ANDERSON, WALKER & REICHERT, LLP

Matthew G. Schwartz was born and raised in New York City. He attended the University of Arizona, graduating in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in Russian language and Russian and Soviet studies. He received his law degree, cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1999. Mr. Schwartz is admitted to practice law in the states of Georgia, New York and New Jersey.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Schwartz practiced law in private practice before serving as a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps. Rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring, among other assignments, he served twice as a base-level prosecutor, an area defense counsel, a senior trial counsel, a Guantanamo Bay defense counsel, and as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate of Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

In October, 2018, Mr. Schwartz joined Anderson Walker & Reichert, LLP, establishing the firm's military criminal defense practice.  As retired Air Force Judge Advocate, Mr. Schwartz has vast experience aggressively defending military members facing courts-martial, officer and enlisted administrative discharge boards, flying evaluation boards, medical credentialing boards, non-judicial punishment (NJP) under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and Administrative paperwork (Letters of Counseling, Admonishment
and Reprimand).

 

In addition to military criminal defense, Mr. Schwartz handles a wide array of complex civil litigation.

Why It Matters

 

When facing a military criminal investigation (AFOSI, NCIS or CID), a special court-martial (SPCM) or a general court-martial (GCM) being defended by the right lawyer matters. Experience matters. The right strategy matters. The implementation of that strategy matters. The right argument matters. Crafting
your defense matters. The prosecution is working every day to put you in confinement or to discharge you from the military; you need someone who can beat them in and out of court. When your freedom or your career is on the line, you need and want the best lawyer to represent you. To fight for you. 

 

A representative sample of Mr. Schwartz's recent successes include:

• Representing a senior military pilot facing a flying evaluation board. Mr. Schwartz proved the pilot was competent and the board officers retained the pilot in aviation service.

• Representing a Senior Non Commissioned Officer (SNCO) accused of facilitating the rape of his wife. Mr. Schwartz kept the Government from taking the case to a court-martial and successfully litigated the administrative discharge board. Mr. Schwartz established the client was innocent. The discharge board found the client did not commit the alleged sexual assault and that there was no basis for discharge. The client retired honorably.

• Representing a Senior Non Commissioned Officer (SNCO) accused of attempting to view child pornography. Mr. Schwartz devised a strategy to limit the case against the client to a single charge and specification of attempt. At a general court-martial (GCM), the client pied guilty and was sentenced to one month of confinement and NO punitive discharge. After serving 25 days in county jail, Mr. Schwartz successfully defended the client at an administrative discharge board garnering a recommendation of probation and rehabilitation (P&R). Mr. Schwartz's client is currently serving in the Air Force.

• Representing an officer facing investigation for abusive sexual contact. Mr. Schwartz successfully limited the forum to non-judicial punishment (NJP) under Article 15 of the UCMJ. Mr. Schwartz's client is currently serving in the Air Force.

• Representing a Reservist Marine Staff Sergeant accused of larceny for filing fraudulent vouchers. Mr. Schwartz's client faced five federal felonies in United State District Court. By enlisting the support of the Staff Sergeant's command and the legal office, Mr. Schwartz convinced the Assistant United States Attorney to support and accept a guilty plea to one misdemeanor, in lieu of the five felony counts. Mr. Schwartz's client received no confinement, paying a fine of $250.00.

• Representing a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) accused of sexually harassing a subordinate by telling other subordinates of the client’s desire to have sexual intercourse with the subordinate.  Mr. Schwartz’s strategy avoided non-judicial punishment (NJP) and administrative demotion, limiting the consequence to a letter of reprimand (LOR).  Mr. Schwartz’s client is currently serving in the Air Force.