COMDTINST 5801.4E
addition, Coast Guard Pubic Service Awards should also be considered as appropriate for
recognition of members of the general public.
15. RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. Legal assistance attorneys are strongly
encouraged to establish and maintain liaison with the legal assistance offices of other armed forces
commands within their areas of responsibility. Legal assistance attorneys should establish and
maintain contact with Coast Guard reservists who are attorneys, local bar associations, consumer
protection associations and legal referral offices through which legal services may be available. If
another service fails to provide legal assistance to Coast Guard personnel in an area lacking a local
Coast Guard legal office, the Command Director of Legal Assistance should notify the Chief of
Legal and Defense Services.
16. DATA COLLECTION. Command Directors of Legal Assistance and legal assistance attorneys
will ensure timely and accurate case tracking of all legal assistance matters pursuant to enclosure
(1). Digital case tracking is essential for conflict checking and effective practice management, and
reports required by the Joint Services Legal Assistance Committee and the ABA Standing
Committee on Legal Assistance. To provide this capability, legal assistance attorneys will use Law
Manager, which is maintained by the legal program. Specific details on the use of Law Manager
are laid out in Implementation of the Legal Automated Workstation Database, COMDTINST
5230.53 (series). Legal assistance practice area management information will normally be
collected via Law Manager twice a year in conjunction with the development of the Judge
Advocate General's annual and mid-year reports.
17. TECHNOLOGY TOOLS. Technology is an integral part of the practice of law and its effective
use will enhance our practice. Specific technology applications are provided by the legal program
to aid in the delivery of effective services.
a. DL Software. The standard will-writing software used by all armed forces legal assistance
programs is the DL Software Package. The DL Software application provides automated will,
power of attorney, advance medical directive, separation agreement and trust agreement
preparation.
(1) Use. Use of DL Software Package is encouraged but not required. Each legal assistance
attorney must choose, based on his or her professional judgment, the best means of
preparing a legal document for a client. However, DL Software Package is the only
computer-based legal document preparation software approved and maintained by the
Coast Guard.
(2) Changes. Recommendations for changes to DL Software Package and identification of
problems or errors should be sent to the Coast Guard Director of Legal Assistance who will
pass them on as needed to the Joint Services Legal Assistance Committee or the Judge
Advocate General information technology (IT) staff as appropriate.
(3) Licenses. The DL Software Package requires a license for each workstation/computer on
which the application is installed. Legal offices requiring additional licenses should contact
the Office of Legal Policy and Program Development IT staff.
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