Testimonials

From the moment I called David Coombs, I knew I was in good hands. I highly recommend Mr. Coombs to any soldier who needs excellent legal services, great correspondence and a representative with the highest ethics. Mr. Coombs was extremely forthcoming with me and did everything he could to help me during a very stressful time in my life. He was reasonably priced and cared about my wants and needs. When I hired Mr. Coombs, I felt a sense of relief and comfort. When I was seeking the right attorney for my case, I called several attorneys, and often, the first words uttered by the attorneys via telephone were, “what real assets do you have?”, or “how much cash do you have?” This was a red flag for me. It signaled business proposition over caring. That wasn’t the experience with Mr. Coombs. He was honest, open, and did his due diligence into my case before offering his services. Hiring Mr. Coombs was the best decision I made. It has been an absolute pleasure to be Mr. Coombs’ client. I really appreciate his patience and willingness to explain complicated legal jargon in layman’s terms.

– SFC B.

Mr. Coombs is the attorney you want at your defense. He is honest, genuine, and master at his craft, presenting a true force to be reckoned with. He took a complex case, made it simple and covered every aspect while dealing with deployed key players and classified materials. Mr. Coombs took my case to trial and had earned the respect of every attendee prior to it. He was the sounding wall throughout the entire proceeding, reciting laws and regulations on the spot. Mr. Coombs’ courtroom tactics were arranged with precision, keeping the opposition on their toes and one step behind. I greatly appreciate his hard work and support. If you’re considering your legal right to retain an attorney, you already have doubts. Your future and career should not be trusted with anyone but the best. I trusted Mr. Coombs with a complex case and overwhelming odds. He took control and never let go. Throughout my near year-long proceeding, Mr. Coombs always answered my call or returned it quickly. He gave me a fair quote and stuck to it, leaving no room for question if my money was well spent. More importantly, I truly believe that he was genuinely invested in my case and defense. I owe my acquittal and since success to him. Thank you Sir!

-SGT S., Army Ranger

I was accused of violation of Article 120 (Sexual Assault) with three specifications included. I knew that these three things I was being charged with carried a lot of jail time if I was found guilty. I searched for a defense attorney and after talking with a few I contacted David Coombs. From the very first moment I talked to him I could tell he was enthusiastic about this case. Here is a list of the things he delivered during my ordeal.

• Outstanding representation during my case.
• Unwavering work ethic and dedication to my case.
• He was always reachable with any questions or concerns I had.
• He was a consummate professional who knows military law inside and out.
• His outstanding professionalism and expertise in handling my defense.
• He gave me and my family support, confidence and hope every step of the way.
• He is an attorney of the highest caliber.

From the beginning to the end he was there for me. I knew I had the right Lawyer by my side. He secured a favorable outcome. I was found not guilty of all charges and specifications. I can say that having an experienced advocate on my side made a lot of difference. Because what most people in uniform don’t realize is that once an investigation starts, CID, and everyone involved is trying to find you guilty of a crime. I know we made the right decision in choosing you to represent me. You were pleasant to work with and were there throughout the entire ordeal and it was both a comfort and reassuring to me and my family. If you need someone to protect you and your rights, David Coombs is the right choice.

-CSM P.

Hiring Mr. Coombs was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had originally hired another lawyer to help me with my case but wanted to get other opinions. I turned to Mr. Coombs and instantly felt comfortable with him. I knew that he had the experience and knowledge to represent me. Mr. Coombs represented me with great determination. He truly cared and wanted the best result for his client. Ultimately, due to his hard work and dedication, I received the best result in my Court Martial.

-SGT L.

Needless to say, [my wife] and I are very grateful for your representation. Not knowing how you prefer a testimonial, I am going to leave you bullets:

