From 1975 to 1980 John E. ("Jack") Fitzgibbons served as an active duty military attorney with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Corps assigned overseas as a Post Judge Advocate and later as Chief of Military Justice at a major US military installation. A Post Judge Advocate advises the commander concerning international law, government contracts, claims, and military justice matters. The chief of military justice is the equivalent of the district attorney for the installation reviewing evidence and deciding if criminal charges should be brought against an offender. Criminal charges are brought under the provisions of the UCMJ. Conduct trials as a prosecuting attorney.
After discharge from the US Army JAGC, Jack transferred to the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General Department Reserve (1980 - 2005) retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. During this period Jack performed reserve duty at various Air Force bases, major commands handling claims, government contracts, military justice (UCMJ) matters, advising commanders, civil law advice and assistance to military personnel, and serving as a preliminary hearing military judge for complex UCMJ cases, and finally at the Pentagon in government contract litigation.
Since 1980 Jack has been engaged in private law practice representing people and small businesses in such matters as dissolution of marriage, estate planning, bankruptcy filing and preparation, QDROs, military Former Spouses Protection Act matters including evaluation and division of military retirement, courts martial, military separation boards, claims against the US government, criminal defense, civil litigation including business and personal injury litigation and arbitration.
For a period of ten years, Jack served as a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee liquidating hundreds of asset cases on behalf of creditors, including The Stuart James Company, Inc., a multimillion dollar nationwide stock brokerage, as well as, various retailers, restaurants, pawn shops, undertakers.