Legal Officer

Adjutant General’s Corps

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At a glance

Officer
Specialist
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You will advise on a range of legal issues across the Army. As a Legal Officer you will have a challenging and interesting career with opportunities which few other legal practices can offer. This role allows you to join as either fully qualified or through the ALS Cadetship.

£25,200The minimum amount you’ll earn during training
£50,540Your pay after completing basic trade training
AgeFrom 21 years to 32 years
QualificationsSee qualification details

Army Legal Services (ALS) Officers are barristers and solicitors who are qualified in England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. They perform a range of crucial tasks, from prosecuting at court martial to advising senior commanders.

ALS officers practise law without timesheets or billable hours targets. There is opportunity for worldwide travel, delivering legal advice in interesting and challenging environments. There is a structed career with the chance to for promotion up to Major General and to gain post-graduate qualifications funded by the Army.

ALS officers are also given opportunities to keep up with their CPD through attendance at a number of internal and external courses, play sport for the Adjutant General’s Corps and the Army, and go on adventure training including skiing, cycling and hiking.

Providing Military Legal Support To The Army

Army Legal Services (ALS) is a specialist all-Officer branch of the Adjutant General's Corps. ALS is comprised of professionally qualified solicitors, barristers and Scottish advocates.

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Key Responsibilities

Operational law - Advising senior commanders on operational law, including detention, targeting and rules of engagement. This takes place both during the planning stages of exercises and operations and whilst deployed on the ground.
Prosecutions - Management and progression of cases at the Service Prosecuting Authority from initial referral to trial, including making charging decisions, dealing with evidential issues and disclosure, and prosecuting cases at Court Martial.
Advisory law - Training and advising officers and soldiers from other parts of the Army on discipline and administrative action, advising on health and safety and employment law (amongst other areas), and preparing publications to support the Chain of Command.

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Regular (full time)

Entry requirements

Age:
From 21 years to 32 years
Qualifications:
There are now two ways to become an Army Legal Officer:
1. Fully Qualified
  At the date of joining, you must be a qualified solicitor or barrister in the jurisdictions of England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
  You may begin your application whilst you are still undergoing your training. Those undergoing a training contract, qualifying work experience or a pupillage can apply up to 9 months prior to qualification. Some people join the ALS as newly qualified lawyers, and some serve for many years in private practice before joining.
2. STUDENT - ALS Cadetship
  At the start of the ALS Cadetship (September), you should have a completed qualifying law degree (minimum 2:2) – Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), or equivalent.
  You should begin your application while you are still completing your law degree (application window is 2 June - 31 July 2025) to start in the next academic year.
Basic physical fitness assessment:
- Mid Thigh Pull 76kg
- Medicine Ball Throw 3.1m
- MSFT (beep test) level 8.7
More information about the fitness test

Training for the role

Training to become a Legal Officer will depend on whether you're planning on joining as a student in the Cadetship or as a fully qualified Barrister/Solicitor.

FULLY QUALIFIED

Step 1
You'll spend nine months training before going to your first legal role. During your first two weeks, you'll conduct your initial training and administration at the Directorate of Army Legal Services. Then you go to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to do a Commissioning Course Short for eight weeks. You will be taught leadership and military skills.

Step 2
Following that, you will be attached to a combat arms unit for three months, in order to learn more about how the Army operates on the ground on a day-to-day basis, to practice the skills you learnt at RMAS and to develop your contextual understanding of the advice that you will be giving.

Step 3
You will then move on to your legal training, which takes place over approximately six-eight weeks. You will be given a basic introduction to the main areas of law that the ALS covers. Following this, you will be sent into your first role.

STUDENT - ALS CADETSHIP

Step 1
There are two tracks to qualification, either as a barrister or a solicitor via the ALS Cadetship. On both tracks, you will hold the rank of Officer Cadet (OCdt). OCdts will commission as ALS Captains on the date of qualification.

Barrister’s Track. You will undertake the Bar Training Course (year 1) before being seconded to a set of Chambers for Pupillage (year 2). If you have completed the Bar Training Course before starting the ALS Cadetship, you will be eligible to apply and will undertake Pupillage only (12 months).
Solicitor’s Track. You will undertake two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) within ALS, moving through a number of seats across ALS’ practice areas whilst completing the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exams (SQE) online part-time. If you have completed SQE 1 and/or 2 before starting the ALS Cadetship, you are eligible to apply and will undertake the QWE element only (24 months).

Step 2
After completing the ALS Cadetship, you will spend approximately six months completing Military Training:

You will attend the Commissioning Course Short at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS). This is a nine week course designed to provide you with military and leadership training.
Combat Arms Attachment. You will be attached to a combat arms unit for three months. This is to learn more about how the Army operates on the ground on a day-to-day basis, to practice the skills you have learnt at RMAS and to develop your contextual understanding of the advice that they will be giving.

Step 3
Legal Training. You will then move on to your legal training, which takes place over approximately six-eight weeks. You will be given a basic introduction to the main areas of law that the ALS covers: operational law, advisory law and prosecutions.

Following this, you will be sent into your first role.

Qualifications you could get after training

Higher Rights of Audience (Criminal Courts)
Master of Laws LLM in International Law, or other relevant subject of your choosing

Pay & benefits

30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
Free medical and dental care
Free use of military gyms
Subsidised accommodation
Opportunities for participation in sports and adventure travel

FULLY QUALIFIED

You will join the Army as a Captain on a minimum salary of £50,540 a year.

STUDENT - ALS CADETSHIP

You will join the Army as an Officer Cadet on a minimum salary of £25,200 per year and then rise to £50,540 once fully qualified.

How to Apply

If you've got your qualifications, then apply online. Your application will be passed to our specialist team, who will help guide you through the process towards joining in this role.

You do not need to have particular knowledge or experience in order to join the ALS. We encourage applications from all sectors of legal practice and specialist legal training will be provided to you when you join to give you the knowledge required for your roles in the ALS.

When applying for the ALS, it may be helpful to have some examples of times when you have worked well in a team, which could include volunteering, work/educational projects or sports. You will also be expected to demonstrate good knowledge of current affairs and the potential impact of these on the work that we do.

More about the joining process