Facing a shortage of legalmen in the ranks, the Navy is increasing opportunities this year for sailors to cross-rate into the job.

Legalmen are the Navy’s paralegals for military attorneys and judges.

They record and transcribe court proceedings, conduct interviews, perform legal research and provide other assistance to military attorneys.

As of Jan. 3, there were 511 active-duty legalman slots but only 471 legalmen to fill them, according to data provided to Navy Times.

The legalman A School has also not filled up its twice-yearly program, which can take 72 students, for the past three years, according to the Navy.

In an effort to widen the pool of qualified candidates to convert to the legalman rating, the Navy will alter the minimum typing requirement for the job, trimming it from 40 words per minute to 35.

They also will open conversion opportunities to some first class petty officers with less than 10 years in uniform, but that will occur on a case-by-case basis, according to a Navy release.

Under the reforms, the Navy no longer requires sailors to complete six college-level credits in English before beginning legalman training.

Candidates still must be selected after a review of their application and completion of oral boards.

Navy leaders believe the policy changes are working.

An upcoming legalman training course at the Naval Justice School has reached capacity, according to Command Master Chief Legalman Brook Larkins, the top enlisted sailor at Naval Legal Services Command.

In a statement to Navy Times, Larkins said her command remains confident about the community’s future and has “no concerns that this will negatively impact the quality of the Navy’s Legalman community.”

To learn more, visit the Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps website.

Geoff is the editor of Navy Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

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