Chuck Clopton has served as General Counsel at Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. since joining the firm in January 2001. Until the firm’s growth required a full-time General Counsel in January of 2007, he also served as Director of Government Relations with a practice covering defense and education issues. After completing college and enlisted service in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Clopton accepted a commission in the Navy and served as Aide to the Naval Reserve’s first Chief of Public Information while attending law school at night. After graduation from law school, Mr. Clopton transferred to the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Mr. Clopton accumulated significant experience as a trial attorney and served a tour as the ship’s lawyer on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. America. Subsequently, he was the first judge advocate to be assigned to the staff of the admiral commanding a carrier battle group. After assignments as the Deputy Force Judge Advocate for Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and Senior Prosecutor and Director of Command Services for the Naval Legal Service Office, Long Beach, Calif., he then served as senior attorney for the Naval Training Center, San Diego, during the base closure process. After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Clopton served as Counsel to the Chief, Labor and Employee Relations, for the Agency for International Development. A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Clopton is a graduate of the University of Southern California and earned his Juris Doctorate from the Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. He is also an honorary member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of the State of Florida, various Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.