Who Is the Best Military Defense Law Firm?

If you’re facing an investigation, a court-martial, or an administrative proceeding that could end your career, the law firm you choose next may decide what happens to your rank, your pension, your family, and your reputation. Like any field of law, there are good firms, bad firms, and elite firms — and the difference matters most when this much is on the line.

Below are the questions we believe every service member should ask before hiring military defense counsel — and how Capovilla & Williams answers each one.

1. Do You Focus on Military Law?

The UCMJ covers a wide range of offenses, and it’s essential to choose a firm with a proven track record in cases like yours — whether that’s sexual assault (Article 120), fraud, or an administrative separation board.

At Capovilla & Williams, we bring decades of combined military law experience to every case. Our military defense attorneys are former JAG officers with service in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, each with extensive experience defending service members. We’ve represented clients across every branch of the Armed Forces, including the Navy, giving us a practical, ground-level understanding of how each branch actually operates.

2. Do You Have a Strong National Reputation?

We host the Military Justice Today podcast and co-authored Court-Martial Cases: Defense Strategies and Best Practices. Our attorneys are also routinely sought for commentary by national and military press, including CNN, The Military Times, Stars and Stripes, The Washington Times, WAVY, and Politico.

3. Are You Former JAG Officers?

Our team consists primarily of former JAG officers from across the Armed Forces. Below is a snapshot of their backgrounds.

Robert Capovilla is a founding partner of Capovilla & Williams. He has served as lead counsel in a substantial number of courts-martial nationwide and has earned a reputation as one of the top sexual assault defense attorneys in the country. Robert is frequently quoted by major news outlets, co-authored Court-Martial Cases: Defense Strategies and Best Practices, hosts the Military Justice Today podcast, and is recognized as a Super Lawyer in Military and Veterans Law.

Mickey Williams is a former Army defense counsel, prosecutor, and infantryman. Before becoming a Judge Advocate, he served as an Army Ranger and is a combat veteran who deployed multiple times. As an attorney, Mickey has handled a wide range of military legal matters worldwide, including courts-martial, GOMORs, separation boards, boards of inquiry, and administrative matters — including securing favorable outcomes for senior officers facing career-ending allegations. Mickey is a co-author of Court-Martial Cases: Defense Strategies and Best Practices, co-host of the Military Justice Today podcast, and a recognized Super Lawyer in Military and Veterans Law.

Christopher Jones is a retired Air Force Colonel with over 20 years of service in military and federal employment law. During his service, Chris received 11 Outstanding Unit and Organizational Excellence Awards, 5 Meritorious Service Medals, and the Legion of Merit. He was ranked #1 out of 28 instructors at the Air Force Judge Advocate General School and #2 out of 53 Lieutenant Colonels at Beale Air Force Base.

Andrew Warmington is a leading authority in military law at Capovilla & Williams, with more than 15 years of legal experience across Korea, Italy, and the United States. He served as primary legal advisor for an Army airborne unit, conducted reviews across hundreds of administrative and criminal investigations, and led a team of attorneys and paralegals managing a large volume of criminal and administrative legal actions.

Lacey Parham is a former top-ranked Judge Advocate in the Air Force, where she coordinated hundreds of criminal investigations and numerous courts-martial as a prosecutor. As an Area Defense Counsel, she delivered compelling written and oral arguments across criminal and administrative proceedings for a large caseload, managing every stage of litigation preparation from discovery through trial.

Dominic Giordano served in the United States Marine Corps as a criminal defense attorney, known for his tenacity and courtroom advocacy. Stationed at Parris Island, SC, he defended Marines and Sailors in courts-martial, boards of inquiry, administrative separations, and post-trial proceedings, including securing full acquittals for wrongly accused service members in high-stakes sexual assault cases.

4. Do You Represent Service Members from All Branches of the Armed Forces?

Yes. We are not a small firm with a few attorneys and a secretary. Capovilla & Williams is a large, dedicated nationwide team — attorneys, investigators, and paralegals — with military service backgrounds across the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and deep experience representing clients from every branch, including the Navy. We’ve represented service members at nearly every major installation worldwide in both criminal and administrative matters.

5. How Many Court-Martial Cases Have You Worked?

The team at Capovilla & Williams has handled a substantial number of court-martial cases nationwide, both as defense attorneys and as former military prosecutors, across the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

One advantage of hiring a larger firm is the resources to challenge the Office of Special Trial Counsel effectively. Each court-martial client is assigned an experienced lead attorney, a dedicated paralegal, and an investigator — either a former military special agent or someone with significant experience in federal law enforcement.

Smaller military law firms may offer only a single attorney, who may be preoccupied with other cases. We’ve invested our time, money, and resources into building a team designed to avoid that gap.

6. How Often Do You Communicate With Your Clients?

Our number one core value is putting the client first. We’ve invested in a team of investigators, paralegals, legal assistants, and attorneys, along with case-management software, so clients get consistent, ongoing communication rather than depending on one attorney’s schedule.

Where a smaller firm may leave you unable to reach your attorney if they’re in court or on leave, at Capovilla & Williams you have a full team behind your case — see what our clients say.

7. Does Your Law Firm Conduct Independent Investigations to Build My Case?

Yes. Our team includes former military special agents who proactively build your defense rather than waiting for the Office of the Special Trial Counsel to act. Our investigators work closely with you and your attorney from day one.

When evaluating other firms — particularly smaller ones — ask whether they have former special agents on their team ready to investigate your case. If the answer is no, that’s worth factoring into your decision.

8. How Do Your Fees and Costs Work?

We only keep what we earn while working on your case. Many military law firms charge flat fees and treat that money as spent the moment it’s paid — that’s not how we operate.

We track time against actual work using client software, maintain a complete record of everything we do, and give you access to your file. You will never pay more than the agreed-upon amount, and if we don’t earn the full fee, the unearned portion is returned to you.

9. Can You Promise Victory?

No — and no honest attorney or firm can. Be cautious of any attorney who cites a specific win rate or claims they’ve never lost a case; it’s not something any ethical military defense attorney can guarantee.

What we do promise: a dedicated team fighting your case, experienced professionals committed to your defense, and an honest assessment of where things stand even when it’s not what you want to hear. That’s what putting the client first actually means.

Call us today at 855-442-6271. You will not face this alone.