Connor comes from a military family. His father was in logistics. She joined the armed forces in 1985 and served as a regular soldier for 11 years, traveling around the world. Not bad for someone who is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 100 pounds, she jokes. In 1996, she left the regular armed forces to become a reservist and study law. A JAG lawyer has full privilege of a lawyer. The advice remains between the client and the lawyer. A lawyer never has to reveal what a staff officer asked for advice, Comeau says. Otherwise, the staff officers held back and asked, fearing that it would be used against them « if the staff officer was forced to spill the beans afterwards ». Legal officers may serve in the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army or Royal Canadian Air Force as members of the CAF Legal Directorate. They are used to provide legal services in the areas of industrial law, international law, military personnel law, military administrative law and military justice. Those employed on a part-time or casual basis generally serve on military bases, wings, home ports and units at locations across Canada. She would return to Kandahar at any time.

She is currently in Ottawa in a department called the Intelligence Law and Information Operations Directorate. Pressed to explain, she replies: « I`m in psychological operations and electronic warfare. » Pushed even further, she fumbles: « Most of the time, I deal with electronic warfare, computer networks and also intelligence issues in the direction I work. We provide strategic legal advice to commanders who assume this responsibility. Following basic officer training, you may be offered second official language training. The training can last from two to nine months, depending on your second language skills. FERGUSON: Lawyers work in the courtroom and in the administration with all three environments of the armed forces. We are legal advisors to the chain of command and experts in international and domestic law applicable to CF operations and military discipline. For someone interested in corporate law, Walden says, military law may not be the best solution, as law firms tend to hire their corporate lawyers right after law school. But for someone who loves to travel, aspires to adventure, and loves military operations and administrative law, every minute is worth it. Being a military lawyer may not pay as much as a corporate lawyer for a large corporation, he says, « but you don`t have the same pressure you have outside, and the hours aren`t incredibly long. » Members of the Reserve Force are trained at the same level as their regular troop counterparts. They typically begin their training at the JAG`s office to ensure they meet the required basic military standards. After basic officer training, the home unit conducts special skills training.

Candidates with a law degree (LL.L., LL.B. or J.D.) may be placed directly into the required on-the-job training program after basic training. SCHROEDER: Many lawyers consider their international and national assignments to be the highlight of their careers. Now that I have completed my legal and military training, I look forward to the challenge and participating in one of the armed forces` international operations. It is truly a unique legal practice. One day, you could be used to support a peace mission. On Parliament Hill, you could help the Secretary of Defence introduce a bill that is passed by Parliament. Legal officers provide legal services in the areas of industrial law, international law, training, military personnel law and military justice. It is a myth that military lawyers are not well paid. Most young police officers start at about $60,000 a year. When deployed outside the country, they don`t pay income tax, which means much more to take with you than a regular legal job.

« When I was in Congo, I put $15,000 a month in my jeans, » says Comeau. « I was given five weeks of vacation [I even went on safari in South Africa with his wife], plus all the usual military benefits and a six-figure pension at 60. » He remembers his private practice. « Even when my downtown price was $300 an hour, I wasn`t earning much, » he says. Legal officers are members of the CAF Legal Service. This branch is commanded by the Judge Advocate General (JAG), who acts as legal advisor to the Governor General, the Minister of National Defence, DND and the CAF on matters of military law and administers military justice in the CAF. If more than two years have passed since you obtained your law degree, you must have practised law full-time since graduating from Canada. If you have not worked as a lawyer since law school and graduated more than two years ago, you can have your legal experience assessed by JAG to determine your suitability. This happens after you apply to the CAF. Basic training and military officer qualification are required prior to assignment. SCHROEDER: Abroad, legal officers perform tasks such as working with Canadian and allied forces, local officials, and international organizations such as the United Nations. We are both military officers and lawyers specializing in the law of armed conflict and military justice.

Lieutenant (Navy) Brent Walden was also born into a military family. As planned, at the age of 16, he enrolled in the Canadian Forces Officer Program and attended the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean, Quebec. In his third year, he transferred to the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where he graduated with an engineering degree in 1993. « We are unique in the military and unique in the legal profession in that regard, » he says. « We are all members of a provincial bar association and the JAG, so we have to follow the rules of our various bar associations. Navy Lieutenant Commander Gina Connor, 41, is back in Ottawa after six months as legal advisor with a provincial reconstruction team in Kandahar. Was it shot? « We`re not talking about surgery, » she says conscientiously. FERGUSON: As a basic legal counsel, I face new challenges every day. The units come to me with issues that need to be resolved, and it`s my job to figure out what the legal issues are and how to respond effectively. Whether it`s disciplinary measures or administrative matters, my advice can have a serious impact on a member`s career. The JAG`s lawyers consider the staff officers they advise to be their clients.

« Our clients are never our judges, » he says. « Their views cannot influence our career advancement. » This must be the case, he says, « to protect the registrar from any temptation to be weak and to give unpleasant advice for fear of hindering his promotion. » Age was not an issue for Comeau. But he still had to do a training camp, even at 45. He recalls: « To be a lawyer in the army, you have to be as fit as any other officer. All of the JAG`s lawyers are officers, but they are not staff officers who are part of the regular chain of command. « We take our orders from senior legal counsel, » he said. « Of course, we receive instructions, especially in the field, from judicial officers. » FERGUSON: Lawyers deal with complex legal issues early in our careers. I am a new captain in the industry and I have the opportunity to write legal opinions that go directly to the chain of command who appreciate my advice.

SCHROEDER: After enlistment, you go through the same basic qualification as a military officer as any other officer in the armed forces. The Legal Department is a human resources department of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).