Marine Judge Advocates

LEARN TO LEAD AS A MARINE OFFICER. FIGHT TO WIN AS A JUDGE ADVOCATE.


Marine Judge Advocates are attorneys responsible for upholding the law and core values of the Marine Corps. They are Marine Officers first and attorneys second.


HOW ARE MARINE JUDGE ADVOCATES DIFFERENT?


Serving as a Marine Judge Advocate is different from being a private attorney or an attorney in another service. 

Unlike private sector attorneys, Marine Judge Advocates take responsibility for caseloads immediately in their first tour. With the assistance of supervisory Judge Advocate mentors, new attorneys immediately begin practicing law in the fields of criminal litigation, institutional compliance, government ethics, administrative law and operational law. 

Marine Judge Advocates are unrestricted officers, meaning they can serve in various positions open to Marine Officers in other occupational fields, for example, serving as an operations officer, executive officer, or Commanding Officer.


WHY SERVE AS A MARINE JUDGE ADVOCATE

Advantages to serving as a Marine Judge Advocate include the privilege of leading Marines and the ability to advance your knowledge and expertise through criminal litigation experience across diverse legal portfolios early in your law career. Very few lawyers in the private sector get exposure to such variety and hands-on experience so early in their careers. In addition to hands-on legal experience, the Marine Corps offers opportunities for Judge Advocates to deepen their expertise by obtaining a Master of Laws Degree (LLM) and attending training courses at professional legal institutions throughout the United States. More than one third of our Judge Advocates attend these courses each year.

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STEPS TO BECOME A MARINE JUDGE ADVOCATE


Step 1: Meet the Marine Corps Basic Requirements

Those pursuing service as Marine Judge Advocates must first meet the basic commissioning requirements for Marine Officers, which include:

  • US citizenship 
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited university
  • 22+ on the ACT or 1000+ on the SAT
  • 2.0+ undergraduate GPA
  • Age 28 and under (waivers available on case-by-case basis)
  • Physically fit with no major health issues

Additional requirements for law candidates include:

  • 150+ on the LSAT (waiverable for exceptional applicants)
  • Currently attending or graduated from an ABA-accredited law school

Think you meet our basic requirements? Contact an Officer Selection Officer (OSO) to get started developing a package for board selection.


Step 2: Earn Your Commission

Marine Judge Advocates are Marine Officers first, attorneys second. There are several paths to earn an officer's commission, including Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) and the Officer Candidate Course (OCC).

Most candidates are screened for an officer's commission at Officer Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. Both bar-certified attorneys and law school students are eligible. This challenging training environment evaluates candidates for the physical resilience, character and mindset necessary to lead Marines.

If they overcome the physical and mental challenges of Officer Candidates School, they may choose to accept an officer's commission and with it the privilege of leading Marines. After commissioning, bar-certified lawyers will remain in Quantico to complete The Basic School (TBS).

Law students will return to law school to complete their juris doctorate. These Marine Officers may have the opportunity to intern with Marine Judge Advocates during the summer as well as pre-, post-bar and pre-TBS timeframe. Upon bar certification they report to The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.


Step 3: Learn to Lead

At The Basic School second lieutenants learn the duties and skills of a Marine Officer in a classroom setting and through practical application. This six-month training program may be deferred for up to one year while completing a judicial clerkship or LLM.


Step 4: Learn Military Law

After completing The Basic School prospective, Marine Judge Advocates attend the Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, Rhode Island, where they learn the fundamental principles of military justice, civil and administrative law, and procedure.



MARINE CORPS LAW OPPORTUNITIES

 

Litigation: As a Trial Counsel, Defense Counsel or Victims’ Legal Counsel, Marine Judge Advocates litigate felony and misdemeanor criminal cases before military judges and juries. Additionally, as a Trial Counsel, they coordinate with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and other state/federal law enforcement agencies on criminal investigations. In later assignments they may also practice at the appellate level, arguing cases before the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals or the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Staff Judge Advocate and Legal Assistance: As Marine Judge Advocates gain experience, they can transition to other areas of law, such as administrative law and legal assistance, or act as in-house counsel to Marine Corps headquarters staff. In these positions they research and write internal memoranda and opinions and advise commanders on all legal issues affecting the command – from fiscal law and government ethics to military justice (criminal law). They also work closely with Marines and their families on family, consumer, tax, estate and immigration law issues.

