DALS
The Director of Army Legal Services (DALS), a Major General, is the Legal Adviser to the Army Board. He is the head of the Army Legal Services responsible for providing legal advice to the Army Chain of Command; he is appointed by the Queen as the Army Prosecuting Authority; and he is responsible for the provision of legal advice and assistance to soldiers and their families when they are serving in a place where no other legal help is readily available.
Army Legal Services (ALS)
Qualification
Except for Army cadets, every ALS officer must be qualified as a barrister or a solicitor before commissioning as an officer in the British Army. Further details can be found on the ALS webpage http://www.army.mod.uk/agc/army_legal_services/index.htm or Army Jobs http://www.armyjobs.mod.uk/Jobs/JobDetail.htm
Role
ALS officers provide legal support to the chain of command. They also serve in the Army Prosecution Authority, which is independent of the Army chain of command, and is responsible for the prosecution of all court-martial and Summary Appeal Court trials. Some officers provide legal assistance to soldiers and their families overseas.
Legal Advice to Serving Soldiers in the UK
Soldiers serving in the UK are responsible for making their own arrangements to contact a high street solicitor in the same way as any other British citizen. Solicitors can provide legal advice or representation to soldiers facing a civil prosecution, prosecution before a service court and on any other legal issues. If soldiers have any issues of this nature they should consider first talking to someone in their own unit such as the unit welfare officer, Padre, adjutant or admin officer. If a soldier is arrested by the civilian police or could be facing a civil prosecution they must inform their unit chain of command immediately.
A soldier who does not wish to discuss a legal problem with a member of their unit may instead contact the following:
Confidential Support Line on 0800 731 4880 or at www.ssafa.org.uk
Army Welfare Service at www.army.mod.uk/aws or telephone 01722 436569
(It should be noted that these organisations can give general advice but do not give specific legal advice).
Citizens’ Advice Bureau at www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
Advertisements for solicitors can be found in such publications as Soldier magazine or Yellow Pages; alternatively, they can contact the Law Society or visit a solicitors’ office. Soldiers should be aware that the Army does not endorse any firms advertised in military publications and they should make their own choice of solicitor.
Legal Advice to soldiers outside the UK
When soldiers and their families are serving overseas it is recognised that it may be difficult to have contact with a solicitor in the UK. Army Legal Assistance based in Bielefeld, Germany, provide legal assistance worldwide including in operational theatres. It can be contacted on 0049 521 9254 3196.
Soldiers facing trial at Court-Martial and the Summary Appeal Court
Soldiers facing trial may be provided with legal representation authorised by the Army Criminal Legal Aid Authority, some or all of which may be at public expense. Soldiers can receive guidance on this from their unit chain of command.
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