How to Become a Marine Corps Lawyer
It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and persistence to become a Marine Corps Lawyer. A Marine Corps Lawyer performs many services related to maritime, criminal and transactional issues under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
A Marine Corps lawyer is known as a judge advocate. Moreover, he is assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General. The basic elements of a job done by a Marine Corps Lawyer are the same as the civilian practice which include the research, writing, consulting and trial practice.
Instructions
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1
First of all, you must complete your undergraduate degree in an accredited college or university. You have to complete the first half of your freshman year in order to be able to make your way into the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC) Programme.
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Now, you have to become a commissioned officer through the PLC Programme. During this programme, the freshmen and the sophomores attend the Officer Candidate School at Quantico in Virginia. This programme consists of two six-week summer sessions. It will be important to mention that financial assistance is also available after the successful completion of your first summer training session. All the juniors and seniors, who participated in the PLC Programme, will attend the OCS in a ten-week session. Moreover, the post graduate students take part in the Officer Candidate Course (a ten-week session at Quantico, Virginia).
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Then, you will have to register yourself in the PLC-Law Programme after completing your bachelor’s degree. With the registration in this programme, you can postpone your active duty service until the time when you complete your law school education and pass the bar exam of your state.
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Afterwards, attend the Basic School in Virginia and take the law as Military Occupational Specialty.
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After that, take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) which is compulsory in order to apply to any accredited law school in the United States of America. You must score at least 150 on a 180 point scale and 30 on a 50 point scale in order to become a judge advocate candidate.
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Register yourself in the Funded Law Education Programme after getting admission in a law school. All your expenses will be paid by the Marine Corps at the law school. You will also receive the allowances during your law school period.
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After completing your law school, you will have to pass the bar examination of your state after which you will be assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General as a Marine Corps judge.
