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Thomas H. Barnard

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Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC

Thomas H. Barnard had more than 20 years of experience in wide-ranging military and government roles before joining Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC in 2016.

Barnard was an Army officer from 1995 to 2018 and earned his law degree from the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona in 2001. He started as a military police officer and moved to litigating criminal and administrative cases as government and defense counsel. He was also a legal adviser on military intelligence, a member of the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps and a judge advocate in the Maryland National Guard before retiring.

During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Barnard defended the U.S. military’s commitment to the Geneva Convention, calling it one of his most significant legal achievements.

“The traditional notion of incorporating the Geneva Convention into all military operations was called into question,” he said. “I was part of a small group of lawyers who successfully defended against challenges to remove references to the Geneva Convention in some Army manuals, and was able to incorporate those guiding principles into the governing revised doctrine for interrogations adopted into law in 2005.”

After the military, Barnard served as counsel for the U.S. in investigations of government contract and health care fraud as well as defensive civil litigation in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland.

Barnard has also been a leader in the Baltimore office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, where he is the former vice chair of its Government Enforcement and Investigations Group, with first chair criminal and civil trial experience.

Barnard has also worked to be a leader in litigation by maintaining professional and civil discourse, he said. “I have always tried to set a good example and keep pursuit of a practical resolution.”

Behind the scenes, he takes pride in his work as a coach and mentor. “I have focused on building strength in the practice by dedicating time and energy to training newer lawyers.”

“I was part of a small group of lawyers who successfully defended against challenges to remove references to the Geneva Convention in some Army manuals, and was able to incorporate those guiding principles into the governing revised doctrine for interrogations adopted into law in 2005.”