Gary S. Barthel
Advisor • Contributor
Fighting for Your rights.
Gary S. Barthel
Expert Witness • Consultant • Trainer
Committed to fighting for Your rights.
Lieutenant Colonel Gary S. Barthel, USMC, Retired, enlisted with the United States Marine Corps in 1975. He served as a Mustang Marine officer and Judge Advocate and earned his master’s in military law. Upon retirement, he worked as a civilian / military attorney before launching the Military Law Center. For the past 36 years Mr. Barthel has continued to serve his country by practicing Military Law for Servicemembers and veterans.
As an enlisted Marine, Barthel received multiple meritorious promotions and earned several awards and high accreditations. He was selected to serve with the United States Department of State serving at the United States Embassies in Tanzania and Greece where he was responsible for the protection of classified material and the protection of the U.S. Ambassador and other diplomats. Barthel was also worked with the Secret Service in providing personal protection to the United States Secretary of State and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
Following an Honorable discharge in 1979, Gary continued to pursue his education. Inspired by his experience, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Area Studies and Law. While in law school, terrorists bombed the Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The event prompted him to return to the Marine Corps as a “Mustang” Marine Corps Officer and judge advocate after completing law school. Barthel was selected to the Judge Advocate General’s School, U.S. Army, co-located at the University of Virginia, Law School where he completed a master’s in law degree in Military Law.
Lieutenant Colonel Gary S. Barthel’s billets include serving as a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Senior Defense Counsel at Camp Pendleton, and Staff Judge Advocate at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, and Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar. As a “Mustang” Marine Officer and judge advocate, his prior experiences set him apart from his peers and were invaluable when advising Commanding Officers and Commanding Generals. Establishing a twenty-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps was the foundation of his military legal experience.
Gary retired from the Marine Corps in 2003. He joined one of the most prestigious law firms in San Diego – Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP. As partner at Higgs, Fletcher & Mack, Gary continued to focus his practice on defending military clients in court-martials, military administrative hearings, and in the state and federal criminal courts.
In 2013, Gary started his own law firm and founded the Military Law Center. Here, Mr. Barthel continues to represent Servicemembers and veterans before military and civilian tribunals. Barthel’s qualifications and experience in both military and civilian courts exceed most practicing attorneys. His education and experience command the two different court systems with a legal authority that is qualified and unmatched in our nation.
Gary S. Barthel is considered a leading national military law attorney who is frequently called upon for his legal contributions. Because of his knowledge and insight into military issues and his unique ability to bridge the gap between the civilian legal system and military legal system, Gary is frequently called upon by the media and for keynote speaking engagements.
Mr. Barthel is based in San Diego, where he provides legal services for military servicemembers and veterans. Gary founded the Military Law Center as a resource for Servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Gary represents military and veteran clients from all branches of the United States Military, standing before military tribunals – worldwide. He also represents military and veteran clients in criminal cases in the state and federal courts of California.
excellent demeanor
aggressive when needed
compassionate when warranted.
Consulting
Former U.S. Marine Corps officer, LtCol Gary S. Barthel, USMC Retired, is renowned for his knowledge and experience in military law and litigation. Throughout Mr. Barthel’s Marine Corps career he gained extensive litigation experience as a Federal Prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. As a Staff Judge Advocate (general counsel) to Commanding Generals and Commanding Officers, Mr. Barthel was responsible for providing legal advice on a variety of legal issues including criminal investigations, criminal trials and disciplinary cases, administrative separation boards, civil claims including death investigations, personal injury and property damage claims made against the government, Standards of Conduct and government ethics, including the outside practice of law, post-government service employment restrictions, interaction with non-federal entities, and the permissible use of government assets and personnel, and issues related to DoD civilian employees. Gary was also responsible for the management of a command law office and was responsible for the direct supervision and training of 20 military attorneys and 40 support staff.
His criminal litigation experience includes numerous jury trials for a variety of offenses including capital murder, homicides, rape, assaults, domestic violence, fraud, drug offenses, and DUI’s. Moreover, while serving with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Alexandria, Virginia, Mr. Barthel gained appellate litigation experience briefing and arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. While on active-duty Mr. Barthel also gained extensive experience in a variety of military administrative hearings to include the Physical Evaluation Board where he represented military clients who disputed their military medical disability ratings.
