ALCOAST 194/20 - MAY 2020 AY21 SOLICITATION FOR MASTER OF LAWS (LLM) POSTGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES

R 261430 MAY 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-094//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01524//
ALCOAST 194/20
COMDTNOTE 1524
SUBJ:  AY21 SOLICITATION FOR MASTER OF LAWS (LLM) POSTGRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES
A. COMCOGARD PSC Washington DC 20 MAY 20 ALCGPSC 062/20
B. COMCOGARD PSC Washington DC 20 MAY 20 ALCGPSC 061/20
C. COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA 131157 MAY 20/ALCOAST 173/20
D. Performance, Training and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10 (series)
E. Law Advanced Education Program for Juris Doctor and Master of Laws Degrees,
COMDTINST 1524.2 (series)
1. CGJAG is seeking three (3) accomplished and dedicated Coast Guard attorneys
to obtain their Master of Laws (LLM) in specialized legal areas to best serve
Coast Guard mission needs. This ALCOAST announces three postgraduate (PG) education
opportunities. Two (2) judge advocates will be selected to attend the U.S. Army Judge
Advocate Generals Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS), and one (1) judge advocate or
civilian attorney (GS-0905) will be selected to attend an ABA accredited law school
for a LLM degree in a course of study that will best meet current or anticipated service
needs (e.g., cyber law). The selectees will begin studies in late summer or early fall
2021 with an expected graduation date of spring 2022.
2. LLM at TJAGLCS: This is a one-year program leading to an LLM in Military Law offered
at TJAGLCS in Charlottesville, VA. The program offers specialties in administrative and
civil law, international and operational law, contract and fiscal law, criminal law, or
national security law.
   a. Priority will be given to select at least one officer seeking to obtain an LLM in
criminal law. This selectee should anticipate a follow-on assignment in military justice.
   b. The other selectee, upon successful completion of the LLM program, will complete a
one-year fellowship at the U. S. Army Center for Law and Military Operations (CLAMO).
CLAMO is a joint, interagency, and multinational legal center at TJAGLCS that collects
and synthesizes legal issues arising in military operations. The selectee will facilitate
the development of legal doctrine within the military community, serve as the Senior Coast
Guard representative, and perform adjunct faculty duties. After the one-year fellowship,
the selected officer should expect a follow-on legal assignment.
   c. Applicants must be judge advocates. The preferred selectees will be senior O-3s
or O-4s.
3. LLM at ABA accredited law school: One opportunity is open to active duty judge
advocates and civilian attorneys to attend a one-year program at an ABA accredited law
school. The selectee will earn a LLM in a course of study proposed by the applicant and
approved by the program, which supports current or anticipated service needs, such as,
but not limited to: cyber, national security, information and intelligence, environmental,
criminal, administrative, international, procurement, or employment law.
   a. For judge advocate applicants, O-4 applicants are preferred; however, senior
O-3 applicants will be considered.
   b. For civilian attorney applicants, all pay grades and experience are encouraged
to apply.
   c. Primary consideration will be given to a course of study which would directly
benefit a follow-on assignment or civilian position. If a judge advocate is selected,
upon successful completion of the LLM program, the officer should expect a follow-on
legal tour in the LLM-focused area of law.
4. Active Duty Applications: Submit your application via the Direct Access e-resume
process using your work e-mail address. See REFs (A) and (B) for guidance. In your e-resume,
you should include a personal narrative and a command endorsement. Use the narrative to
describe why you would be the best choice for the particular program(s) and how the Coast
Guard will benefit from your selection. Specify which LLM program you are most interested
in and rank programs in preferential order. Please note that if you are active duty, you
may be considered for any of the LLM programs. You should also ensure all academic
transcripts are included in your EI-PDR.
   a. Waivers: While it is preferred that judge advocates be tour complete in AY21,
non-tour complete officers may also apply by completing and forwarding a waiver request
to PSC. See REF (B) for guidance.
   b. Officers incur an active duty obligation of three months for each month of education.
5. Civilian Applications: All materials for civilian applicants should be submitted via
email to YN3 Nel Bruno Felix, PSC-OPM-1, Nel.J.BrunoFelix@uscg.mil.
   a. Applicants should include work history, law school transcripts, performance evaluations
for the previous three years (if employed by the Coast Guard for fewer than three years
submit all evaluations), a personal narrative, and a command endorsement.
   b. Use the narrative to describe which what area of law you are interested in pursuing
an LLM in, why you would be the best choice, and how the Coast Guard will benefit from
your selection.
   c. Civilian attorneys are not eligible for the TJAGLCS LLM. There is no PCS funding
available for a civilian selectee.
6. Application Deadlines: Due to COVID-19, application deadlines have been split into
two parts (1) initial deadline to submit your name to OPM as an interested applicant
and (2) final deadline to submit your entire application:
   a. Deadline to submit your name as an interested applicant:
      i. Active Duty: Active duty judge advocates must submit their e-resume with a
command endorsement in Direct Access by 12 June 2020.
      ii. Civilians: Civilian attorneys must submit an email to YN3 Nel Bruno Felix,
PSC-OPM-1, Nel.J.BrunoFelix@uscg.mil by 12 June 2020 stating they are interested in
applying.
   b. Deadline to submit all application materials:
      i. Active Duty: Active duty judge advocates must update and submit all
application materials in Direct Access no later than 10 days prior to the panel convene
date IAW REF (A).
      ii. Civilian: Civilian attorneys must submit all application materials to
YN3 Nel Bruno Felix, PSC-OPM-1, Nel.J.BrunoFelix@uscg.mil no later than 10 days prior to
the panel convene date IAW REF (A).
   c. Applications or e-resumes submitted after these deadline will not be accepted.
7. School selection: The selectee to attend the ABA accredited law school will work with
the Legal Program Manager to identify the desired LLM program and school. The selectee
must receive legal program approval prior to enrolling in a school’s LLM program and focused
area of study.
8. Depending upon school selection and funding levels, full funding for tuition may not be
available. Contact the legal Program Manager for more information regarding program policy.
Contact OPM-1 for more information regarding the e-resume application process.
9. POCs:
   a. Program Manager: CDR Shanell King, Shanell.M.King@uscg.mil; alternate: LT Glenn Gray,
Glenn.N.Gray2@uscg.mil
   b. PG/AE Coordinator: LT Justin Nease, Justin.D.Nease@uscg.mil
   c. PG/AE YN: YN3 Nel Bruno Felix, Nel.J.BrunoFelix@uscg.mil
10. Action: Widest dissemination of this ALCOAST is requested.
11. RADM Melissa Bert, Judge Advocate General, sends.
12. Internet release is authorized.