Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington

My situation began in 2016 when a female falsely accused me of sexual assault. Shortly after, I received a phone call from a police investigator, who asked me to provide my statement. I, wanting my side of the story heard, initially agreed, but decided to ask a local attorney to accompany me. This la...wyer ultimately advised against my meeting with the police and instead contacted them on my behalf and represented me going forward. The next couple of months were extremely nerve-wracking so when I received word that the District Attorney dismissed the case I thought everything was great. It wasn't. The Navy contacted me shortly thereafter and informed me of an NCIS investigation for the same allegation. They further informed me that I was placed on legal hold from my impending separation date and the nightmare started all over again. Unfortunately, my local attorney was not familiar with military law, but very fortunately, I was referred to Gonzalez & Waddington Attorneys at Law as the recognized experts in military sexual assault cases and I contacted them for a consultation. Almost immediately, I received a call from the firm's assistant, Sandra, who put me in touch with Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington for an initial consultation. Mrs. Waddington was very understanding and professional during the interview and put me at ease by thoroughly explaining the process to me and gave me the feeling that I had a seriously experienced team on my side. I definitely had a renewed peace of mind once she agreed the firm would take on my case. In the meantime, a second female band-wagoned with a new sexual assault allegation, making my case that much more complex. While I was completely comfortable with my choice of attorney, things were quickly worsening, and my anxiety was rapidly escalating. Although my interaction with Alexandra was exclusively remote via email or phone, she handled a majority of their pre-trial information gathering and discussions with me, and any time I needed to speak with her she was extremely responsive. Her husband Mr. Michael Waddington attended my Motions Hearing and was instantly impressed. After I spent the afternoon discussing the case, I knew I made the right decision hiring the Gonzalez & Waddington Attorneys at Law firm. I felt comfortable whenever I spoke with my attorneys about the situation despite the stress and angst that were constantly resident in my life. Mr. Waddington arrived the weekend before my court martial and came ready for battle. I was his and my Navy-appointed JAG's sole focus from that point forward and watching them work was simply amazing. At the end of the trial, after six terrifying hours of jury deliberation, I was found Not Guilty of all charges against me, six in total. At times it is difficult to get in touch with them, especially when your case is several months away. However, it is important to remember the best attorneys are the busiest attorneys, and Michael and Alexandra are among the top attorneys in this field. They are constantly either in preparation for a trial or arguing a case. As my case approached, communication with my JAG, Michael, and Alexandra increased exponentially and there was never any indication of their not having a complete handle on the situation. The financial price for their services seems high but is worth it, especially when you consider what is at stake: for me, it was my freedom, my name, and my future. My life, really. I can say without a doubt that hiring Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington was the best decision I ever made and I highly recommend her firm to any military member facing a sexual assault-related charge.

During my last tour before retirement I was flagged and investigated by CID for sexual offenses and fraternization that went back a few years. These allegations were potentially career, family and life ending. We just bought a new house and my children were settled into a new high school. My family d...id not know about the allegations. After waiting a week for a TDS lawyer to return my calls, I decided to look for civilian representation. I had too much at stake. I talked to two other civilian lawyers and one talked about his prior military service and bragged about how great he was. The other was very negative and made me feel like a terrible person. I talked with Alexandra and I liked her firm but reassuring manner. She listened without judging me and we discussed how to handle my family situation. She warned me that it was a challenge to get sex charges dropped in the current political environment but we would try. Their retainer was not cheap but was what I expected for a top quality law firm. We developed a plan of action and prepared for court. She had me gather as much helpful information as possible about my case and the accusers and I gave them to the firm. She returned my texts and calls and guided me if I had any questions. There was talk of a court martial but I ended up getting a reprimand. I was able to get closure on this chapter of my life. I am grateful for her being there during this difficult time in my life and retire with my honor and dignity intact.

Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington and her team were outstanding in the way they helped me manage a dire situation that I never thought possible. She was empathetic of my situation and always able to be contacted in my times where I had uncertainty within a 24 hour window. With her help, I was able to put... my frantic mind (due to the accusations) at ease throughout the lengthy legal process. Her influence which gave me a clear mind during the process, allowed me to continue being a valuable asset to the military even while under investigation. Because of this I was able to keep my military command on my side and deter any unjust treatment or longstanding punishment. I can't say enough about Alexandra and her team. The only thing I would have done differently is to have contacted her immediately after the accusations came about. It would have saved me weeks of sleepless night wondering what I was going to do. She immediately calmed me and told me how to navigate to safety.

Mrs. Gonzalez-Waddington was supposed to be the second civilian attorney I consulted with, when the worst 8 months of my life started.  She contacted me 30 minutes earlier than our scheduled appointment time.  Immediately reviewed my case and gave her guidance of what to expect in the coming weeks.  ...She was honest, confident, and reassuring from the very beginning.  There was not a single sugar-coated answer or guarantee of any kind.  Although her confidence and truth to the way military investigations and courts martials were executed was spot on.  Although I never had the pleasure of actually meeting her, she on multiple occasions put me back on level ground when I felt like my life was falling apart.  Every step of the way she always provided solid counsel and  instructions on how and what to do in each event.  All of these factors led to my decision to retain her firm.  In the end I was extremely pleased with my outcome and will be forever grateful for her hard work.

Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is truly a God send. Within 5 minutes of our initial conversation I KNEW this was the law firm I had to procure for my son's defense. She was extremely confident and knowledgeable regarding the military legal system. Although my ex-husband and I were both prior military ...we had NO idea how convoluted and unjust the military legal system really is. Alexandra never made us any promises other than she promised to fight the case as if she was fighting for one of her family members. Trust me she did just that - she exposed CID (Criminal Investigation Dept.) for their low down sneaky tactics they used to force a confession from my son. I’m 100% convinced that had I not hired this law firm my son would still be sitting behind bars in the Naval Brig in Charleston, SC. I'll tell anyone regardless of the cost its money well spent. My son is a free man, still active duty with no felony conviction or sex registry requirements. His JAG attorney had nearly convinced him to accept a plea deal in lieu of a court marital but as his parents we simply could not allow our son to take the fall for something he absolutely did not do. If you want an attorney who knows the regulations and is willing to put in the long hours to ensure you a fair trial then by all means hire this law firm. I promise you it will be the best decision you ever made in your life. If this is a new experience for you and you have questions I'll give the Waddington's permission to share my contact details so I can help answer some of your questions. I know firsthand how frightening this experience can be. I’m forever grateful for Alexandra for giving my son his life back.