Legal Officer

As a member of the military, Legal Officers deliver legal services in the fields of operational law, international law, training, military personnel law, and military justice.

The primary responsibilities of a Legal Officer include:

• Providing advice on international and domestic law to the commander of a deployed force
• Providing general legal advice and services to the commanding officer of a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Base
• Providing advice on operational legal issues at National Defence Headquarters
• Representing clients at Court Martial and appearing before the Court Martial Appeal Court
• Representing the interests of the CAF and the Department of National Defence (DND) as:
• A member of a Canadian delegation negotiating international treaties
• A member of the military liaison staff at an allied headquarters
• Delivering training on military law and military justice

Work environment

Legal Officers are members of the Legal Branch of the CAF. This branch is commanded by the Judge Advocate General (JAG), who acts as legal adviser to the Governor General, the Minister of National Defence, the DND, and the CAF in matters relating to military law and administers military justice in the CAF.

The Office of the JAG provides the military justice system with military judges, prosecution, and defence counsel. A Legal Officer may also work at the Office of the DND/CAF Legal Adviser, working in such areas as legislative drafting, pensions, claims, and administrative law. A Legal Officer could also be appointed to the military bench, to serve in the independent Office of the Chief Military Judge.

If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part-time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

All Legal Officers must be admitted to the Bar of a Canadian province or territory, and be a member in good standing of a provincial or territorial law society.

If you have graduated within the last two years, you must have practice experience within the last two years. This experience may include clinic work or articling experience under the supervision of a licensed lawyer in Canadian Criminal Law, International Law, Administrative Law, Labour and Employment Law, or Human Rights Law.

If it has been more than two years since you graduated from Law School, you must have practised law on a full-time basis in Canada since graduation. If you have not worked as a lawyer since law school and you graduated more than two years ago, you may have your legal experience evaluated by the Office of the JAG to determine suitability. This will be done after you have applied to the CAF.

Basic training and military officer qualification training are required before being assigned.