COMDTINST 5801.4E
competent service for reasonable fees to service members in the past. The names of no fewer
than three attorneys or two attorneys and a bar or legal service office shall be given to a client
desiring referral. Referrals shall not be made solely to retired or reserve Coast Guard members.
Command Directors of Legal Assistance are encouraged to maintain a referral log for
measurement, evaluation, and feedback on the nature of cases and issues that are referred out.
d. Non-Attorney Staff. Command Directors of Legal Assistance and legal assistance attorneys
shall be guided by Rule 5.3 of the Coast Guard Legal Rules of Professional Conduct (CGLRPC)
and the Guidelines for the Utilization of Legal Assistants and Paralegals, contained in enclosures
(1) and (5) of the Coast Guard Legal Professional Responsibility Program, COMDTINST
M5800.1 (series), in supervising non-attorney assistants who are directly or indirectly involved
in supporting legal assistance.
e. Standards of Conduct. Legal assistance personnel are reminded to ensure their actions
conform to the standards of conduct applicable to military personnel and government employees,
particularly with respect to gifts from clients (see 5 C.F.R. Part 2635). For questions regarding
these rules, legal assistance attorneys should consult their appropriate ethics advisors.
f. Prohibition Against Compensation for Legal Assistance Services. Legal assistance is a free
service for eligible recipients. No legal assistance attorney, paralegal, legal technician,
administrative or clerical staff, active duty, reserve, civilian or military, may accept or receive
any compensation in any form, directly or indirectly, other than official government
compensation, for any legal assistance services provided. Legal assistance attorneys shall ensure
compliance with CGLRPC.
14. LEGAL ASSISTANCE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION.
a. ABA LAMP Award. Annually, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal
Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) recognizes individuals or commands that have
accomplished exceptional achievement(s) or exceptional service to the armed forces legal
assistance effort. The Judge Advocate General and/or the Coast Guard liaison to the LAMP
committee make nominations for these awards. Recommendations for award nominations shall
be submitted between 1 September and 30 November of each year and should encompass a
twelve (12) month period ending during that period. Recommendations should be forwarded to
the Coast Guard Director of Legal Assistance in the format specified annually by the LAMP
Committee, which will be published upon receipt.
b. Judge Advocate General Recognition. The Judge Advocate General may appropriately
recognize outstanding efforts in legal assistance via the Legal Assistance Spirit of Excellence
Award. This award will be given to any qualifying legal assistance office that meets the criteria
set forth in the Coast Guard Chief of Legal Assistance Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
available in DocuShare.
c. Official Awards. Command Directors of Legal Assistance should use the official military and
civilian awards and recognition system as appropriate, to recognize attorneys and support staffs
that contribute beyond the expected norm to the Coast Guard's legal assistance effort. In
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