Elite Military Defense Lawyers
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Our military defense lawyers aggressively defend criminal cases in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard court-martial cases worldwide.
Our experienced court-martial defense attorneys focus on defending military sexual assault, Article 120 UCMJ, Article 120b, Article 120c, Internet Stings, false sexual assault accusations, and computer crimes. Having been involved in some of the highest-profile criminal cases from the “War on Sexual Assault” and the “War on Terror,” our military defense attorneys have been fighting difficult court-martial cases for over twenty years.
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LEGAL SERVICES
Meet Your Defense Team
Michael S. Waddington
Criminal Defense Lawyer
PARTNER
Michael Waddington is a best‐selling author and criminal defense attorney who represents military personnel in courts worldwide—both after charges are filed and during pre‐charge investigations—specializing in serious offenses such as war crimes, sex crimes, violent crimes, and white‐collar cases. Drawing on his rigorous discipline from Brazilian Jiu‐Jitsu, he trains both civilian and military defense lawyers in advanced cross‐examination techniques, a skillset detailed in his three popular books on the subject. His expertise is regularly sought by major media outlets—ranging from CNN and 60 Minutes to the BBC and ABC’s “Nightline”—and he has even contributed to episodes of the Golden Globe–winning series “The Good Wife.” Michael instructs both civilian and military criminal defense attorneys on the art of effectively cross-examining and discrediting adversarial witnesses. Drawing from his three best-selling books on cross-examination and years of experience confronting numerous cunning and aggressive prosecution witnesses.
Attorney Profile
Alexandra González-Waddington
Criminal Defense Lawyer
PARTNER
Alexandra González is a founding partner of González & Waddington Law Firm, practicing in Florida, Georgia, and military courts worldwide, where she has defended hundreds of clients charged with violent crimes, sexual assault, and white-collar offenses since 2003. She has led high-profile military sexual assault and war-crimes cases stemming from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and is regularly featured by major outlets such as 60 Minutes, ABC’s Nightline, Rolling Stone, the BBC, Fox News, and CNN. As one of the first Public Defenders for Georgia’s Augusta Judicial Circuit, she handled a broad spectrum of cases—including rape, larceny, violent crimes, and domestic violence—and she holds a J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, where she completed the nationally ranked Integrated Trial Advocacy Program. A Georgia-registered mediator, she continues to shape the practice of military and civilian defense through her courtroom work and advocacy.
Attorney Profile
Recent Case Results
Take Command of Your Defense
Our track record speaks for itself—we’ve helped countless service members achieve favorable outcomes in their darkest legal moments, from avoiding dishonorable discharges to winning complete acquittals at court-martial.
Contact Us About Your Case
Why Service Members Choose UCMJ Defense Lawyers with Proven Military Legal Expertise
Service members worldwide trust our UCMJ defense attorneys because we combine extensive military law experience with an unwavering commitment to protecting your rights and career. Our legal team understands the high stakes of military justice proceedings and provides specialized defense for all branches—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, and Coast Guard. From complex court-martial cases to non-judicial punishment (Article 15) proceedings, we deliver strategic defense tailored to the unique demands of military law, ensuring every service member receives the robust representation they deserve regardless of rank or location.
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Check Out Our Newest Book
UCMJ Survival Guide
UCMJ Survival Guide: The Complete Military Justice Manual for Service Members & Families: Whether you’re facing an investigation, court-martial, Article 15 (NJP), or administrative separation, UCMJ Survival Guide is your essential resource for navigating the military justice system.
Written by two of the most experienced and respected military defense lawyers in the field—Michael and Alexandra Waddington—this comprehensive guide delivers clear, actionable strategies to protect your career, reputation, and future.
Michael and Alexandra are among the top military defense lawyers and recognized as some of the most experienced sexual assault defense attorneys in the country. They have successfully defended service members in high-profile Article 120 UCMJ sexual assault cases, complex court-martials, and administrative separation proceedings across all branches of the U.S. military. 
UCMJ Criminal Defense Lawyers
Worldwide Military Defense Experience
Defending Service Members Across Every Theater and Installation
The González & Waddington Law Firm’s global reach sets them apart from regional military defense attorneys. With active cases spanning from Fort Bragg to forward operating bases in combat zones, from Norfolk Naval Station to remote Air Force installations, their practice truly encompasses the worldwide nature of modern military service.
Specialized Expertise in Serious Military Offenses
War Crimes, Sexual Assault, Violent Crimes, and White-Collar Defense
The most serious charges under the UCMJ require the most experienced defense attorneys. The González & Waddington Law Firm has built its reputation by successfully defending service members against the gravest allegations—cases where the stakes couldn’t be higher and the margin for error is virtually nonexistent.
Media and High-Profile Case Experience
Featured on CNN, 60 Minutes, BBC, and Major News Outlets
The legal expertise of Michael Waddington and Alexandra González-Waddington has garnered attention from the world’s most prestigious media outlets, a testament to their standing as leading authorities in military criminal defense. This media recognition reflects not only their legal acumen but also their ability to handle high-stakes cases under intense public scrutiny.
