COMDTINST 5801.4E
(3) Appoint personnel to provide legal assistance and supervise, direct and control the assistance
rendered. Where appropriate, Command Directors of Legal Assistance may also appoint out-
of-specialty Coast Guard judge advocates to provide legal assistance services to their
commands.
(4) Ensure that each attorney, paralegal, legal technician and administrative support staff who
provides, or assists in providing, legal assistance is designated in writing, understands that he
or she is providing services under the authority and supervision of a Command Director of
Legal Assistance, and is adequately trained and oriented concerning the principal types of
problems encountered as well as any peculiarities in the law of the local jurisdiction.
(5) Ensure that only qualified individuals provide legal assistance.
(6) Maintain appropriate liaison with local bar organizations and legal aid services.
(7) Maintain individual client or matter records within the Law Manager software package as
outlined in enclosure (1) to this document. These records shall contain information regarding
the case type, sub-type, quantity, and result, of all legal assistance services provided.
Consistent with other Coast Guard records management practices, legal assistance case
records shall be maintained for a minimum of three (3) years, or longer if required by an
attorney's state bar. Legal Assistance files are included under the system notice DHS/CG 008
for Privacy Act purposes.
(8) Develop effective liaison with other armed forces legal assistance offices within their areas of
responsibility.
c. Legal Assistance Attorneys.
(1) Definition. A legal assistance attorney is any attorney authorized or directed in writing by
appropriate authority to provide legal assistance services. These include active duty or
reserve judge advocates or other officers admitted to a State bar, civilian attorneys employed
by the Coast Guard, reservists (officer or enlisted) or qualified members of the Coast Guard
Auxiliary who are licensed attorneys. Legal assistance officers are not required to be certified
under 27(b) of the UCMJ or judge advocates.
(2) Designation and Qualification. Each legal assistance attorney shall be a member in good
standing of the bar of a Federal court or the highest court of a state, territory or the District of
Columbia. The Judge Advocate General, the Chief of Legal and Defense Services, and a
Command Director of Legal Assistance may designate any qualified person to perform legal
assistance duties for eligible personnel.
(3) Duties and Responsibilities. In providing legal assistance, legal assistance attorneys may
develop attorney-client relationships and shall represent clients zealously within the bounds of
professional ethics. Legal assistance attorneys, acting within the scope of their authority,
perform an official Coast Guard duty. However, attorneys providing legal assistance do not
speak for the United States nor for the Coast Guard, but rather as attorneys for their individual
clients. Whenever a legal assistance attorney interacts with third parties, including other
members of the Coast Guard, on behalf of his or her client, the attorney shall ensure that the
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