Security Clearance Attorney. Federal Employees, Military Members, and Government Contractors.
The process is not the same for all three groups. The timing is different. The hearing rights are different. The final decision authority is different. Start with an attorney who knows which track applies to you and builds the case for that one specifically. Offices in Jacksonville, NC and Washington, D.C. (by appointment only). Clients in all 50 states.
Free 15-Min CallSecurity Clearance Defense
Security Clearance Attorney
Before anything else, know which track you are on. The adjudication process for military members and DoD civilian employees (the MIL/CIV track) is structurally different from the process for DoD contractor employees (the Industry track). The timing, the hearing rights, the role of the Administrative Judge, and the final decision authority are not the same. A defense built for one track does not work for the other, and a page of general clearance content that does not draw this line cannot tell you which half of it applies to your situation.
On the Industry (contractor) track, you receive an SOR from DCSA with roughly 20 days to respond. You file a written answer to the allegations and elect a DOHA hearing before any revocation decision is issued. The AJ's ruling is the final decision, subject to appeal to the DOHA Appeal Board. On the MIL/CIV track, you have 30 to 60 days to respond, your clearance may be revoked before you ever see a judge, and the DOHA AJ issues a recommendation only. The Personnel Security Appeals Board (PSAB) is the final authority and can affirm or overturn the AJ's recommendation.
"I follow the data. Every case gets built around the specific adjudicative guideline in your SOR, the specific mitigating conditions that apply, and the specific evidence that moves an adjudicator."Matthew Thomas, Security Clearance Defense
Matthew concentrates in security clearance defense for people on both tracks: federal employees (GS and DCIPS), military members (active duty and reserve), and government contractors in the cleared workforce. If you received an SIR, SOR, Letter of Intent, suspension notice, or revocation letter from DCSA, DOHA, NSA, or another federal adjudicative body, the first call is free. The response you file becomes the permanent record. Tactical mistakes at this stage are costly and can have long term consequences.
The adjudicative guidelines under SEAD 4 identify 13 categories of security concerns. The most commonly cited in DOHA and NSA Statements of Reasons are financial considerations (Guideline F), drug involvement (Guideline H), foreign influence (Guideline B), personal conduct (Guideline E), and criminal conduct (Guideline J). None of these are automatic disqualifiers. Each guideline lists specific mitigating conditions, and whether the clearance is preserved typically depends on how directly the response evidence maps to those conditions.
NSA is its own system. Its adjudicators are separate from DCSA. Its appellate body is the Access Appeals Panel (AAP), not DOHA. Matthew is among a select few attorneys nationwide with documented experience in NSA clearance cases, and the NSA two-track appeal structure (the new SOR process and the legacy process still in use for some cases) is covered on the NSA security clearance defense page.
A DOHA proceeding on the Industry track can run 9 to 18 months from SOR receipt to final decision. During that period, your clearance status, your position, and your income may all be uncertain. Some contractors stay on unclassified work while the case runs. Others are pulled off their project immediately on suspension. Matthew advises on how to manage the gap, what to say to your Facility Security Officer, and what not to put in writing while the adjudication is open.
Experience at the hearing itself matters. Most security clearance attorneys submit paperwork. When a case goes to a DOHA hearing with live testimony, cross-examination, and argument before an Administrative Judge, a paper-filer is learning the room on your case. Matthew litigated as a Marine defense counsel before entering private practice. USMC Defense Counsel of the Year, National & Eastern Region (2021). Security Clearance Lawyers Association Member. The skills that win a contested courtroom hearing are the same skills that win a DOHA hearing.
What You Need to Know
Read this before you do anything.
01
What does a security clearance attorney do?
A security clearance attorney represents people whose careers depend on maintaining access to classified information when the government issues an adverse action. That includes responding to Statements of Reasons (SOR), preparing and presenting cases at DOHA hearings, filing appeals with the DOHA Appeal Board for Industry cases or the PSAB for MIL/CIV cases, and handling agency-specific proceedings at NSA and other intelligence community bodies.
02
Who Matthew represents
Federal employees (GS and DCIPS), military members (active duty and reserve), DoD contractor employees, and intelligence community personnel. If you received a SIR, SOR, Letter of Intent, suspension notice, or revocation letter from DCSA, DOHA, NSA, or another federal adjudicative body, the response you file becomes part of a permanent security record. The first call is free when the trigger is an SIR, SOR, Letter of Intent, suspension notice, or revocation letter.
