Who I Can Help — and Why It Matters
Let me be clear from the start: I do not accept payment for military defense work, and I do not represent clients in military proceedings for personal profit. As a Judge Advocate (JAG) officer in the District of Columbia National Guard, I represent only members of the DC National Guard, and I do so as part of my official duties within the Trial Defense Service (TDS) — not through my private law practice.
If you’re a DC Guardsman facing adverse action, I can represent you directly — not just in formal proceedings, but in the broader maze of investigations, reprimands, separations, and financial liability actions that don’t always make headlines but can derail careers. This work is core to my role in the Guard — and central to why I continue to serve.
For others — servicemembers in different states, veterans, or those facing issues outside JAG’s scope — I still try to help where I can. I’ll offer informal advice, point you toward the right counsel in your chain of command, or connect you with veterans’ networks and pro bono resources if your issue falls outside the Guard’s support. I won’t look away. But I also won’t cross ethical lines or federal regulations.
Beyond Trials: The Work No One Talks About
Most people hear “military defense” and picture a courtroom. But most of the real work happens before you ever get there — if you get there at all. At the Trial Defense Service, we handle more than just trial-level actions. Every week, we advise Guardsmen on:
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Command-directed investigations (AR 15-6, EO, SHARP, and IG)
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Letters of reprimand and GOMOR rebuttals
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Officer Evaluation Report appeals
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Financial liability assessments
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Administrative separations and flags
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Security clearance issues
Some cases involve wrongdoing. Others don’t. But either way, soldiers deserve real representation — not a rubber stamp or a shrug. I’ve seen careers salvaged because someone stepped in early. I’ve also seen soldiers forced out because no one did.
Why I Keep Doing This Work
I don’t keep taking these cases because I need more legal work — I take them because I still believe in what the military can be. I’ve served more than 25 years in uniform, and I’ve worn every rank from enlisted infantry to Judge Advocate. I’ve deployed twice. I’ve watched good soldiers fall through the cracks because the system was slow, impersonal, or flat-out wrong. And I’ve also seen what it looks like when someone steps in and says, “Not this time.”
I do this work because there is still too much silence around how administrative actions are used — sometimes arbitrarily, sometimes vindictively — and too little understanding among soldiers about their rights. Even in a peacetime force, careers are being ended behind closed doors. Benefits lost. Reputations damaged. Families uprooted.
My job is to stand in the gap. To tell soldiers the truth about what they’re facing. To make sure that before any commander ends a career, there’s someone on the other side who knows the regs just as well — and is willing to speak up.
Service, Not Business
There’s no money in this work. That’s by design. I don’t want there to be. I’ve turned down private cases because the idea of profiting off the uniform while wearing it never sat right with me. The people I help through TDS are not my clients — they’re my soldiers, and this is my duty.
But service doesn’t mean silence. It doesn’t mean I stop being a lawyer when I see injustice, even if I’m not the one holding the pen. When someone reaches out — whether I can represent them or not — I try to leave them better than I found them: informed, prepared, and not alone.
A Different Kind of Representation
Most law firms don’t talk about military administrative law because there’s no money in it. It’s not glamorous. But it’s necessary. And when done right, it can change someone’s life — or at least give them the dignity of being heard.
I don’t believe in watching from the sidelines. That’s why I still take these cases. That’s why I still wear the uniform. And that’s why, even when I can’t be your lawyer, I’ll still try to point you toward the help you deserve.
About the Author: Nick Harrison is the founding attorney of Harrison-Stein PLLC, a Washington, D.C.–based law firm focused on civil litigation, military law, nonprofit counsel, and LGBTQ+ legal advocacy. A Judge Advocate in the DC National Guard with over 25 years of service, Nick has deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. He’s a nationally recognized advocate for servicemembers living with HIV and a former plaintiff in landmark litigation that overturned discriminatory military policies.
