RAF Legal Branch

Royal Air Force Legal Services
Founded	28 June 1923 (as a department of the Judge Advocate General), 1 October 1948 (as the Directorate of Legal Services (RAF))
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Legal service
Size	Approx. 45 Commissioned Officers
Headquarters	RAF High Wycombe
Motto(s)	Fortius si iuste (Latin) ("The stronger if conducted justly")
Commanders
Director Legal Services	Air Vice-Marshal Mark Phelps
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash

The Royal Air Force Legal Services (RAFLS), also known as the Directorate of Legal Services (Royal Air Force) (DLS (RAF)), is the uniformed legal service provider for the Royal Air Force. ^[1] It consists of solicitors and barristers qualified in either England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. ^[2] The RAFLS is headquartered at Air Command RAF High Wycombe.

History

The original RAF Legal Branch was officially established on 28 June 1923, and was initially attached to the department of the Judge Advocate General. It wasn't until 1 October 1948 that the Directorate of Legal Services (RAF) was formed, as an entity independent of the Judge Advocate General’s Office. ^[3]

Role

Its mission is to deliver "high quality, effective and operationally focussed legal services to the Royal Air Force and Defence." ^[4] It is open to men or women; recruited lawyers vary from Newly Qualified (NQ) to 10 years Post-Qualified Experience (PQE). The RAFLS has around 45 legal officers. Approximately 30% of RAFLS officers are based in overseas billets. 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. The RAF also provides four Legal Officers to the Service Prosecuting Authority.

Director Legal Services (RAF)

The head of the RAF Legal Services is the Director of Legal Services (RAF). They are the principal legal adviser to the Chief of the Air Staff and Air Force Board and are invited to attend the Air Force Board Standing Committee to provide a legal perspective. ^[5] The current holder is Air Vice-Marshal Mark Phelps. ^[6]

Directors Legal Services (RAF)

• Air Commodore John Bankes Walmsley (1950 to 1957) ^[7]
• Air Commodore Marshall William Palmer (1957 to 1961) ^[8]
• Air Vice-Marshal John Ernest Allen-Jones (1961 to 1970) ^[9]
• Air Vice-Marshal Aubrey Sidney-Wilmot (1970 to 1978) ^[10]
• Air Vice-Marshal Peter Furniss (December 1978 to April 1982) ^[11]
• Air Vice-Marshal Graham Neil Forman (1982 to 1989) ^[12]
• Air Vice-Marshal Reginald Thomas Dawson (1989 to 1992) ^[13]
• Air Vice-Marshal Geoffrey W Carleton (1993 to 1997) ^[14]
• Air Vice-Marshal John Weeden (1997 to 2002) ^[15]
• Air Vice-Marshal Richard Anthony Charles (2002 to 2009) ^[16]
• Air Vice-Marshal Lindsay Irvine (April 2009 to April 2017) ^[17]
• Air Vice-Marshal Alison Mardell (April 2017 to 29 September 2018) ^[18]
• Air Vice-Marshal Tamara Jennings (29 September 2018 to 12 September 2024) ^[19]
• Air Vice-Marshal Mark Phelps (12 September 2024 to present)

Deputy Directors Legal Services (RAF)

• Air Commodore Lindsay Irvine (2002 to April 2009)
• Air Commodore William Boothby (2009 to 2011) ^[17]
• Air Commodore Stephen Kell (July 2011 to July 2014) ^[20]
• Air Commodore Alison Mardell (2014 to 2017)
• Air Commodore Tamara Jennings (2017 to 2018)
• Air Commodore Kevin Sanders (2018 to 7 June 2020)
• Air Commodore Mark Phelps (7 June 2020 to 24 October 2024)
• Air Commodore Kevin Sanders (24 October 2024 to present)

References

1. "Organisation". www.sra.org.uk. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
2. "RAF Recruitment | Legal Officer | Royal Air Force". recruitment.raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
3. "Legal services". raf.mod.uk. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
4. "RAFLS mission". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
5. "Director Legal Services". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
6. "Senior Appointments". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
7. "No. 38795". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1949. p. 6168.
8. "No. 41266". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1957. p. 7596.
9. "No. 42721". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 1962. p. 5302.
10. "No. 45228". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 November 1970. p. 12330.
11. "No. 47745". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 January 1979. p. 670.
12. "No. 48885". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 February 1982. p. 1786.
13. "No. 51840". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 August 1989. p. 9449.
14. "No. 53164". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 January 1993. p. 107.
15. "No. 54820". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 June 1997. p. 7559.
16. "No. 56668". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 August 2002. p. 10042.
17. "AIR RANK APPOINTMENTS LIST 09/08". raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
18. "AIR RANK AND COMMAND APPOINTMENTS LIST 3.17". raf.mod.uk. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
19. "AIR RANK AND COMMAND APPOINTMENTS LIST 3.17". raf.mod.uk. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
20. "Air Rank Appointments List 01/11". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2015.

External links

• Royal Air Force Legal Officer