Gary’s Experience can be
Put to Work for You:
- 20 Years Active-Duty Service in the U.S. Marine Corps
- Former Marine Corps Judge Advocate
- Former Federal Prosecutor – U.S. Attorney’s Office
- Served with U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Embassies: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and Athens, Greece
- Secret Service Detail for the U.S. Secretary of State
- Secret Service Detail United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Expert Witness
LtCol Gary S. Barthel, USMC Retired, provides support as a civilian military criminal justice consultant and expert witness. Mr. Barthel’s unmatched experience in both military and civilian criminal matters qualifies him to provide a bridge between the military and civilian court systems. If you are seeking a civilian military law consultant or expert witness to thoroughly research, review discovery and provide case analysis, contact Mr. Barthel’s office today to discuss your needs.
Training Programs
LtCol Gary S. Barthel, USMC Retired is available to provide classes and training programs on or off base. Mr. Barthel has been a guest lecturer at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island and is frequently asked to be an instructor at various legal courses for Navy and Marine Corps judge advocates. If you need a speaker who has proven knowledge and experience in civilian and military legal issues, contact Mr. Barthel’s office today.
Media Appearances
LtCol Gary S. Barthel, USMC Retired is a San Diego-based military attorney dedicated to the worldwide representation of the men and women who serve or who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Mr. Barthel is available to speak, upon request, for keynote engagements at bar association meetings, military and veteran functions, and civilian meetings and other events that pertain to military and veteran legal matters.
honest and forthright
compassionate as we struggled
to understand the charges.
Gary Barthel in the Media
Gary S. Barthel is a wealth of knowledge in military law and provides insight for the media. As a former Marine Corps judge advocate and Staff Judge Advocate at multiple U.S. Marine Corps bases Gary is often called upon for his expertise. Mr. Barthel is a practicing attorney with extensive litigation experience as a federal prosecutor and as a military and civilian criminal defense attorney with jury trial experience in a variety of cases including capital murder, homicides, rape, assaults, drug offenses, and fraud. Mr. Barthel is available to schedule interviews as well as appearances upon request. Here are a few of his media appearances:
“Gary’s experience provides high-ranking advice about national issues when journalists’ need fast answers to military and civilian legal issues.”
Stolen Valour: Gary Barthel on iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas
NBC 7’s Dana Williams: Camp Pendleton Marine referred to court-martial in teen sex assault case
ABC’s KGTV: Attorneys for Marines accused of human smuggling call public arrests illegal
watching Barthel in Court
is tantamount to attending
a masters class in trial advocacy.
Featured Articles
Task & Purpose
Jeff Schogol, November 15th, 2023
Marine faces court-martial after 14-year-old girl found in his room
If Rosario’s defense can persuade a judge or military panel that he had a reasonable belief that the girl was the legal age of consent, then Rosario could be found not guilty of the sexual assault charges, Barthel told Task & Purpose on Wednesday.
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Andrew Dyer, Sep 24, 2022
Navy Prosecutors Say Circumstantial Evidence Enough
Barthel said he thought it odd prosecutors only called one NCIS agent — one who left the case early in October 2020 — and not the co-supervising agent. Barthel said that agent was involved in NCIS’ monthslong pursuit of another suspect they eventually cleared, and that alternative theory will be a big part of Mays’ defense.
Task & Purpose
Marty Graham, October 14, 2022
WHAT IF THE SAILOR CHARGED IN THE BONHOMME RICHARD FIRE WAS ACTUALLY A MINOR HERO?
“Like many sailors, Seaman Mays spent the first day of the fire doing what he could to support Fed Fire,” Barthel said, referring to Federal Fire & Emergency Services which initially responded. Mays and shipmates returned every day until the fire was out to support firefighting efforts.
quick on his feet, and spoke in plain English
made it easy for the jury to warm to the defense
Contact Gary S. Barthel
Gary Barthel’s experience in military and civilian law provides him the unique ability to bridge the military and civilian legal systems in those unique cases where both legal systems are potentially at play in a single case. If you are seeking the right advice, training or counsel about matters in military and civilian law, please contact Gary’s office to schedule a meeting today.
Military Law Center is based in San Diego, California, with a national reach of practice areas for both military and civilian legal systems. If you are in need of help as an Active Duty Servicemember, Veteran, or Department of Defense (DoD) Employee the Military Law Center is ready to Help You – Right Now.
To obtain more information about this topic or to schedule an interview, please inquire below: