Monique Brown

D. Monique Brown, a native of Norfolk, VA., attended Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis after graduating with her bachelor’s degree in three and a half years. Due to her academic achievements in law school, she was on the Dean’s List each year, received the Leland B. Cross Scholarship Award, and was listed in the Who’s Who in American Law Schools national publication. Very active in law school, Monique’s greatest most valuable, foundational experience that stirred her passion for service, litigation, and criminal law, was her internship with the Honorable V. Sue Shield, U.S. District Court Magistrate. Upon graduating top of her law school class in 2000, wanting to make a more immediate impact than law firm life would offer, she was commissioned in the Navy.

Over the course of her 25-year career as a judge advocate in the Navy, Monique earned a stellar reputation in the naval legal community as the most well-rounded officer, leader, and role model in the Navy Reserve military justice community. Monique has extensive experience in civilian and military courtroom litigation and years of experience in investigating and preparing cases for trials. In addition to her experience as a Commanding Officer, she has been in every seat in the military justice process: staff judge advocate, defense counsel, prosecutor, preliminary hearing officer, and military trial judge, excelling in every role.

Monique was selected to lead and stand up the legal department for a newly formed regional command where she established and implemented military justice processes that were eventually mandated across all Navy Reserve Force regions. In her role as a principal legal advisor for several years, Monique handled all aspects of internal and external investigations. Additionally, during her first deployment, as the most senior U.S. military legal advisor on the continent of Africa, Monique worked closely with State Department officials and was the sole legal advisor to the installation commander regarding all military justice matters. Through her experience from her second deployment as the head of a section of joint service judge advocates responsible for reviewing abuse allegations, Monique directed investigations and collected information from numerous sources; reviewed and assessed investigations and other matters; and drafted and forwarded recommendations to convening authorities for appropriate disposition of abuse allegations. As defense counsel, Monique has represented servicemembers in numerous serious offenses including strawman purchase of a firearm and assisted junior judge advocates regarding serious court-martial offenses including murder, gang rape, and domestic violence. As a military trial judge, Monique presided over all phases of bench and jury felony criminal trial proceedings, gaining insight and perspective few practitioners can claim. Through such diverse experience, Monique has a keen understanding, knowledge, and experience with the pre-trial, trial, and post-trial aspects of military justice matters.

Monique’s civilian criminal justice experience is exceptional as well. During her time as a federal prosecutor, Monique successfully prosecuted and litigated numerous federal misdemeanor and felony bench and jury trials from inception through sentencing as first chair. Due to her mastery of criminal rules of evidence and procedure, Monique was successful in all her federal felony jury trials. She also authored and argued trial cases and appellate matters before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Based upon her extensive federal litigation skills and experience, Monique was called upon to conduct trial advocacy training for military and Department of Justice attorneys. Monique also served as adjunct professor for several institutions, including during her first deployment to ensure deployed servicemembers could continue their higher-level educational pursuits while deployed. Monique’s passion for criminal justice cannot be overstated.

Monique is a member of the Texas Bar, is Article 27(b) certified for military courts and is admitted to practice in front of the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.