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Navy JAG Creates Regional Legal Service Offices

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060724-09
7/24/2006

From Navy Judge Advocate General Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- In order to better align the provision of legal services to the fleet, Trial Service Offices merged with region and installation Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) offices July 1, to form nine Region Legal Service Offices (RLSO) throughout the world.

The seven RLSOs in the United States and two overseas have combined the SJA function of providing advice and counsel to commanders with the trial counsel function of court-martial prosecution.

The new RLSOs provide the full panoply of government legal services – court-martial prosecution and command legal advice and support - in their regional area of responsibility. Naval Legal Service Offices (NLSO) will continue to provide defense and personal representation, as well as legal assistance services to Sailors and their families.

“This merger allows us to align our workforce to match the needs of the warfighters and other clients," said Commander of Naval Legal Service Command, Rear Adm. Bruce MacDonald. "The RLSO staff is better equipped and more flexible to meet emerging needs and requirements.”

RLSOs are commanded by an O-6 judge advocate who also serves as the regional legal program director. The program director leverages the right legal assets within his or her region to tailor a team for each specific legal issue, reducing redundancy in the mission.

“In some respects, the RLSO can be likened to the ‘law firm model,’" said Capt. Jim Crawford, commanding officer of RLSO Southeast. "The coordination of effort made possible by this regionalized concept will ensure the client receives consistently superb service, without exception, from every component legal office of each of the nine Region Legal Service Offices.”

Following the Chief of Naval Operations’ vision under Sea Enterprise, the RLSO merger will improve the JAG Corps’ organizational alignment, refine overarching requirements, and produce personnel savings. Through this effort, the JAG Corps is doing its part to recapitalize the fleet and reinvest where required to continue to transform the force.

The new commands include: RLSO Naval District Washington, based in Washington, D.C.; RLSO Midlant, based in Norfolk, Va.; RLSO Southeast, based in Jacksonville, Fla.; RLSO Midwest, based in Great Lakes, Ill.; RLSO Northwest, based in Bremerton, Wash.; RLSO Southwest, based in San Diego; RLSO Hawaii, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; RLSO Japan, based in Yokosuka, Japan; RLSO Europe and Southwest Asia, based in Naples, Italy.

For more information, go to www.jag.navy.mil.

For related news, visit the Navy Judge Advocate General Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/jag/.