Michael Stewart Waddington – Partner and Military Defense Attorney

Partner, Gonzalez & Waddington

Partner, Gonzalez & Waddington | Internationally Respected Court-Martial Attorney

More than two decades of winning serious military criminal cases worldwide.
A battlefield-tested trial lawyer trusted by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen.

Michael is also an Adjunct Professor at Florida International University (FIU) College of Law, where he teaches UCMJ military law and the Law of Armed Conflict.

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As featured in

• ABA Journal
• BBC
• CBS 60 Minutes
• CNN
• ABC Nightline
• NACDL

About Michael Stewart Waddington

• Defending Service Members Worldwide
• Former Army JAG & Court-Martial Strategist

Michael Stewart Waddington is an internationally respected military defense attorney, bestselling author, and high-stakes trial strategist with over two decades of global court-martial experience.

He has defended U.S. service members in some of the most complex and high-profile cases across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and war zones worldwide.

He represents service members at every stage of a military case: CID, NCIS, OSI, and CGIS investigations, command-directed investigations, nonjudicial punishment (NJP / Article 15), letters of reprimand and GOMORs, administrative separation boards and Boards of Inquiry, and courts-martial. He also defends allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, violent crime, financial crime, war crimes, and military-specific offenses.

A former Army JAG and seasoned courtroom warrior, he brings unmatched insight, discipline, and strategy to every case.

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Global Court-Martial Defense Practice

Michael defends Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen in every type of military case, including:

Media, Books, and High-Profile Cases

Author of Best-Selling Trial Advocacy & Cross-Examination Books

Sought-After Trial Advocacy Instructor & National Lecturer

Michael is one of the most sought-after instructors in the country on cross-examination, closing arguments, sexual assault defense, and military litigation. He has lectured at top national conferences and advanced training programs, including:

FIU College of Law – Adjunct Professor of Military Law

Michael teaches UCMJ military law and the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) at Florida International University College of Law in Miami, training future advocates in how the military justice system actually works.

National Trial Lawyers Summit

Michael has spoken at the prestigious National Trial Lawyers Summit, sharing the stage with legendary attorneys including F. Lee Bailey, Benjamin Brafman, Mark Geragos, Mark O’Mara, and Roy Black. His presentations on cross-examination and closing arguments are considered must-attend sessions for serious trial lawyers.

NACDL National Sex Crimes Defense Conferences

As one of the country’s leading authorities on defending Article 120 UCMJ sexual assault cases, Michael routinely teaches at NACDL’s National Sex Crimes Defense Seminars. He instructs on cross-examining prosecution experts, dismantling flawed forensic methods, and building winning defense narratives.

NACDL Forensic Science Conferences

Michael lectures on using forensic science to create reasonable doubt, including cross-examining DNA analysts, toxicologists, and digital forensic experts. His science-driven strategies are widely adopted by both civilian and military defense attorneys.

Gideon’s Promise

invited to teach public defenders from around the United States on closing arguments and impeachment techniques.

U.S. Naval Academy – War Crimes & LOAC Instruction

Invited by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Michael teaches midshipmen and officers about war crimes, the law of war, and real-world battlefield case studies such as “Operation Iron Triangle.” He connects combat realities with courtroom truth-seeking.

National College for DUI Defense (NCDD)

At NCDD events, Michael trains top DUI and criminal defense lawyers on closing arguments, trial psychology, and controlling hostile witnesses during cross-examination.

• “The 21 Rules for Surviving Cross-Examination with Your Credibility Intact”
• “Controlling Difficult Witnesses on Cross-Examination”
• “Using Forensic Science to Create Reasonable Doubt in Sexual Assault Cases” As an Adjunct Professor at FIU College of Law, Michael teaches the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), tying together his battlefield, courtroom, and academic experience to train future advocates in war crimes, rules of engagement, and international humanitarian law.

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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Discipline, and the Trial Warrior Mindset

Michael is a dedicated student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and its lessons run through everything he does in court: stay composed under pressure, control the engagement, find leverage, and never stop fighting. Trial work rewards the same discipline the mat demands — preparation, patience, and the will to keep working the problem until it gives. For Michael, the “trial warrior” mindset isn’t a slogan. It’s a daily practice.

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Professional Honors, Memberships, & Leadership Roles

Michael is widely recognized as one of the top criminal trial lawyers in the country. His honors and memberships include:

He has served as co-chair of the Military Law Committee of NACDL, training and advising military defense lawyers—both uniformed and civilian—from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard. In that role, he also liaises with policymakers on issues involving military justice reform.

Publications & Thought Leadership

From 2013–2024, Michael has authored or contributed chapters to the American Bar Association’s annual volume, The State of Criminal Justice, covering key topics in military justice, reform, digital privacy, and UCMJ changes. His contributions include:

• “Military Criminal Justice: Expanded Rights for Sexual Assault Victims” (2016)
• “Military Criminal Justice: Further Expanded Victim Rights and Overarching Refinements” (2017)
• “Overview of the Military Justice Act of 2016” (2018)
• “MJA 2016” and “Changes to the Punitive Articles” (2019–2020)
• “Military Justice Act of 2016’s Expansion of Military Subpoena Power” (2021)
• “Overview of UCMJ Changes in the 2022 NDAA” (2022)
• “The Road Toward Military Justice Reform” (2023)
• “Military Justice Reform: The Current State of Affairs” (2024)

He has also written for the New Jersey State Bar Magazine and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL), including “Military Justice Overview” and “The 21 Rules for Surviving Cross-Examination with Your Credibility Intact.”

Background, Education & Army JAG Service

Michael was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He earned his B.A. magna cum laude from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate, Battalion Commander in Army ROTC, and on the Dean’s List for eight consecutive semesters. He also studied abroad at the Universidad de Alicante in Spain.

