Former Air Force JAGs Keith Scherer and Greg Gagne started practicing military justice full-time in 2001. They have tried hundreds of courts-martial defending service members in the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard at installations in the United States and overseas.
Experienced Civilian Military Lawyers
Mr. Scherer and Mr. Gagne joined the Air Force JAG Corps in 2001. They spent their active-duty years in military courtrooms. They avoided administrative assignments like environmental law and contracts. Their work consisted of courts-martial and other Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) cases. They served as prosecutors and then as defense counsel. After leaving active duty, they founded Gagne, Scherer & Associates to continue representing service members.
The firm defends its clients against the most serious charges under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. We handle Article 120 rape and sexual assault, Article 120b rape and sexual assault of a child, Article 134 child pornography, Article 128b domestic violence, and the other covered offenses prosecuted by the Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC). We also represent service members during investigations, and defend against charges for Article 112a urinalysis positives, fraud, fraternization, and Article 133 conduct unbecoming.
Military defense is the focus of the firm’s practice, but Mr. Gagne and Mr. Scherer also selectively take federal criminal cases. They have years of experience defending against mail and wire fraud, mortgage fraud, money laundering, tax fraud, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) actions, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and grand jury investigations. Congress recently changed the military justice system to function more like the federal criminal courts. The UCMJ now mandates independent prosecution under the OSTC for some offenses and imposes judge-alone, parameter-based sentencing. While other military defense lawyers had to adapt to the overhaul, Mr. Gagne and Mr. Scherer had already spent years litigating under those conditions in federal court.
Direct Representation by Both Partners
Gagne, Scherer & Associates assigns both partners to every case. Other military defense firms charge similar or higher flat fees for a single attorney. Clients communicate with Mr. Gagne and Mr. Scherer directly by phone, text, and email. The firm doesn’t use secretaries or chatbots to screen clients. Every call goes straight to a lawyer, starting with the initial consultation. Clients don’t have to get on a calendar to speak with an attorney.
Keith Scherer
Keith Scherer served in the Air Force Intelligence Command as a Russian linguist stationed in England before attending law school. He joined the JAG Corps in 2001, prosecuted cases at Ellsworth Air Force Base and Keesler Air Force Base, switched to defense at Keesler, and separated in 2005 to co-found Gagne, Scherer & Associates.
Extensive work with experts across a wide range of scientific disciplines gives Mr. Scherer expertise in medical and toxicological evidence. This background also informs his approach to digital forensics and psychological claims about memory and alcohol. He isolates a case’s crucial issues to identify the exact defense experts needed to succeed at trial. His collaboration with defense experts drives the defense team’s strategy for cross-examining government witnesses. Media outlets book him to comment on military justice issues. Outside of practicing law, he has written about baseball for Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, Bill James Online, and SABR.
Mr. Scherer earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, service appellate courts, the Seventh Circuit, the Northern District of Illinois, the Federal Trial Bar, and Illinois state courts.
Greg Gagne
Greg Gagne began his career in military justice in 2001 as a prosecutor at Hurlburt Field. He moved to defense for the final two years of his active-duty service, then separated to co-found Gagne, Scherer & Associates. He has tried hundreds of courts-martial and boards across every branch of the military, securing full acquittals in multiple trials and preserving millions of dollars in retirement and disability benefits for clients facing discharge, forfeiture, or reduction in grade.
Mr. Gagne also advises Connecticut businesses on corporate compliance and employment disputes. His civil litigation practice focuses on liability exposure. He brings that framework to his military cases to target toxic command climates and expose biased investigations.
Mr. Gagne earned his B.A. from Trinity College and his J.D. from UConn Law. He is admitted to the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, service appellate courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, and Connecticut state courts.
Gagne, Scherer & Associates: UCMJ Defense Lawyers
If you are under investigation or facing charges under the UCMJ, call our civilian military lawyers directly at (224) 935-6172 for a free confidential consultation.