• Mr. Coombs is masterful. As a certified military judge, his unrivaled knowledge of military law and rules of evidence coupled with his strategic use of motions to shape the legal battlefield created a nearly inevitable not guilty outcome.
• Mr. Coombs has an unhurried and unrushed manner and style of serving his clients. It was always clear that I was important and more importantly he extended the same courtesy and accessibility to my wife. He has been such a blessing to us.
• With all the uncertainty that comes with a court martial, Mr. Coombs meticulously prepared me for each step, complete with printed scripts that the military judge would read/follow in court. This helped prepare me immensely, knowing what was coming next. (Except for leaving out the part about packing a jail bag a few days before trial).
• Mr. Coombs expertly applied his knowledge of the rules of evidence allowing for a favorable admission of a document into evidence that was heavily objected by the prosecution. I could not believe he successfully won that motion. He was incredible, and this was just a motions hearing!
• Mr. Coombs is so superbly skilled in navigating the courtroom and legal landscape that he kindly and humbly suggested on more than one occasion to the prosecution how they might want to route this piece of evidence there for identification or that piece of evidence there for admission.
• Mr. Coombs has such extensive experience on both sides of the courtroom (prosecution and defense) that he is able to anticipate the prosecution’s next moves and is already many steps ahead. A great defense is an even better offense. This mantra is incredibly important in the courtroom and Mr. Coombs is a top-tier professional.
• Mr. Coombs exhibits such supreme attention to detail that when coupled with his use of data storage and accessibility (Trello), the defense team and I benefited from the most exceptional coordination of efforts with the least lag in communication. Very little was ever lost in translation. Most importantly, Mr. Coombs works exceedingly well with the military Trial Defense Counsel encouraging each team member to have an opinion and share it with the team.
• During my court martial, Mr. Coombs expertly filed a 917 motion after the prosecution rested. Due to the extremely thorough case law references and written justification, the military judge ruled Not Guilty on three of the four charges before we even presented our defense case! And I forgot to mention that in a prior motions hearing, Mr. Coombs referred to an ACCA case ruling that was only two days old and supported one of our motions! Talk about being on top of the latest in case law!
• Mr. Coombs was the critical point of continuity during my court martial. I would have had three different military Trial Defense counsels (due to PCS, pregnancy or other reason) and without Mr. Coombs, things would have been very uncertain. As soon as Mr. Coombs came onboard, I could relax and follow his lead.

This one might be my favorite:

Mr. Coombs knew my case and all the evidence for both sides so well that he delivered a masterful closing argument basically from a Post-It note that put the prosecution’s 30-slide power point presentation to shame.

– MAJ S. (Army Doctor)

Let me start by saying thanks for everything (my freedom!). I really appreciate Mr. Coombs going the extra mile to ensure that we received a favorable outcome. I can see why his passion is in defense, and why there are so many positive testimonials about him. Mr. Coombs is an awesome attorney and I highly recommend him. He provided me with his detailed plan to not only win my case, but to show that I was innocent. Mr. Coombs keep me informed of everything that was going on with my case. I was able to see and understand the entire court- martial process and my rights. His dedication to win and whole hearted efforts were exceptional. Without him by my side I may not be here writing this testimonial.

- CW2 B.

With the current political climate in the military on sexual assault and biases facing anyone accused, I feared the worse. I researched online for an attorney but eventually went with a recommendation from a JAG friend I trusted to reach out to Mr. David Coombs. I quickly learned David's reputation was well established in the military legal community. My court appointed military attorney and her colleagues knew of his work given he had taught many of them as their professor (See David's credentials). Even the other civilian attorney I had considered retaining at the time spoke very highly of him.

David answered his own phone - he took the time at first contact to hear my case. I never had a problem reaching him each and every time after that call in spite of his location on the east coast and mine on the west. After I explained my situation and even before taking my case, David made international phone calls attempting to obtain hotel security recordings to aid my defense. Before trial, David worked at length to keep me abreast of his progress. He kept insanely organized records and shared all documents filed from both sides with me. Needless to say, I was never blindsided by anything throughout the whole process.

Throughout the UCMJ process and especially during the trial, I quickly discovered how biased the system had become. The judge and the commanding authority over my case granted many concessions to the alleged victim. I had the misfortune of having a fairly new judge - one that already had a laundry list of complaints against him. It was apparent he had less than a firm understanding of the relevant UCMJ articles and case laws. Remarkably, the judge restricted us from presenting to the jury that the alleged victim had a boyfriend or that she interacted with him the night of the alleged incident - a fact that lent support to DNA findings and one that was critical to my defense. In spite of all the restrictions the judge placed on us, David pressed on masterfully. His courtroom presence was impressive. David exudes confidence and clearly articulated legal jargon to a level of understanding for any laymen. The government closed with a lengthy power point brief while David took less than half the time speaking without the benefit of notes. The jury deliberated for less than thirty minutes and concluded with a not-guilty verdict. I owe my full acquittal to David. It was a complex case, but David made it simple. Retaining David was the best thing I could've done.

- MAJ G.

David Coombs is someone you want on your side. He worked hard for me, and was meticulous when looking over my case. He was also always there for me to answer my questions that would pop up day or night. With David as my defense counsel he made me feel confident and comfortable, and I felt more at ease despite my stressful situation. He picked apart the evidence and analyzed every aspect of my case. After noticing several discrepancies in the alleged victim’s account, David was able to have me avoid going to a court-martial, and my charges were dismissed leaving me with a positive outcome. I am glad that I decided to hire David. It was one of the most important decisions I've had to make in my life. I am very thankful that he was there for me.

- SSG C.