Although the Naval Justice School was established at Port Hueneme, California in 1946, it was until 1973 that the rating of Legalman (LN) was established. It's at the Naval Justice School, which was moved to Rhode Island in 1950, that future Legalmen begin their careers.
Best described as the U.S. Navy's paralegals and law clerks, Legalmen make up one of the smallest groups of enlisted Sailors. Part of the reason for their low number might be the extremely stringent requirements and intensive training the rating demands. The selectivity, however, is understandable: A Legalman's field of work involves cases where the outcomes can forever change people's lives, both in and outside the Navy and other military branches.
Sailors wishing to apply for acceptance must meet a long list of requirements, beginning with less than ten years of active service (different rules apply for reservists). They must be in or between the paygrades of E3 and E5 (E3 applicants have to be eligible for advancement to E4). Sailors who have taken advantage of Selective Reenlistment Bonuses or other incentives to reenlist prior to their current period of enlistment are typically not accepted for conversion to the LN rating until they complete the service period their bonus obligates them to.
Additionally, they must possess the skills and administrative knowledge necessary to serve as an E4 Yeoman (on a related note, they must be able to type 40 words per minute). LN candidates have to complete nine types of administrative, have no speech or hearing impediments, have no record of misconduct (non-judicial punishment, courts-martial, civilian conviction, and drug or alcohol abuse) within the past 36 months, have no past or current financial or credit issues, be eligible for a security clearance, and must have earned at least six credits of college-level English.
That's just for starters. The complete list of requirements is found in JAG Instruction 1440.1E, "Legalman Rating Conversion Procedures." Any Sailor pondering a career in the Legalman rating should read this document carefully, as well as take advantage of the resources offered by the U.S. Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps.
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