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The Legal Career Program (CP-56) would like to announce centralized funding for a limited number of Competitive Professional Development (CPD) opportunities available to civilian paraprofessionals:

• Admin Law for Military Organizations is a four-day (23-26 January) course offered at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, VA.  The course presents an overview and new developments in administrative and civil law matters.  Topics cover administrative investigations, personnel law, federal litigation, military-related First Amendment issues, federal labor-management relations, MWR activities, standards of conduct, wounded warrior and veterans’ law, and environmental law.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Fiscal Law is a five-day (29 January – 2 February) course offered at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, VA.  The course provides a foundational overview of fiscal laws and principles applicable to US government entities.  Topics cover the statutory, regulatory, and policy authorizations governing the commitment, obligation and expenditure of appropriated funds.  Current fiscal issues confronting the Department of Defense will also be explored.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Command/Chief Paralegal New Developments Course is a five-day (26 February – 2 March) course offered at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, VA.  The course focuses on strategic and operational level paralegal training, leadership, and complex issues for senior paralegals.  Practice areas covered will include Military Justice, Administrative & Civil Law, Contract and Fiscal Law, operation Law, Legal Assistance and Claims.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.Paralegal Certificate is a fourteen-week course offered online through the Center for Legal Studies (CLS).  Skills obtained include: assisting trial attorneys, interviewing witnesses, investigating complex fact patterns, researching the law and assisting in case preparation for litigation.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Advanced Legal Research and Writing Certificate is a seven-week course offered online through the Center for Legal Studies (CLS).  Lesson topics include: legal authorities and citations, legal analysis, online legal research, the legal memorandum of law, manual legal research, and types of legal writing.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Victim Advocacy Certificate is a seven-week course offered online through the Center for Legal Studies (CLS).  Participants will be prepared to assist crime victims in progressing through the criminal justice system and toward successful recovery. Course topics include legal terminology, legal process, legislation regarding victims’ rights, ethics, and effects of victimization on the victim, victim advocate skills, guardianships and crisis intervention.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Personal Injury for Paralegals is a seven-week course offered online through the Center for Legal Studies (CLS).  Students will learn the negligence theory of torts upon which many personal injury claims are based. Students will discover the basic categories of damages recovery, statutes of limitations, and schemes for liability.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017.
   
• Legal Investigation Certificate is a seven-week course offered online through the Center for Legal Studies (CLS).  Students will receive a background in the legal system, and then will learn interviewing and investigation techniques, fact analysis, taking witnesses statements, proper service of legal process, and other skills for legal investigation.  Deadline for application is 21 November 2017. 

The full announcement can be found on JAGCNet (www.jagcnet.army.mil), CP-56's MilBook page (https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/career-program-56-legal/content), and Army Career Tracker (https://actnow.army.mil/communities/community/civilian-cp56).  The announcement outlines who can apply, what must be contained in the application packet, and how to submit an application.  Failure to include the requested information may result in disqualification from consideration. A Fact Sheet with useful information on applying for Competitive Professional Development (CPD) opportunities can also be found on JAGCNet, MilBook, and ACT. 

If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Sarilyn Leary at sarilyn.e.leary.civ@mail.mil or 254-287-2993.