RLSO Mid-Atlantic provides legal services in North Carolina, Virginia (except the Washington, D.C. area), West Virginia, Maryland (except the Washington, D.C. area), Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and the Northeast Territories of Canada.

Command Services provides advice in the following subject areas: Administrative Law, Admiralty, Administrative Separations and Processing, Disciplinary Options, Freedom of Expression and Grievances, Homeland Security, Interactions with Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies, Subpoenas, JAGMAN Investigations, Military Justice, Operational Law, Personnel Matters, Standards of Conduct and Government Ethics.

RLSO Mid-Atlantic provides legal consultation and command services support primarily for Navy commands without their own assigned judge advocate or general counsel. Command clients can contact the closest installation staff judge advocate (SJA) or a command services provider from the Command Services Department at the headquarters in Norfolk or Detachment Groton. Contact phone numbers are listed for each command services office.

Legal assistance can include advice on topics such as consumer/financial affairs, disaster relief support, and advice, family law, foreclosure advice and counseling, immigration, notary services, powers of attorney, landlord/tenant matters, Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act, small claims court matters, victim assistance, and wills/estate planning. Pre-deployment services are given priority. Please contact your local office to see how it can best meet your pre-deployment needs.

Please fill out the Client Intake Form before your first appointment. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information on our services.

Learn more about legal assistance topics that commonly affect military members such as consumer affairs, family law, wills, or powers of attorney. The information provided is for educational and general information purposes only. It is not legal advice. Speak with a licensed attorney before relying on the information contained within the website to make a decision or take any action.

Legal Assistance Preventive Law Series

Legal assistance clients can now prepare and print their own Special Powers of Attorney online. These powers of attorney can then be notarized by notary qualified officers at the servicemember's command, by a civilian notary, or by RLSO MIDLANT notaries at Norfolk Naval Base, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, or Naval Air Station Oceana. Clients intending to have RLSO MIDLANT notarize their Special Power of Attorney should generate the Special Power of Attorney for a civilian notary in Virginia.

Legal assistance is provided based upon available resources to Active Duty, Reservists on active duty for 30 days or more, inactive Reserve personnel consistent with mobilization readiness needs, Retirees, and their lawful dependents from all branches of service. Eligible inividuals are seen on a first-come, first-served basis, limited by attorney availability. Priority is given to active duty service members deploying within 30 days. Clients with emergency issues will be screened to determine if they require immediate legal assistance.

In order to receive assistance, individuals must present their current military ID card in person at a legal assistance office. For notary services, all customers must present two forms of identification: valid military identification card; and valid state-issued drivers license or state-issued identification card, or valid United States Passport.

Will paperwork: For wills, each client MUST present a completed will worksheet form at the walk-in.

Children (unless the child is the client or approved by exception in emergency cases), pets (unless service animals), and weapons (e.g., knives) are NOT permitted in attorney spaces.

Commands with more than 20 service members needing wills may request that attorneys visit command spaces. To request a will visit on behalf of your command, please email rlsomidlantwillrequests@navy.mil.