Legal Officer - Royal Air Force - RAF Northolt
Your responsibilities could include:
- Advising military commanders and staff in national, coalition and Allied environments on domestic and international humanitarian law;
- Advising on military law, air law, employment law, European law, health and safety and environmental law;
- Development and drafting of legislation in relation to the Armed Forces;
- Acting as Legal Adviser to Service Inquiry panels in relation to their investigations;
- Advocacy for the defence or prosecution at Courts Martial, Service Civilian Courts and Summary Appeal Courts;
- Advising both military police and commanders in relation to criminal investigations, evidence gathering, interviewing, and pre- and post-charge custody;
- Advising personnel of all ranks on the Armed Forces Act 2006 and procedures and regulations that apply to the RAF and wider defence;
- Providing legal training across the full breadth of ranks and branches of the RAF.
Like most officers in the RAF, you will move jobs every few years, and each job is known as a tour. You could receive your first overseas move, or ‘posting’, immediately after your Initial Officer Training and specialist training. Overseas postings normally last between two and three years.
‘I advise station commanders on legal matters, particularly criminal charges brought against RAF personnel on stations. I also advise on anything from health and safety legislation to the Human Rights Act.
If I’d stayed in private practice, I’d be doing the same thing day in day out. That wasn’t something that appealed to me. The RAF has given me the chance to work on a much wider range of legal issues.’
My Day
‘I’m stationed in Cyprus at the moment. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is working in the legal aid clinic where we see people who need advice about financial problems, matrimonial law or child custody issues.
I’ve also provided legal advice to people in Iraq, Brunei, the Falklands, Kosovo and Germany.
You have opportunities to experience things civilians just don’t, like visiting the Pentagon and working on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the Mediterranean.’
Elaine, Legal Officer
Training
Full Time
Regular
Initial Officer Training
Like all our Specialist Branch officers, you will begin your RAF career on the Specialist Entrant and Re-entrant (SERE) course at the RAF College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.
You will follow an 13 week course specially designed for professionally qualified entrants to the RAF.
The course includes fitness development, military training and academic study as well as practical outdoor leadership challenges.
Following successful completion of SERE you will attend the 2 week Basic Air Warfare Course at RAF College Cranwell.
Specialist Training
As a fully qualified solicitor or barrister, you will already have the core legal skills to do your job.
However, during your induction training at the Directorate of Legal Services (RAF) you will receive an introduction to those aspects of law in the RAF that may not be familiar to you, with more in depth training in areas relevant to your first Legal Officer posting being provided by the team to which you are assigned.
Thereafter, you will gain hands-on experience on the job and, throughout your career, you will be offered opportunities to develop and experience new areas of legal practice, including international humanitarian law, as well as the same through-life Professional Military Development as all other RAF officers.
Foundation Tour
For your first tour, you could be posted to a Regional Legal Office on a major operational flying station in the UK, to our legal offices in Germany or Cyprus, to the Service Prosecution Authority, or to the RAF Legal Directorate’s headquarters at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. You will work under the guidance of senior officers and receive training in order to develop your knowledge of new areas of law and also to develop your potential as a RAF officer.
Your Career Prospects
You will join the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant on an Initial Commission of 6 years. After a period of productive service, and by competitive selection or on promotion to Squadron Leader, you may be selected for your commission to be converted to a pension-earning commission of 20 years’ service or to age 40, whichever is the later. A further extension of your commission of up to 30 years’ Service (or to age 60) is also possible, either by competitive selection or on promotion to Group Captain. Some posts within the branch become available only when appropriate experience and rank has been gained.
Ongoing Development
In accordance with Bar Council or Law Society policy guidance, you will be able to maintain your Continuing Professional Development currency through a combination of accredited external and internal legal training. Each year you will also attend the DLS(RAF) Conference, which will not only provide updates in various areas of Law, but will allow you to take part in leadership- and teamwork-based activities. There will also be opportunities to improve leadership skills through both military training and Force development events, such as Orienteering.
