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Royal Air Force Legal Branch | |
---|---|
Founded | 1 October 1948 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Type | Legal service |
Headquarters | RAF High Wycombe |
Commanders | |
Current Director | Air Vice Marshal T. N. Jennings |
The Royal Air Force Legal Branch (RAFLB) or Directorate Legal Services (DLS) – as it is better known – is the uniformed legal service provider for the Royal Air Force. It consists of solicitors and barristers qualified in a Commonwealth jurisdiction. DLS is headquartered at Air Command RAF High Wycombe. The Directorate is currently staffed by a mixture of members of:
The RAF Legal Branch was formed on 1 October 1948. Its predecessor was the Air Force Department of the Office of Judge Advocate General.[1]
It is open to men or women; those that have been recruited vary from NQ to 10 years PQE. DLS has around 50 legal officers. Around 30% of DLS officers are based in overseas billets. The type of work undertaken by legal officers depends on the billet they are working at. Around 50% of the billets are discipline / criminal law, 30% of the billets are operations law and 20% of the billets are administrative law. The RAF also provides 4 Legal Officers to the Service Prosecuting Authority.
The head of the RAF Legal Branch is titled the Director of Legal Services RAF. The current holder is Air Vice Marshal T N Jennings.