Edward Bernard O'Brien

A retired former U.S. Navy JAG Corps officer, with over 27 years of experience Ed O’Brien, is widely recognized for his extensive knowledge and experience in military law and litigation. Throughout his career, Ed gained extensive litigation experience as a Military and Federal Prosecutor as well as a criminal defense attorney. His criminal litigation experience includes numerous jury trials for a variety of offenses including, homicides, rape, assaults, domestic violence, fraud, drug offenses, and DUI’s. Ed also has wide-ranging experience in a variety of military administrative hearings including misconduct and ethics cases.

As a Staff Judge Advocate (general counsel) Ed advised the most senior leadership in the Department of Defense. 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. Ed also has worked with the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, the State Department, various intelligence services, as well as numerous other state and federal government and law enforcement offices. Over multiple deployments, Ed has worked with foreign governments on behalf of service members and the US. Government, working in multiple embassies on four continents. Ed was the head of the law of the sea and international agreements divisions in the Navy JAG office. In his last years on active duty, Ed was the senior legal advisor for numerous medical commands. This gives Ed unmatched experience and expertise in medico-legal issues, including, credentialing, privileging, standard of care issues, quality assurance investigations, fair hearings, HIPAA as well as MEB/PEB cases.

Ed served as an instructor at the Naval Justice School where he was the director of the Navy’s trial advocacy program. He also served as an adjunct professor at the Naval War College. Ed has been invited to lecture to a wide variety of audiences on numerous topics including military criminal law, evidence, international law, the law of armed conflict, law of the sea, and administrative law. Ed has lectured for the U.S. armed forces as well foreign governments, foreign militaries, law students, college students school students at home and abroad on three continents.