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A Paralegal Specialist is an integral part of the Army’s legal system. They assist judges, Army lawyers and unit commanders with legal matters and judicial work. The Paralegal Specialist provides legal and administrative support in such diverse areas as criminal law, family law, international law, contract law, and fiscal law. Paralegals are also involved in defense and judicial legal services as well as operational and foreign law. Some of your duties as a paralegal Specialist may include:
Provide preliminary paralegal and administrative support to unit commanders and staff and coordinates paralegal actions with the supervising Office of the Staff Judge Advocate
Prepare and process legal documents in support of courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, and other military justice matters
Prepare line of duty determinations, separation board proceedings, and other administrative law matters
Provide Paralegal assistance services in the family law arena including powers of attorney, wills, and separation decrees
Prepare claims processing and investigations
Training
Job training for a Paralegal Specialist requires nine weeks of Basic Training, where you’ll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 10 weeks of Advanced Individual Training and on-the-job instruction. Some of the skills you’ll learn are:
Legal terminology and research techniques
How to prepare legal documents
Summarize transcription of legal actions
Army judicial process
Interviewing witnesses
Advanced Responsibilities
Advanced level Paralegal Specialist provides guidance, supervises and trains other soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Paralegal Specialist, you may be involved in:
Supervise the operation of a section in a command or installation paralegal office
Provide technical guidance to subordinates
Maintain law/administrative library and section files and records
Monitor and review actions to ensure accuracy and timely dispatch or disposition
Related Civilian Jobs
In the civilian world, Legal Specialists may be referred to as legal assistants, clerks, paralegal assistants and court clerks or recorders. Civilian legal specialists can work for private law firms, banks, insurance companies, government agencies and local, state and federal courts.
Related Army Positions
Human Resources Specialist (42A)