Important Things To Know:
Military prosecution teams often outnumber assigned military defense lawyers 5 to 1.
Many military prosecutors will use every tactic they can to manipulate all aspects of a case and thwart the defendant’s ability to mount an adequate defense. Thus, it is crucial to put up the best court-martial defense possible.
Requests for delays and continuances to give defendants adequate time to prepare their defense are often denied.
Prosecutors offer witnesses favors, plea deals, and immunity as long as they say what they’re asked to help win a case.
While military prosecutors can take advantage of any number of expert witnesses, it’s common for prosecutors and Staff Judge Advocates (SJA) to work together and deny defendants the same right.
Even requests to use the same experts as used by the prosecution are often denied. It is critical to select an attorney with the experience and skill to win a case without defense experts, if needed. Our firm teaches other lawyers how to attack and discredit prosecution experts.
Another common tactic is charging a service member using the “shotgun approach.”
This tactic uses as many charges as possible to leave defendants little choice but to plead guilty. It is not uncommon to see court-martial charge sheets that are three pages long with the same charge repeated in different ways.
The Government has plenty of well-trained investigators, including CID, CIS, OSI, MPI and CGIS.
They are all working to find any and all information about you. Investigators often lose, overlook, or misplace evidence that helps the defense. Prosecutors and law enforcement will twist favorable facts and use them against you at trial.
Military investigators commonly use lies, trickery, and deceit.
They are trained in shady interrogation tactics, and they’re good at it. Investigators will try to get away with as many sneaky tactics as a defense lawyer allows. That’s why it’s important to hire a lawyer who knows the tricks of the trade and can use them to your advantage.
Rank plays a key role in determining a case’s outcome.
From the Judge to the jury, defendants are outranked. That includes the Chief of Military Justice (the Convening Authority that decides if a defendant will face a court-martial and picks the jury), the Staff Judge Advocate, preliminary hearings officers, and your assigned military lawyer. That’s why an aggressive military defense lawyer who’s not subject to rank is critical to a winning defense.
The Staff Judge Advocate, the Convening Authority’s legal adviser, is required to be fair and impartial in the name of justice.
But to many SJAs, “justice” means getting a conviction, a discharge, and the toughest sentence possible. As the prosecutor’s boss, the SJA isn’t concerned about your freedom or your family’s welfare. They just want a conviction. They will bully prosecutors and your own defense attorneys alike to get it. Even when preliminary hearing officers find facts that don’t support bringing charges, some SJA offices still proceed to trial.
The rules of a court-martial trial also work against defendants.
The prosecution is allowed to call any witnesses they desire without informing the defense of what those witnesses will say. But the defense must disclose exactly what its witnesses will say and what role their testimonies will play. Some judges require the defense to disclose even more details, revealing the entire defense strategy. In high profile cases, military defense lawyers face incredible pressure to plead guilty.
Many military prosecutors will use every tactic they can to manipulate all aspects of a case and thwart the defendant’s ability to mount an adequate defense. Thus, it is crucial to put up the best court-martial defense possible.
Prosecutors offer witnesses favors, plea deals, and immunity as long as they say what they’re asked to help win a case.
Even requests to use the same experts as used by the prosecution are often denied. It is critical to select an attorney with the experience and skill to win a case without defense experts, if needed. Our firm teaches other lawyers how to attack and discredit prosecution experts.
This tactic uses as many charges as possible to leave defendants little choice but to plead guilty. It is not uncommon to see court-martial charge sheets that are three pages long with the same charge repeated in different ways.
They are all working to find any and all information about you. Investigators often lose, overlook, or misplace evidence that helps the defense. Prosecutors and law enforcement will twist favorable facts and use them against you at trial.
They are trained in shady interrogation tactics, and they’re good at it. Investigators will try to get away with as many sneaky tactics as a defense lawyer allows. That’s why it’s important to hire a lawyer who knows the tricks of the trade and can use them to your advantage.
From the Judge to the jury, defendants are outranked. That includes the Chief of Military Justice (the Convening Authority that decides if a defendant will face a court-martial and picks the jury), the Staff Judge Advocate, preliminary hearings officers, and your assigned military lawyer. That’s why an aggressive military defense lawyer who’s not subject to rank is critical to a winning defense.
But to many SJAs, “justice” means getting a conviction, a discharge, and the toughest sentence possible. As the prosecutor’s boss, the SJA isn’t concerned about your freedom or your family’s welfare. They just want a conviction. They will bully prosecutors and your own defense attorneys alike to get it. Even when preliminary hearing officers find facts that don’t support bringing charges, some SJA offices still proceed to trial.
The prosecution is allowed to call any witnesses they desire without informing the defense of what those witnesses will say. But the defense must disclose exactly what its witnesses will say and what role their testimonies will play. Some judges require the defense to disclose even more details, revealing the entire defense strategy. In high profile cases, military defense lawyers face incredible pressure to plead guilty.
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