School Selection

COMDTINST 1524.2A

Allowance Billets (TABS) to all advanced education programs and by budget considerations.

References (a) and (b) govern the application criteria and process. The program manager for the law

AE program is the Office of Legal Policy and Program Development (G-LPD) of the Judge

Advocate General.

5. SCHOOL SELECTION. All Coast Guard law AE students must attend an American Bar

Association accredited law school. The normal course of study for the JD degree is three years (36

months) with breaks for the summer terms. However, some schools allow graduation after two and a

half years (30 months), with a summer course load. The legal program typically requires the three

year course of study at a law school within normal commuting distance of a Coast Guard legal office

or staff (i.e. CGHQ, MLCs, District offices, USCGA). This permits each student to complete two

summer internships at a Coast Guard legal office. Under rare circumstances, officers may complete a

30-month program when it can be shown that the Coast Guard and the officer will benefit

(financially or otherwise) compared to a 36-month program. Those students enrolled in a 30-month

law school program will receive mid-year PCS orders after sitting for the bar exam in February. The

law AE program manager must approve all school selections before orders are issued. All officers

selected for the LLM program will attend TJAGLCS unless the availability of study elsewhere is

announced in the annual solicitation for candidates. The TJAGLCS course of study includes one

year in the LLM course followed by a one year follow-on fellowship tour after graduation at the

U.S. Army Center for Law and Military Operations co-located at TJAGLCS.

a. Cost. The Coast Guard will only fund tuition. Books, fees, and other costs must be borne by the

law student. Full tuition will be funded for schools with annual tuition rates falling below limits

set each year based on Commandant (CG-1)'s tuition budget. The tuition cap for 2006 was

approximately ,000 per year. Officers may elect to attend schools where tuition exceeds this

limit if they agree to pay the difference (i.e. cost sharing). In making such a decision, officers

should bear in mind that the costs of books, fees, bar review courses, and other incidental

expenses associated with law school can be significant without adding additional tuition costs.

Students are encouraged to seek in-state tuition rates wherever possible. Commandant (G-LPD)

will assist law AE selectees in identifying law schools with the best tuition rates that meet the

criteria outlined in Paragraph 5. TJAGLCS study involves only incidental costs to students.

b. Transfer Policy. Students are advised to expect only one Permanent Change of Station (PCS)

move, either prior to law school or after law school. If the choice is made to attend a law school

at the officer's current geographical location, the student should expect PCS orders to another

geographical location after graduation. This "one move" guideline is used to minimize PCS

costs.

6. CURRICULUM. While attending law school, officers are expected to take a broad range of

substantive and procedural legal courses, as the practice of law in the Coast Guard is diverse.

Course selection should include the classic legal courses such as contracts, property, torts, evidence,

ethics, and procedure. Other useful courses are admiralty/maritime/ocean law, international law,

environmental law, administrative law, wills and trusts, personal income tax, government contracts,

and those applicable to criminal trial practice (i.e. criminal law, constitutional criminal procedure

(4th/5th/6th amendment law), and trial advocacy/trial practice, etc). The program discourages law

students concentrating on areas such as tax, property, commercial/corporate practice, etc.