---identifier: "/us/cfr/t32/s776.20"source: "ecfr"legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"title: "32 CFR § 776.20 - Competence."title_number: 32title_name: "National Defense"section_number: "776.20"section_name: "Competence."chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY"subchapter_number: "G"subchapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS RULES"part_number: "776"part_name: "PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF ATTORNEYS PRACTICING UNDER THE COGNIZANCE AND SUPERVISION OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL"positive_law: falsecurrency: "2026-04-05"last_updated: "2026-04-05"format_version: "1.1.0"generator: "[email protected]"authority: "10 U.S.C. 806, 806a, 826, 827, 1044; Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 2012; U.S. Navy Regulations, 1990; Department of Defense Instruction 1442.02 (series); Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5430.27 (series), Responsibility of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps for Supervision and Provision of Certain Legal Services."regulatory_source: "80 FR 68389, Nov. 4, 2015; 80 FR 73991, Nov. 27, 2015, unless otherwise noted."cfr_part: "776"---
Identifier
/us/cfr/t32/s776.20
Currency
2026-04-05
Positive Law
No
Updated
2026-04-05
Chapter
Department of the Navy
Authority
10 U.S.C. 806, 806a, 826, 827, 1044; Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 2012; U.S. Navy Regulations, 1990; Department of Defense Instruction 1442.02 (series); Secretary of the Navy Instruction ... 10 U.S.C. 806, 806a, 826, 827, 1044; Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 2012; U.S. Navy Regulations, 1990; Department of Defense Instruction 1442.02 (series); Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5430.27 (series), Responsibility of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps for Supervision and Provision of Certain Legal Services.
# 776.20 Competence.(a) A covered attorney shall provide competent, diligent, and prompt representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, access to evidence, thoroughness, and expeditious preparation reasonably necessary for representation. Initial determinations as to competence of a covered USG attorney for a particular assignment shall be made by a supervising attorney before case or issue assignments; however, assigned attorneys may consult with supervisors concerning competence in a particular case.(b) [Reserved]