As a litigator, Justin Woodward is no stranger to enemy fire. But his experiences in Afghanistan as a member of the National Guard have given him a rare perspective on his courtroom battles.
The military deployed Woodward in 2012. He had joined the Guard in 1997, was commissioned in field artillery in 2003, and was eager to contribute to the war effort in the Middle East.
“When you join the Guard, you take an oath to serve your country and protect the freedoms we have fought for in the past, and will continue to fight for,” he says. “I saw my deployment as my opportunity to fulfill the commitment I had made.”
As Woodward set off with the 181, a local HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) unit, he said goodbye to a wife and three children under ten years of age. The mission of his unit was to incorporate Jordanian forces with the U.S. military in Afghanistan. Woodward was in charge of the Military Integration Team, which made him responsible for facilitating the operations of his squad.
Woodward and his unit first landed in Jordan, where it prepared a battalion of Jordanian troops for integration with the American military. They then took the soldiers to the Logar province in Afghanistan.
“We prepared them for battle,” he says. “We did patrols with them, performed defensive operations with them, and went on the battlefield with them.”
Many of the routine operations were dangerous. The unit regularly performed route clearance patrols, which involved searching for and removing improvised explosive devices (IDEs), and skirmishes with Taliban were not uncommon.
Other operations were less hazardous, and gave Woodward a taste of the local culture. “We would do presence patrols and population engagements,” he says. “The Jordanian troops were good at this because the local population would recognize them as Muslims, which helped them to identify and talk with them.”
Woodward says his negotiating experience as an attorney proved useful as he interacted with Jordanian troops and Afghan citizens. “Haggling is a way of life in Muslim culture. So, when you want them to do something, they’ll ask for something in return,” he says.
Woodward’s mediation skills especially came in handy when he met with U.S. and Jordanian commanders to discuss the operations in which both forces would be involved. A typical day for him involved meeting with the U.S battle space commander about upcoming operations, and then relaying the information to the Jordanian battalion commander. “Negotiating between the Jordanian and U.S. commanders to get everyone what they wanted was interesting,” he says.
As Woodward served, he was a long way from home. He grew up in Virginia, earned an undergraduate degree in political science at Virginia Tech, and then did marketing for HealthSouth. His mother, an attorney with the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., encouraged him to follow in her footsteps.
“I have an intuitive personality, and I like helping people get to the other end of their problems,” he says. “So, she thought I would make a good attorney, and encouraged me to go to law school.”
Woodward attended Appalachian School of Law and then did an internship in Hamilton County with then Division 1 Criminal Court Judge Doug Meyer. The experience solidified his desire to litigate cases. “I saw the Julie Jacks murder trial, which was fascinating to watch from both sides. I knew that was what I wanted to do,” he says.
In 2007, Woodward returned to Chattanooga to be close to family and launch his own practice. In addition to developing a criminal defense practice, he also took domestic and property cases. When the National Guard called, he closed shop and left to serve.
Woodward was deployed for just under one year. As he relaunched his practice after returning home, he had improved skills and a broader perspective on his profession.
“Seeing what goes into planning a military operation has helped me in the courtroom,” he says. “Also, having worked with people in difficult circumstances overseas is helping me to deal with people in difficult circumstances here. The confidence I gained from leading soldiers is carrying over into my practice of law as well.”
Woodward says he also recognizes what’s truly important in life: “A bad day here is different from a bad day there. Whether or not you live or die in battle is more important than some of the stuff we worry about here.”
Instead of striking out on his own again, Woodward joined the firm of Cavett & Abbott. Although he’d never worked with other lawyers, he quickly came to appreciate the experience and knowledge being part of a team put within easy reach. “I can walk down the hall and pick Bill [Colvin], John [Cavett], or Barry [Abbott]’s brain,” he says. “I didn’t have that opportunity when I was on my own.”
Woodward is also enjoying going to the Y, watching college football, and playing with his kids again. And he’s making good use of his pool. “I cherish these things more than before my deployment,” he says.
Every soldier gives up something to serve. If he or she survives, then he or she also gains something in return. While in Afghanistan, Woodward not only sharpened the skills he needs in order to be an effective attorney, he also gained important perspective that frames his desire to help others through his work. In this way, he continues to serve his country and defend the freedoms for which he and other have fought, and will continue to fight.