He earned his law degree from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia. At Temple, he served as an editor of the Temple Environmental Law & Technology Journal and completed, with honors, Temple’s nationally top-ranked Trial Advocacy Program (U.S. News & World Report).

During his JAG career, he defended service members from E-1 to O-6 in courts-martial, Article 32s, pretrial confinement hearings, NJP, and separation boards. He successfully defended clients accused of murder, rape, sexual assault, child abuse, detainee abuse, maiming, aggravated assault, larceny, computer crimes, trainee abuse, and numerous other offenses. He also received the Award for Excellence in Advocacy from the U.S. Army JAG Corps Criminal Law Advocacy Course.

Michael enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1993 and rose to the rank of Captain. He served as:

• Army soldier (enlisted)
• Commissioned Army officer (1997)
• Army JAG officer (entered 2001, left active duty 2006)
• Trial Defense Service (TDS) Senior Defense Counsel, running a branch office
• Former Special Assistant United States Attorney, prosecuting cases in federal court and working with the FBI, ATF, DEA, Secret Service, and U.S. Marshals
• Former Chief of Military Justice

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International Cases & Trial Consulting

Michael has provided criminal defense and trial consultation services in serious cases worldwide. In 2008, he served as the chief trial consultant and legal strategist for three Israeli clients charged in Tokyo, Japan, in one of the largest drug importation prosecutions in Japanese history. He also represents and advises American contracting companies that support the U.S. military overseas regarding criminal prosecutions, investigations, and UCMJ-related issues.

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Professional Licenses & Bar Memberships

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• Licensed in: Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia
• Admitted to practice in all U.S. military trial courts worldwide
• Member: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
• Member: American Bar Association (ABA)
• Member: National Trial Lawyers

Michael primarily practices in criminal defense, court-martial defense, and related high-stakes litigation. He frequently consults on Florida criminal and family law issues connected to military clients and their families.

Languages & International Experience

Michael is fluent in English and Spanish and speaks intermediate French. He has lived and studied in Spain and France, and lived and worked in Puerto Rico for seven years. His language skills and international background allow him to communicate effectively with foreign clients, witnesses, and multinational units in complex cross-border cases.

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Trial Warrior – In and Out of the Courtroom

Whether he is teaching LOAC at FIU Law, lecturing at the U.S. Naval Academy on war crimes, training public defenders with Gideon’s Promise, or cross-examining a key witness in a contested court-martial, Michael brings the same qualities: intensity, preparation, and a relentless will to win.

He is also a dedicated student of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which reflects his philosophy toward trial work: stay composed, control the engagement, find leverage, and never stop fighting. For Michael, there is no separation between the “trial warrior” mindset and his life outside the courtroom.

Michael Waddington is not just a lawyer. He is a battlefield-tested courtroom warrior. If you are facing the fight of your life in the military justice system, he is the advocate you want in your corner.

Florida Military Defense

Understanding Military Court-Martial Defense and UCMJ Representation

Michael Stewart Waddington is a globally recognized military defense attorney and partner at UCMJ Defense Lawyers, the Military Defense Law Firm trusted by service members worldwide. He defends high-stakes cases in courts-martial and complex investigations, drawing on years as an Army JAG, international trial work, and bestselling trial advocacy books. Michael teaches cross-examination and closing argument to civilian and military counsel, and his commentary has appeared on CNN, 60 Minutes, ABC’s Nightline, the BBC, and other outlets. Fluent in English and Spanish, with intermediate French, he helps clients navigate the UCMJ wherever they serve. If you need immediate guidance, call 800-921-8607 to connect with a team that understands the demands of military life and litigation.

Michael focuses on serious criminal matters, including sexual assault allegations under Article 120, war crimes, violent offenses, and white-collar cases. He also counsels service members facing administrative actions, adverse findings, and career-impacting investigations. Known for methodical preparation and tenacious courtroom advocacy, Michael brings the same discipline he practices in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to building defense strategies: constant improvement, attention to detail, and relentless pressure on weak evidence. He partners with Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington to deliver thoughtful, trial-tested representation for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coast Guardsmen. Whether you are stateside or overseas, the firm works quickly to preserve evidence, shape the narrative, and protect your future from day one.

Why Skilled UCMJ Defense Matters for Service Members

When you’re accused, everything official turns against you at once — federal agents building the case, career prosecutors choosing the charges, a command controlling your movements and influencing every witness above you in rank. You become one person inside a machine that has done this thousands of times. Skilled UCMJ defense exists to level that fight. It is the only part of the entire process whose sole job is you — independent investigation, better experts, and a defense built from day one to break the government’s case. You wouldn’t deploy without support. Don’t walk into a courtroom without it.

About UCMJ Defense Lawyers and Michael Waddington’s Background

The UCMJ is a distinct justice system with unique procedures, evidentiary rules, and command dynamics. A tailored military defense can protect not only liberty, but rank, security clearance, pay, retirement, and post-service opportunities. Early intervention helps preserve evidence, challenge flawed assumptions, and prevent administrative actions from escalating. With Michael Waddington, clients benefit from hard-won trial insight, strategic motion practice, and persuasive advocacy shaped by years in courtrooms worldwide. Whether the case involves Article 120 allegations, war-zone incidents, or alleged fraud, a focused defense can counter government narratives, expose unreliable statements, and ensure decision-makers see the full picture. The right strategy can change outcomes and quickly stabilize a chaotic situation.

NEED MILITARY LAW HELP?

Facing serious military charges? Michael Waddington, a battlefield-tested courtroom warrior and former Army JAG, provides confidential, high-stakes defense for service members worldwide. Get expert guidance and protect your future today.

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