Demands on Military Attorneys Limit Their Ability to Take Servicemember Cases
The Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps serves as the military's "in-house counsel." The attorneys that serve in the Corps (the Judge Advocates) have a wide range of duties that consist mainly of providing legal advice and representation for their command and for their units. Some of their responsibilities include assisting individual Servicemembers (SM) with civil legal matters, but resources are tight and time constraints are rigid.
There is a great need for private attorneys from the state bar to step forward to fill the void. Major Alma L. Whitelaw, Command Judge Advocate, 287th Sustainment Brigade, Kansas Army National Guard, discusses below the difficult role of Reserve and National Guard Judge Advocates in trying to provide legal assistance to non-active duty SMs and their Families.
State Bar Associations Step Up to Help Servicemembers and Veterans Servicemember
As thousands of military men and women return from deployment, state bar associations are gearing up to provide greater access to legal assistance for Servicemembers, Veterans and their Families.
Two states, Virginia and Kansas, participated in an Army OneSource (AOS) pilot project, and along with a third state, Arizona, they helped to shape the program so it can be implemented nationwide. Read more...
Virginia Law Schools Help With Coordinated Approach