Up Front
Who Knew?
Legalmen Must Earn Associate Degree The paralegal career is everywhere with no exception and that includes the United States Navy.
Called Legalmen, this career position has reached the stage where an associate degree is mandatory. In September, some of the 487 sailors in the legalman rating started their studies. This
move is expected to transform the Navy’s legal community, according to the service’s top lawyer. be close-minded to things that can make us better,” said Vice Adm. James Houck, the Navy judge advocate gen- eral. “A well-educated paralegal can do a lot of things.”
It seems it’s the same problem in the Navy as in some law firms: lawyers now do much work done by
paralegals in civilian life, By putting all legalmen through paralegal education, Houck said the enlisted members of the JAG Corps will be able to do “powerful things, freeing up lawyers to focus on what is unique to being a lawyer and the practice of law. The new mandatory requirement will take about five years for all LNs to get their degrees.
“Roughly speaking, we think it would take a person starting from scratch about two years to get through
this program,” he said. “But we have a lot of people who are in very different places, as some are a course or two away, while others are just starting their degrees and even a few who are working on master’s degrees in paralegal studies.”
There are 107 legalmen who have some type of degree, with 27 of those holding degrees in paralegal
studies. Officials will work with sailors who hold other degrees to help them meet the new educational require- ments. Exempt from the degree requirement are sailors within three years of retirement or high-year tenure. The JAG Corps will pick up the cost of all schooling because the degree is a professional requirement.
Officials have partnered with Roger Williams University in Newport, R.I., which requires 61 credits for
a paralegal associate degree. New sailors attending legalman “A” school will have at least 28 credits under their belt once they graduate and will stay in Newport to earn 15 more credits by studying on base with RWU profes- sors. Remaining credits will be earned through distance education.
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