Transferable skills
As a Legal Officer in the RAF, you will have all the developmental opportunities and career prospects of your civilian counterparts, together with the chance to work around the world and gain unique experience of the law. In addition, you will develop leadership and managerial skills which are unrivalled in the civilian legal world.
Spare Time
Reserve
Initial Officer Training
Following successful completion of OASC potential Recruits take part on 4 Pre-Basic Reserve Training(BRT) weekends with 600 Sqn at RAF Northolt, before undertaking 15 days of Basic Recruit Training at RAF Halton. Following successful completion of this phase, you will attend Reserve Officer Initial Training at RAF Cranwell, which runs for 27 days over a 3 ½ -month period. During this time you will gain the skills and knowledge to command and lead in military roles and beyond. The course includes fitness development, military training and academic study as well as practical outdoor leadership challenges.
Specialist Training
As a fully qualified solicitor or barrister, you will already have the core legal skills to do your job. However, during your induction training at the Directorate of Legal Services (RAF) you will be introduced to aspects of law in the RAF that may not be familiar to you. Further training will be provided by the team to which you are assigned. Thereafter, you will gain hands-on experience of the job and, throughout your Reserve career, you will be offered opportunities to develop and experience new areas of legal practice.
Assignment
Upon completion of ROIT and following the Branch induction, you could be posted to a Regional Legal Office on a major operational flying station in the UK, to our legal offices in Germany or Cyprus, or to the RAF Service Complaints Team at RAF High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. You will work under the guidance of senior officers and receive training in order to develop your knowledge of new areas of law and also to develop your potential as a RAF officer.
Your Career Prospects
You will join the RAF as a Flight Lieutenant on successful completion of ROIT. After a period of productive service and by competitive selection, you may be promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader.
Ongoing Development
Reserve officers are expected to comply with SRA or BAR Council policy in regards to CPD points to ensure they are competent to represent the RAF as a Legal Practitioner. All Reserve officers are to attend the DLS(RAF) Induction Course, and are invited to attend the Branch Annual Conference. Both of these carry CPD points, though the CPD relates to RAF core business, and are not necessarily relevant to the officer’s civilian practise.
Transferable skills
As a Reserve Legal Officer in the RAF, you will develop both leadership and management skills; these will allow you to effectively lead personnel through peace time and through times of conflict. You will also be given the opportunity to practice unique areas of law not available to Civilian legal practitioners.
Requirements
Full Time
Regular
Job requirements
Qualifications:
You must be either a member of the Bar of England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and have completed a pupillage, or be a solicitor admitted to the Roll of England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Applications from persons who hold CILEX qualifications cannot be accepted. You must also have GCSEs at a minimum of Grade C or equivalent, Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE) at a minimum of Grade 2 or Scottish National Equivalent (SNE) at Grade 5 in English Language and Mathematics.
Once you have successfully been commissioned into the Directorate of Legal Services(RAF) you will have to undertake and pass Developed Vetting periodically throughout your career, this will enable you to complete all duties of an RAF Legal Officer.
Nationality
Citizen of the UK or the Republic of Ireland, or a Commonwealth citizen since birth. You may also join if you have dual UK/other nationality
Residency
Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should have resided there for the five years immediately preceding your application.
Age:
24 – 40
Applications from older candidates, especially those with previous commissioned service and/or relevant experience, may be considered on their merits as follows:
- Older candidates with more than 4 years post qualification experience (PQE) will be referred to the Directorate of Legal Services (RAF) for consideration.
- Older candidates with less than 4 years PQE, but who have more than 2 years PQE, have a strong academic record (e.g. A levels at grade A or B plus a 2:1 bachelors degree or better) will also be referred to DLS (RAF) for consideration.
- A full UK driving license will be required
RAF Requirements
To join the RAF you will also need to meet fitness, health, nationality, residency, and other criteria detailed below.
0 comments:
Post a Comment