Clare Chip Hodge III, Criminal Defense Attorney in Bluffton, South Carolina

Mr. Clare C. (Chip) Hodge, III is an experienced trial attorney who works primarily in the area of military criminal defense. Chip was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps and retired from active duty in 2022 as a Lieutenant Colonel, having served as a judge advocate in numerous key billets. He last served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces South, an organization of approximately 100,000 Marines serving in an active or reserve status.

Previously, Chip was recognized for his exemplary service in trial advocacy and hand-selected to serve as Deputy, Military Justice Branch, Judge Advocate Division at Headquarters Marine Corps, Pentagon. Chip also served as Senior Trial Counsel (prosecutor) and Deputy Officer-in-Charge at the Legal Services Support Section-National Capital Region and Marine Forces Reserve. Throughout his career, Chip has litigated both felony and misdemeanor-level matters involving alleged sex offenses, drug offenses, aggravated assault and battery crimes, domestic violence, theft, frauds against the United States, false official statements, drunken and reckless driving, dereliction of duty, adultery, fraternization, sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying, among others.

Additionally, he has personally guided commanders, including General Officers, in the exercise of their convening (decision-making) authority in criminal and administrative matters. For years, he was chosen to lead legal training at seminars hosted specifically for current and incoming, active and reserve commanders and senior enlisted leaders. Chip routinely liaised with local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities and investigators in the conduct of investigations and resulting adjudications.

Chip also has extensive experience in the practices of civilian criminal defense and family law. He understands how military criminal matters and adverse administrative cases and even civilian criminal proceedings can negatively impact a service member’s career and post-service life. In many cases, a service member’s dependents and immediate family experience collateral damage. Chip knows how the military justice system operates, seemingly without regard for the well-being of the service members and their loved ones. Chip wholeheartedly embraces our ethos of defending those who defend us, including their families. Chip received his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law, his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business and Economics, and his Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Rhodes College (TN).

Chip is a member of the Georgia Bar and South Carolina Bar.