
Philip D. Cave
Sole Practitioner Phone: 703-298-9562
Toll Free: 800-401-1583
Fax: 703-997-6076
1318 Princess St #200
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
I have extensive experience as a prosecutor, defense counsel, appellate advocate, and legal advisor in military cases. I have served tours of duty in the U.S., Gulf-I, in USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67), and overseas in Spain, Portugal, and Bahrain. While on active duty I also gained experience as a member of the Navy Clemency & Parole Board, the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, and in regulatory and legislative matters.
I have provided testimony at both Cox Commissions on military justice, on behalf of the Bar Association of the District of Columbia. I regularly participate as a moot court judge for several national moot court competitions held in the Washington, DC, area.
I am regularly consulted by print, radio, and TV media for commentary on significant military justice cases and issues.
I have been practicing military law exclusively since 1979.
I came to America in 1972, having spent seven years with the Metropolitan Police in London, England.
After graduating from the Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1979, I went to the Naval Justice School; and then I reported to my first assignment at Naval Legal Service Office Norfolk, to be a defense counsel and then a trial counsel (prosecutor).
Over the next 20 years I served as a Navy judge advocate in various military justice related assignments: twice as a defense counsel, twice as a trial counsel (prosecutor), three times as a staff judge advocate (command legal advisor), and as an appeals lawyer. For my last few years of active duty I served in the Navy office responsible Military Justice (legislation, regulation, policy) matters, as well as sitting as a member of the Naval Clemency & Parole Board.
I have broad experience in courts-martial ranging from simple AWOL/UA cases to complicated murder, sex assault, and national security cases. Most of my trial cases are contested members (jury); that is when I have not been able to divert them for trial. Over the years I have tried hundreds of contested cases, and have been involved in thousands of cases from the simple AR 15-6 type investigation to significant adverse administrative actions.
I believe in listening to the client.
I believe in being honest with the client.
I believe in communicating with the client.
100% Military Law
Litigation Percentage75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions- Ohio, 1979
- Virginia, 2000
- District of Columbia, 2000
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 2000
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, 1982
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Virginia, 2000
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 2001
- Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, Ohio J.D. - 1979
- The George Washington University Law School, Washington, District of Columbia LL.M., Master of Laws - 1988
- Joint Forces Staff College - National Defense University, Norfolk, Virginia Diploma - 1982
- Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio B.A. - 1976
- Metropolitan Police Training School, London England - 1968
- Metropolitan Police Cadet Corps, London England - 1967
- How Public of a Trial: US v. Bradley Manning, JURIST Sidebar, 2012
- Mental State May Play Pivotal Role in Afghan Shooting Trial, JURIST, 2012
- Wrangling Over Khadr's Counsel Shows Discretionary Power of Military Judges, JURIST
Coram Nobis: A Writ Too Far?, ABA, Preview of Supreme Court Cases, 2008
Representative Cases- United States v. Trew, 68 M.J. 364 (C.A.A.F. 2010)
- United States v. Dorman, 58 M.J. 295 (C.A.A.F. 2003)
- United States v. Lee, 54 M.J. 285 (C.A.A.F. 2000)(amicus)
- United States v. Smith, 43 M.J. 390 (C.A.A.F. 1996)
- United States v. Saylor, 40 M.J. 715 (N-M Ct. Crim. App. 1994)
- United States v. Collins, 39 M.J. 739 (N-M Ct. Crim. App. 1994)
- United States v. Clemons, 39 M.J. 865 (N-M Ct. Crim. App. 1994)
- Military Sexual Assault Cases US Commission on Civil Rights, Report and Briefing on Sexual Assault in the Military
- Moot Court, PAD-International Moot Court
- Moot Court, George Washington University Law School National Moot Court
- Military Justice Seminar – Mental Health Defenses, The Judge Advocate Generals’ School of the Army
- Sexual Assault in the Military: Fixing a Broken System: Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military, Hastings University Law School
- Military Law and Media, Military Editors Reporters Conference
- Military Law Reform: Cox Commission, National Institute of Military Justice
- Military Law Reform: Cox Commission, National Institute of Military Justice
- Continuity and Change in Military Justice, London Conference, National Institute of Military Justice
- Court-Martials and the Media, ABA Annual Conference
- National Institute of Military Justice, Director, 2000 - Present
- Judge Advocates Association, Board of Directors
- Bar Association of D.C, Member, 2000 - Present
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), Member
- Federal Bar Association (FBA)
- Virginia State Bar, Military Law Committee
- Virginia Association Criminal Defense Lawyers (VACDL)
- Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International
- American Legion
- Navy-Marine Corps Appellate Defense Division, Deputy Director, 1992 - 1994
- Naval Legal Service Office, Chief Trial Defense Counsel, 1990 - 1991
- Naval Legal Service Office, Trial Counsel (Prosecutor), 1988 - 1990
- Naval Legal Service Office, Trial Defense Counsel, 1980 - 1982
- Metropolitan Police Force, New Scotland Yard, London, England, Police Cadet and then
- Police Constable, 1965 - 1972
- U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General's Corps.
- U.S. Forces, Azores, Portugal, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate (Legal Advisor),
- Commander
- The Staff Judge Advocate (Senior Legal Advisor) to, USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67)
- Naval Logistics Support Force, in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD/ DESERT STORM
- (Gulf I), Staff Judge Advocate to, Commander
- Naval Legal Service Office Detachment, Rota, Spain, Officer-in-Charge
- Judge Advocate General of the Navy, Deputy Director, Criminal Law Division
- Phi Kappa Tau
- Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity