The Army Legal Services Branch (ALS) is a branch of the Adjutant-General's Corps (AGC) in the British Army. Before 1992, the branch existed as the independent Army Legal Corps (ALC). The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... An officer is a member of a military, naval, or if applicable, other uniformed services who holds a position of responsibility. ... The Adjutant Generals Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services. ... For other places with the same name, see Uxbridge (disambiguation). ... Bielefeld is a district-free town in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... A Major-Generals epaulette insignia Please see Major General for other countries which use this rank Major-General (Maj Gen) is a senior rank in the British Army. ... Obe can mean: Obe, in Afghanistan Ebenezer Obe, a Nigerian musician. ... The Adjutant Generals Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

The ALS consists only of commissioned officers (currently about 120), all of them either qualified solicitors, barristers or advocates. The head of the corps is the Director of Army Legal Services, a Major-General who is also the Army Prosecuting Authority. The members of the corps provide legal advice to the Army as an organisation and to individual officers and soldiers and also prosecute at courts martial. In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... // Artists impression of an English and Irish barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions which employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... An advocate is one who speaks on behalf of another, especially in a legal context. ... Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The Army Prosecuting Authority (APA) is an agency of the British Ministry of Defence. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

History

The Army Legal Staff received full corps status as the Army Legal Corps on 1 November 1978. It was always the smallest corps in the Army. On 6 April 1992, the corps became the Army Legal Services Branch of the Adjutant General's Corps, but retains a separate identity and its own cap badge. is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearers organisation. ...

The corps motto was Justitia in Armis and the regimental march was Scales of Justice, both of which are retained by the Army Legal Services Branch. For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Structure

The current Director of Legal Services is Major-General D. M. Howell OBE. Beneath him there are three Brigadiers, currently Brigadier A. Paphiti, Brigadier P. McEvoy OBE and Brigadier S. Vowles. Beneath the Brigadiers, there are eight Colonels, 38 Lieutenant-Colonels, and an equal amount of Majors and Captains. Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Brigadier (IPA pronunciation: ) is a military rank, the meaning of which has a considerable variation. ... Please see Colonel for other countries which use this rank Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking just below brigadiers. ... Insignia of a British Army Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel is a British rank used in several Commonwealth countries superior to Major and subordinate to Colonel. ... Please see Major for other countries which use this rank Major is a military rank of the British Army which is used by both the British Army and Royal Marines. ... Please see Captain for other versions of this rank Captain is a rank in the British armed forces that is used in the Army, Royal Navy, and the Royal Marines. ...

Areas of expertise

The Army Prosecuting Authority

The Army Prosecuting Authority (APA) is based at Uxbridge in Middlesex but also has an office at Bielefeld in Germany. The mission of the APA is: "Under the day to day management of Brigadier Prosecutions [Brigadier Vowles], and independent of the chain of command, prosecuting officers of the Army Prosecuting Authority will determine whether cases referred to them by the chain of command should be directed for trial and will prosecute before military courts those cases which have been so directed. They may provide advice to police forces on matters concerning the prosecution of offences and will represent the Crown as respondent to appeals before Summary Appeal Courts and the Courts-Martial Appeal Court." For other places with the same name, see Uxbridge (disambiguation). ... The Middlesex Guildhall at Westminster Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and was the second smallest (after Rutland). ... Bielefeld is a district-free town in the Regierungsbezirk Detmold in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. ... For the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, see Chain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation). ... The British monarch or Sovereign is the monarch and head of state of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, and is the source of all executive, judicial and (as the Queen-in-Parliament) legislative power. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ...

Advisory Branch

The Advisory Branch of ALS advises the chain of command on a wide variety of administrative, operational and criminal law issues. There are advisory Officers in every major Army HQ around the world. Typically they advise on matters including: whether COs should initate disciplinary procedures for soldiers, Boards of Inquiry, whether administrative action should be taken against those suspected of breaching the Army's values and standards, how the Army should deal with grievances and other employment law related issues, delivering training on disciplinary/administrative processes and on emerging Army policies. Advisory branch Officers often work directly with the Army’s most senior commanders. Administrative law in the United States often relates to, or arises from, so-called independent agencies- such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Here is FTCs headquarters in Washington D.C. Administrative law (or regulatory law) is the body of law that arises from the activities of administrative agencies... Criminal law (also known as penal law) is the body of statutory and common law that deals with crime and the legal punishment of criminal offenses. ... In the politics and government of Commonwealth states such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK), as well as the non-commonwealth nation the Republic of Ireland a public inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by the government. ... A grievance is a formal statement of complaint, generally against an authority figure. ... Employment law is the branch of the law that deals with employment related issues. ...

In addition within the Advisory branch there are ALS Officers specialising in particular areas such as specialist employment law, primary and subordinate legislation drafting and the drafting and editing of key documents such as the Manual of Military Law and Queen's Regulations.

Operational Law

When the British Army deploys on operations it takes legal advisors with it. When deployed on operations ALS Officers are often asked to advise on the most sensitive issues, as well as on international law and often on the local law of the country concerned. All army commanders at every level have access to legal advice from ALS Officers and this commitment is increasing all the time both in terms of deployments but also in terms of supporting the Army's pre-deployment training requirements. ALS Operational Law branch Officers are also often attached to the operations of NATO and the UN. This article is about the military alliance. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ...

Also, within the Operational Law is the specialist International Law branch of ALS which is located in MOD and is engaged in higher level issues including advising on the Army's interest in the drafting of certain treaties and negotiating and drafting Status of Forces Agreements with other states. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A treaty is a binding agreement under international law concluded by subjects of international law, namely states and international organizations. ...

Army Legal Assistance

The headquarters of Army Legal Assistance (ALA) is currently located at Catterick Barracks, Bielefeld in Germany. This branch provides legal assistance and advice to entitled servicemen and dependants worldwide.

The principle governing the services provided by ALA is that whilst serving overseas servicemen and their dependants are not able to obtain from civilian solicitors legal advice and assistance on their personal legal problems, and ALA exists to provide this service instead. ALA is a free service, but applicants must fund any court or other fixed costs such as divorce fees themselves.

Career structure

New ALS officers are commissioned as Captains on a Short Service Commission of four years and 210 days, the first year of which is probationary. This can be extended up to eight years, subject to satisfactory performance. If the commission is confirmed, an officer can apply, subject to having obtained two consecutive annual reports recommending conversion of commission, to convert to an Intermediate Regular Commission (IRC). If an officer obtains an IRC then that commission will allow them to serve up to their eighteen-year point. Once an officer has obtained an IRC then, again subject to obtaining the required recommendations in annual reports, they may apply for conversion to a Regular Commission. If granted, this will allow the officer to serve to the age of 60 or for a total of 34 years from the date of commissioning.

All Legal Officers are commissioned in the rank of Captain and are promoted based on annual reports. Subject to suitability, a Legal Officer may be promoted to the substantive rank of Major after six years' service, although it is not uncommon for ALS officers to be promoted to Acting Major rank earlier than the six year point. Once they are a substantive Major, an officer is eligible for promotion to substantive Lieutenant-Colonel after a further six years' service (subject to recommendations), although again it is not uncommon for ALS officers to be promoted to Acting Lieutenant-Colonel rank earlier. Promotion beyond these ranks is by selection on merit.

See also

• RAF Legal Branch

The Royal Air Force Legal Branch (RAFLB) or Directorate Legal Services (DLS) - as it is better known - is the uniformed legal service provider for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. ...

External links

• Official homepage of the AGC
• Official homepage of the ALS
• Official British Army homepage