Operational and International Law: Marine Judge Advocates maintain the same readiness and training standards as every Marine Officer and are deployable worldwide. Marine Judge Advocates have opportunities to deploy with scalable Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) around the world. Deployed Marine Judge Advocates support commands and their Marines through a broad spectrum of operational, cyber and international law.




 

Marine Judge Advocates are Marine Officers first, attorneys second. To serve as a Marine Judge Advocate you must first commission as a Marine Officer. There are several paths to earn a commission. Contact a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for more information.  

 

 

There are several ways to connect with a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) in your community. Click or tap this link to request more information. You will be asked to provide some general information, a phone number and an email address.  
 
You can request to connect with an OSO by texting Marine Corps Recruiting. Send a text to MARINE (627463) to chat 9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST, 7 days a week. 

You can also request to connect with an OSO by phone. Call 1-800-MARINES (627-4637). 

 

 

To pursue a commission and serve as a Marine Judge Advocate, you must first meet the Marine Corps’ general and physical requirements.  There are additional requirements you must meet to qualify to serve in the Marine Corps "Judge Advocate" Division once you become a Marine Officer, including a 150 or higher on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). There are some waivers available for this requirement for exceptional applicants.  

Applicants must also hold a juris doctor (a professional law degree) from an ABA-accredited law school or currently attend an ABA-accredited law school.   

 

 

Marine Judge Advocates are Marine Officers first, attorneys second. Before you can pursue service as a Marine Judge Advocate, you must first commission as a Marine Officer. There are several commissioning paths. Most applicants, called candidates, are screened and evaluated to become Marine Officers at Officer Candidates School (OCS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.  

After graduation newly commissioned officers attend The Basic School (TBS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. This six-month course trains first lieutenants to become company grade officers and leaders of enlisted Marines. Halfway through TBS, Marine Officers have the opportunity to indicate their preference for a Marine Occupational Specialty (the Marine Corps’ term for jobs) and their geographical duty assignment.  
 
After completing TBS, prospective Marine Judge Advocates attend the Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, Rhode Island, where they learn the fundamental principles of military justice, civil and administrative law, and procedure. Contact a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for more information about training requirements. 

 

 

After becoming Marines through one of several commissioning paths, new Marine Officers attend The Basic School (TBS) at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. This six-month course trains first lieutenants to become company grade officers and leaders of enlisted Marines. Halfway through TBS, Marine Officers have the opportunity to indicate their preference for a Marine Occupational Specialty (the Marine Corps’ term for jobs) and their geographical duty assignment.  
 
After completing TBS, prospective Marine Judge Advocates attend the Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, Rhode Island, where they learn the fundamental principles of military justice, civil and administrative law, and procedure. Contact a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for more information about commissioning as a Marine Officer.  

 

 

Marine Judge Advocates rotate to different duty stations every three to five years and serve all over the world, including Japan, Korea, Germany, California, Virginia, Washington, D.C., North and South Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Maryland. Contact a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for more information about duty stations for Marine Judge Advocates.  

 

 

Marine Judge Advocates receive hands-on legal experience from the moment they are assigned their first duty station. Unlike private sector attorneys, Marine Judge Advocates take responsibility for caseloads immediately in their first tour. With the assistance of supervisory Judge Advocate mentors, new attorneys immediately begin practicing law in the fields of criminal litigation, institutional compliance, government ethics and administrative law. 

The Marine Corps also offers opportunities for Judge Advocates to deepen their expertise by obtaining a Master of Laws Degree (LLM) and to attend training courses at professional legal institutions throughout the United States. More than one third of Marine Judge Advocates attend these courses each year. Contact a Marine Officer Selection Officer (OSO) for more information about opportunities for career advancement within the Marine Judge Advocate Division.  

 

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Leading Marines and pursuing justice in the fight for our country is a noble call answered only by the Few. Talk to an Officer Selection Officer (OSO) about what motivates you to become a Marine Judge Advocate and see if you meet our basic requirements.



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