It likely will depend on the firm. If you have 3+ years of experience practicing (not summer or articling), grades will matter less. If it's right after articling because you weren't hired back, they will matter more. Search firms will often request a transcript for anyone with less than 5 years experience.
I was going to say Carbolic Smoke Ball. That image is great. I recall there was a criminal law case that began with definition of “go go dancer” that my classmates and I found amusing I read in 1L but the name escapes me.
I think the Baker decision (about procedural fairness obligations for administrative bodies) is an interesting yet accessible case. It’s about an immigration decision where fairness obligations were not met. Also a good way to discuss systemic racism.
Ewanchuk, an important case about assessing consent in relation to sexual assault is a good way to discuss intersection of law and gender.
I would think it would help, but I suppose it depends on what you did in the military, and what the resumes look like of the rest of the applicant pool. People love to make predictions but at the end of the day, we don’t really know who we’re “up against”. I thought my resume was pretty interesting, for my age, considering I also have two kids, but I’ve come to realize it’s pretty unexceptional compared to a lot of high-achievers applying to law school 😆
My gut tells me military experience shows dedication, discipline, etc.
If your GPA is decent, you do well on the LSAT, and you can write a good personal statement, you certainly stand a strong chance!