RAF Legal Branch
| 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 L J Irvine |
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 Law Society of England and Wales;
- The Law Society of Scotland;
- The Bar Council of England and Wales; and
- The Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet.
History
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]
Role
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.
Career
The career structure of a legal officer within DLS is as follows. Commissioning on a short service commission as a Flight Lieutenant after a 6 month SERE course at RAF Cranwell. If the candidate is suitable then appointment to a permanent commission and subsequent promotion will be by selection.
Directors of Legal Services (RAF)
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
The head of the RAF Legal Branch is titled the Director of Legal Services RAF. The current holder is Air Vice Marshal L J Irvine and his deputy is Air Commodore S J Kell.
- Air Commodore John Bankes Walmsley (1950 - 1957)[2]
- Air Commodore Marshall William Palmer (1957 - 1961)[3]
- Air Vice-Marshal John Ernest Allen-Jones (1961 - 1970)[4]
- Air Vice-Marshal Aubrey Sidney-Wilmot (1970 - 1978)[5]
- Air Vice-Marshal Peter Furniss (December 1978 to April 1982)[6]
- Air Vice-Marshal Graham Neil Forman (1982 - 1989)[7]
- Air Vice-Marshal Reginald Thomas Dawson (1989 - 1992)[8]
- Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey W Carleton (1993 - 1997)[9]
- Air Vice-Marshal John Weeden (1997 - 2002)[10]
- Air Vice-Marshal Richard Anthony Charles (2002 - 2009)[11]
- Air Vice Marshal Lindsay J Irvine (April 2009 to present)[12]
Deputy Directors
- Air Commodore Lindsay Irvine (? to April 2009)
- Air Commodore William H Boothby (April 2009 to July 2011)[12]
- Air Commodore S J Kell (July 2011 to present)[13]
References
- ↑ "Legal services". raf.mod.uk. October 8, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38795/supplement/6168/data.pdf
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41266/supplement/7596/data.pdf
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42721/supplement/5302/data.pdf
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45228/supplement/12330
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47745/supplement/670
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48885/supplement/1786
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51840/supplement/9449
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53164/supplement/107
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/54820/supplement/7555
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56668/supplement/10039
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "AIR RANK APPOINTMENTS LIST 09/08". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 01/11". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved January 9, 2015.
External links
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