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

A general education development (GED) degree and a typing speed of 25 words per minute are required. Good hearing and clear speech are assets if you desire to become a court reporter (ASI C5).

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

Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in the law and legal proceedings
• Ability to keep organized and accurate records
• Interest in business, mathematics, typing and speech
• Ability to listen carefully, communicates effectively, and retains information

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

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.

• Human Resources Specialist (42A)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.