On the road to becoming a Legalman, there is an intense 11-week training course in military justice, court-martial procedures, legal assistance, and administrative, civil, operational and procedural law. The course includes classroom instruction and practical application.

Upon successful completion of the basic course at the Naval Justice School, a Legalman receives 10 semester hours of American Bar Association-approved classes toward a degree in paralegal studies. The classes include: Ethics; Introduction to Law; Emerging Technology in the Law Office; and Legal Research and Writing. The Legalman community provides opportunities for advanced training in legal assistance, legal research and writing, shipboard Legalman duties and law office management, which may also translate to additional credits at the bachelor’s and associate’s degree level.

As a Legalman, you might assist judge advocate officers in the litigation of military cases or provision of legal assistance or you might provide legal support on a command or admiral’s staff. Day-to-day duties include:

• Providing assistance to Sailors and JAG officers
• Serving as law office managers
• Assisting in the preparation of legal forms
• Conducting legal research
• Maintaining legal records and official publications
• Preparing official accounts of investigations and courts-martial
• Processing appeals
• Performing various administrative and clerical law office duties