Colonel John J. Canham, Jr.
Colonel John J. “Jay” Canham, Jr. is an experienced and accomplished
wildlife lawyer in Colorado. We at Wildlife Lawyers benefit immensely
from his in-depth legal insight and vast experience. Attorney Canham has
active duty military experience in the U.S. Marine Corps, and, while active,
served as a Staff Judge Advocate for the I Marine Expeditionary Force,
1st Marine Division, USMC Recruit Depot. As in-house general counsel to
the commander, he provided advice on criminal law, administrative separations,
ethics, operational and international law, major investigations, contract
law, labor law, issues of officer misconduct, public relations, congressional/special
interest inquiries, and Freedom of Information Act requests.
He also has extensive experience as a former prosecutor and defense attorney
for Marine and Navy personnel accused of misdemeanor and felony offenses
in Okinawa, Japan and the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, CA. In
addition, Attorney Canham served as a military law instructor, teaching
over 2,000 attorneys, officers, and paralegals in the areas of trial advocacy,
Fourth and Fifth Amendment law, and evidence. Between 1991 and 1992, he
was the head of the Evidence Division.
Attorney Canham served a seven-month combat tour in Iraq during Operation
Iraqi Freedom II. As legal counsel for the Crisis Response Team at Marine
Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA, he coordinated counter-terrorist
measures among local police departments and federal agencies during Operation
Iraqi Freedom I. He has been involved in the litigation of over 500 criminal
cases, 110 of which were criminal trials, and 19 of which were fully contested
felony jury trials. He has also been involved in the defense of two capital
murder cases.
Since retiring in 2005 at the rank of Colonel, he has devoted himself to
his private legal practice and his love of teaching. Currently, he lectures
as an adjunct professor at Roger Williams University in the areas of civil
procedure, criminal procedure, substantive criminal law, juvenile justice,
military law, and constitutional law.
Have questions for Attorney Canham regarding your case?
Contact us as soon as possible.
Education
- Suffolk University, J.D.
- University of Virginia, LL.M.
Awards & Honors
- Navy Unit Commendation
-
The Legion of Merit, Gold Star (2nd award)
- Bronze Star
- Iraq Campaign Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (two times)
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (five times)
- National Defense Service Medal (two times)
-
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Gold Star (2nd award)
- Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Rhode Island State Bar
- Federal Bar
- Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces