center and other resources for military-connected students.