03
Commonly cited disqualifying factors under SEAD 4
Financial considerations (Guideline F), drug involvement (Guideline H), foreign influence (Guideline B), personal conduct (Guideline E), and criminal conduct (Guideline J) are the guidelines most often cited in published DOHA decisions. None of these are automatic disqualifiers. Each guideline has its own mitigating conditions under SEAD 4, and outcomes typically depend on how directly the response maps to those conditions.
04
The MIL/CIV vs. Industry distinction
For MIL/CIV clients, the DOHA Administrative Judge issues a recommendation; the Personnel Security Appeals Board (PSAB) is the final authority. For Industry (contractor) clients, the DOHA AJ's decision is final, subject to appeal to the DOHA Appeal Board. This structural difference changes the response strategy, the evidentiary posture, and when live testimony matters most.
05
NSA runs its own process
NSA maintains its own personnel security office with its own adjudicators, its own timelines, and its own appellate body (the Access Appeals Panel). NSA cases do not go through DOHA. Matthew is among a select few attorneys nationwide with documented experience in NSA clearance cases. If your matter is adjudicated through NSA, the attorney needs to know that system specifically.
06
Why the hearing matters
DOHA hearings involve live testimony, cross-examination, and argument before an Administrative Judge. Most clearance attorneys have never conducted one. Matthew litigated as a Marine defense counsel before private practice. USMC Defense Counsel of the Year, National & Eastern Region (2021). Security Clearance Lawyers Association Member. Former Marine Judge Advocate. Former Active-Duty Defense Counsel. The majority of DOHA hearings are conducted virtually; the applicant has the option to appear in person or virtually.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question not covered here? The free 15-minute triage call is the fastest way to get a direct answer.
A security clearance attorney represents you when your clearance is denied, revoked, or suspended. That covers the full process: responding to an SOR or SIR, preparing your case for a DOHA hearing, examining witnesses and presenting evidence, and appealing adverse decisions to the DOHA Appeal Board for Industry cases or the Personnel Security Appeals Board for MIL/CIV cases. Matthew also handles paid pre-submission SF-86 consultations.
SEAD 4 defines 13 adjudicative guidelines. Financial considerations, drug involvement, foreign influence, personal conduct, and criminal conduct are the factors most often cited in published DOHA decisions. Each guideline has specific mitigating conditions, and outcomes typically depend on how directly the response evidence maps to those conditions.
Fees depend on where you are in the process. An SIR response is less involved than a full DOHA hearing with testimony preparation, government file review, and in-person appearance. Matthew discusses fees directly on the first call, based on your specific situation.
A revocation is not final. For Industry cases, you can appeal the DOHA Administrative Judge decision to the DOHA Appeal Board. For MIL/CIV cases, the Personnel Security Appeals Board (PSAB) is the final decision-making authority and can affirm or overturn the DOHA recommendation. NSA revocations go through NSA's Access Appeals Panel, not DOHA.
Possibly. Criminal conduct falls under Guideline J of SEAD 4. Adjudicators evaluate the nature and seriousness of the conduct, how long ago it occurred, the circumstances, and evidence of rehabilitation. A single arrest ten years ago with no recurrence is typically treated very differently from a pattern of recent conduct.
Everything. Attorney-client privilege protects your communications. Withholding information from the person building your defense is the worst thing you can do. If something is in the investigative file and your attorney does not know about it, the government will use it and your attorney will be blindsided.
The hearing itself typically runs a half day to a full day. The full timeline on the Industry track, from SOR receipt to final DOHA Administrative Judge decision, can run 9 to 18 months. The MIL/CIV track runs on a different timeline because DCSA can issue an adverse decision before any hearing, and the PSAB review adds additional months after the DOHA recommendation.
No. Federal clearance proceedings happen at federal adjudicative bodies: DOHA, NSA, DCSA. They are not local court matters. Matthew represents clients in all 50 states. Most of the work runs by phone, email, and document review. When a hearing is required, he can represent clients regardless of their location.
Two Ways to Start
Your case deserves focused representation.
Matthew offers a free 15-minute call when you have an SOR, SIR, military charge sheet, or notification of separation. You explain the situation. He tells you whether it's a case he handles, what it involves, and what representation costs. No pitch.
All other matters · Paid
