As a former active-duty Air Force JAG, experienced civil litigator, and founder of multiple businesses, Michael E. Lyons (“Mike”) built Patriots Law Group to serve those who serve—military members, veterans, DoD employees, and government contractors.
Mike began his legal career in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in 2007, handling complex civil and criminal litigation, including construction defects, personal injury, real estate, family law, and contracts. In 2010, continuing his family’s military tradition, he accepted a commission in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). Stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan, from 2010 to 2013, he managed administrative discharges, Article 15 cases, and prosecuted UCMJ violations at every level of the courts-martial system. During this time, he deployed to Herat, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he frequently ventured “outside the wire” to collaborate with Afghan judges, lawyers, and tribal leaders to help rebuild the local justice system.
In 2013, Mike became Chief of Military Justice at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, where he led the prosecution of numerous high-profile cases involving drugs, sexual assault, and child exploitation. After separating from active duty in 2014, Mike transitioned to private practice and founded Michael E. Lyons, P.C., a general litigation firm serving clients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. His practice included family law, personal injury, real estate, construction, and complex civil litigation, with cases ranging from a multi-million-dollar military housing mold claim to a $30 million trust dispute and a 300-home land development transaction.
In founding Patriots Law Group, Mike set out to build a boutique national security and military law firm that combines the skill and sophistication of big law with local accessibility and pricing tailored to the military and small business community. With offices in Maryland, Virginia, and San Antonio, Mike and his team focus on the core areas most critical to those who work in and around the defense world:
- DoD and Federal Employment Law – protecting careers and rights of federal employees and contractors.
- Military Discipline and Administrative Actions – defending service members and commanders in investigations, NJPs, and discharge proceedings.
- Division of Military Benefits in Divorce – ensuring retirement, SBP, and Tricare interests are properly handled.
- Security Clearance Defense – safeguarding the livelihood and ability to serve of intel assets and military personnel.
- Small Business Law and Litigation – protecting and growing the businesses that support the military and intelligence mission.
Mike currently serves as Chair of the Veterans Affairs & Military Law Section of the Maryland State Bar Association, where he leads statewide initiatives to support veterans and military-connected attorneys. He is also a frequent presenter to county bar associations on military and national security law topics and was recently hand-selected by the U.S. Air Force to record a service-wide training video on military family law and divorce issues.
Whether you’re a service member, defense professional, or business owner, Mike Lyons and Patriots Law Group offer the experience, precision, and dedication you deserve—For Military, By Military.