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6555 Career Guide

Navy

6555: Legal Officer

Career transition guide for Navy Legal Officer (6555)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 6555 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Attorney

$148K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Pass the Bar Exam in your stateNetworking to build a client base

Paralegal

$60K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Paralegal certificationFamiliarity with specific legal software (e.g., Clio, LexisNexis)

Compliance Officer

$75K
Good matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Industry-specific compliance certifications (e.g., Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional - CCEP)Knowledge of relevant regulations (e.g., HIPAA, GDPR)

Mediator

$65K
Moderate matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Mediation certificationStrong communication and negotiation skills

Human Resources Manager

$85K
Moderate matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certificationExperience with HR software (e.g., Workday, BambooHR)

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 6555 training built — and where they transfer.

Procedural Compliance

Naval Legal Officers adhere to strict legal and regulatory procedures in courts-martial, investigations, and administrative boards, ensuring all actions are compliant with military law and regulations.

This meticulous adherence to procedures translates to civilian roles requiring strict compliance, such as regulatory affairs, compliance management, or quality assurance, where you ensure adherence to industry standards and legal requirements.

Adversarial Thinking

Legal Officers frequently engage in adversarial situations, whether preparing for courts-martial, advising on legal disputes, or conducting investigations, requiring them to anticipate opposing arguments and develop robust strategies.

Your experience anticipating and countering opposing viewpoints makes you well-suited for roles in negotiation, conflict resolution, or competitive analysis, where you can strategically assess challenges and develop effective solutions.

Situational Awareness

Legal Officers must maintain a high level of situational awareness to understand the context of legal issues, assess potential risks, and provide informed legal advice to commanders and personnel.

This keen awareness of the surrounding environment and potential implications translates well into roles such as project management, risk management, or strategic planning, where you can anticipate challenges and proactively address them.

After-Action Analysis

Following legal proceedings or investigations, Legal Officers conduct after-action analyses to identify lessons learned, improve processes, and enhance the effectiveness of legal support within the command.

Your ability to analyze past events, identify areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions is highly valuable in roles such as process improvement, quality control, or organizational development, where you can drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041

You've been immersed in a world of legal regulations and procedural compliance as a Naval Legal Officer. Your expertise in interpreting and enforcing rules translates perfectly to ensuring a company adheres to industry standards and legal requirements.

Mediator

SOC 29-1129.02

Your experience in navigating legal disputes and providing counsel in adversarial situations has honed your negotiation and conflict resolution skills. You can leverage these skills to facilitate constructive dialogue and help parties reach mutually agreeable solutions in various settings.

Contract Manager

SOC 13-1111

You've developed expertise in legal documentation and attention to detail. Your experience reviewing legal documents makes you an ideal candidate for ensuring that contractual terms are clearly defined and legally sound.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Naval Justice School, Newport, RI

320 training hours8 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended

Topics Covered

  • Military Justice
  • Administrative Law
  • International Law
  • Operational Law
  • Rules of Evidence
  • Trial Advocacy
  • Legal Assistance

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Paralegal (NALA)60% covered

While your legal experience is extensive, you will need to study civilian legal procedures, terminology, and specific areas of law tested on the NALA exam like contracts, torts, and real property.

Professional in Human Resources (PHR)30% covered

The PHR covers HR management principles. You'll need to study areas such as compensation and benefits, employee relations, recruitment, and HR development.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP)Project Management Professional (PMP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
Naval Justice Information System (NJIS)Legal Case Management Software (e.g., Clio, MyCase)
LexisNexis Military Law LibraryLexisNexis or Westlaw legal research databases
Defense Electronic Document Management System (DEDMS)Document Management Systems (e.g., SharePoint, Box)
Navy-Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI)Secure Enterprise Network (e.g., Cisco, Microsoft)
Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR) DatabaseGovernment Records Management Systems
Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps Legal Assistance PortalOnline Legal Information Portals and Client Management Systems

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