RAF Legal Branch

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The Royal Air Force Legal Branch (RAFLB) or Directorate Legal Services (DLS) - as it is better known - is the uniformed "legal service provider" for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. It consists of professionally qualified officers (PQO); that is to say, solicitors or barristers qualified in a Commonwealth jurisdiction. The Directorate will celebrate its 60th anniversary later this year, with a limited edition military style commemorative coin being struck in its honour (not legal tender).

It is open to men or women; those that have been recruited vary from NQ to 10 years PQE. DLS has around 50 legal officers. Around 30% of DLS officers are based in overseas billets, presenting fascinating opportunities to live and work abroad. The type of work undertaken by legal officers depends on the billet they are working at. Around 50% of the billets are discipline / criminal law, 30% of the billets are operations law and 20 % of the billets are administrative law. DLS provides the RAF with its only exchange officer based in the Pentagon, currently a Writer to the Signet.

The career structure of a legal officer within DLS is as follows. Commissioning on a short service commission as a Flight Lieutenant after a 3 month PQO course at RAF Cranwell. If the candidate is suitable then appointment to a permanent commission should follow and time served promotion should apply - i.e. Squadron Leader after four years and Wing Commander after a further six. The pay is the same as the Administrative Secretariat Branch.

The current director is Air Vice Marshal Charles CB LLB FRAeS RAF. DLS is headquartered at RAF High Wycombe.