LEGAL COUNSELOur Dedicated Team
Eric M. Kopka
Eric M. Kopka served as a prosecutor while on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. As a Marine Judge Advocate, Mr. Kopka served as a trial counsel, battalion judge advocate (command legal advisor), and the Chief Trial Counsel for MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
During his tenure as a Judge Advocate, Mr. Kopka served the majority of his time at MCB Camp Lejeune and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division.
Mr. Kopka has a strong prosecutorial background and operational law experience. During his time as a prosecutor, Mr. Kopka was praised by his superiors and colleagues for his vast legal acumen and courtroom tenacity. As Trial Counsel and the Chief Trial Counsel, Mr. Kopka tried and supervised a variety of federal matters including, rape, sexual assault, aggravated assault, larceny, computer crimes, and drug distribution, possession, and use.
Mr. Kopka concluded his active duty Marine Corps career while serving as the Chief Trial Counsel at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC. Mr. Kopka has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Gold Star in Lieu of Second award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.
Mr. Kopka’s active duty career was spent in the court room and has focused his law firm on the exclusive practice of military law. Mr. Kopka has extensive experience in representing service members in both criminal and administrative settings.
Mr. Kopka has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union College, Schenectady, New York, and a Juris Doctor degree from Roger Williams University School of Law, Bristol, Rhode Island. Mr. Kopka is a active member of the Washington D.C. Bar and is admitted to practice military law worldwide.
ATTORNEY
ATTORNEY
Justin Petty
Mr. Petty began his career as a U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate as a prosector, he was entrusted with all varieties of cases including rape, assault, manslaughter, as well as a series of high-level cases involving war crimes. Following his time as a prosecutor, Mr. Petty transitioned to predominantly a role of advising Commanding Officers and
Commanding Generals on all legal matters that may arise, ranging from Military Justice to Operational Law as a Staff Judge Advocate. During his career in the Marine Corps, Mr. Petty has routinely been praised for his legal acumen and wide-ranging experience as highly unique among his peers. Based on his vast experience as a judge advocate, Mr. Petty was selected to serve as an instructor at the Naval Justice School as well at the Naval War College.
Mr. Petty concluded his active duty Marine Corps career while serving in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, II Marine Expeditionary Force at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC. Mr. Petty has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars in lieu of a Third award, Armed Forces
Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with two Bronze Stars in lieu of a third award, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.
Mr. Petty’s active duty career was spent in the court room, as a legal advisor to Commanders, a legal assistance attorney, and as a military justice instructor. He has experience assisting service members and he has vast knowledge of the processes associated with Family Law and Veteran Affairs matters.
Mr. Petty has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, a Juris Doctor degree from Depaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois, and a Masters of Law Degree from The Army Judge Advocate General Legal Center
and School, Charlottesville, Virginia. Mr. Petty is an active member of the Illinois Bar and the North Carolina Bar and is admitted to practice in family and civilian matters within those jurisdictions and is admitted to practice military law worldwide. Also, as a North Carolina attorney, Mr. Petty’s experience affords him with the ability to assist
individuals with criminal allegations in the state criminal and federal system in N.C., family law, and veterans affairs issues.
Frédérique Bedson
Frédérique Bedson has served as the senior paralegal since 2012. As a paralegal specializing in military law, Mrs. Bedson has extensive experience in a myriad of complex federal matters including cases related to sexual assaults, controlled substances, computer crimes, orders violations, and aggravated assaults. Mrs. Bedson has in depth knowledge of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in assisting active duty service members in courts-martials, administrative separations, and in petitioning boards of inquiry. Mrs. Bedson earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from West Virginia University and studied Paralegal Studies at Cape Fear Community College.
PARALEGAL
Hana Brayton
Mrs. Hana Brayton has earned her Bachelors of Science Degree in Public Health from the University of California, San Diego, and obtained her Masters in Studies of Law from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is the daughter of Lieutenant Colonel, who retired from the U.S. Air Force after 23 years of service. Her husband, Jack is also an active duty service member in the U.S. Marine Corps. She has a long-standing appreciation and dedication to helping those in and out of uniform.
Hana Brayton has served as a paralegal with our office from 2024. Mrs. Brayton has assisted clients in preparing for anything ranging from matters submissions, petitions, administrative separation boards, promotion matters, hospital quality assurance investigations, special to general court martials, and boards of inquiry, family law issues, and
various state and federal criminal allegations. As a paralegal specializing in matters associated with criminal federal and state court allegations and family law issues, she works across various jurisdictions to ensure that we provide the best possible assistance to our clients.
PARALEGAL
