The Bottom Line of Guideline F: Your Personal Finances Impact Your Security Clearance Eligibility
Adopting a Lifestyle Compatible with Classified Work One of the more painful moments for a security clearance lawyer is watching Department Counsel, sworn to strip your client’s…
Can I Get Security Clearance Without a Sponsor? Getting Your Foot in the Door
When it comes to obtaining a security clearance, you absolutely must have a sponsor. A Security Clearance is not like a Driver’s License, which is issued to an individual who…
C-3 Canadian Citizenship and Your Security Clearance
When Canada passed Bill C-3 to amend the rules governing citizenship by descent, they probably weren’t concerned with the ensuing panic from American security clearance…
The Origins of SEAD-4: Defining and Working within The Circle of Trust
Signed by then Director of National Intelligence, James E. Clapper, in June 2017, SEAD-4 is the common regulatory rubric for all Executive branch elements with Security programs…
O (No) Canada: C-3 Canadian Citizenship and Security Clearance Eligibility
On December 15th, 2025, many Americans awoke to find themselves suddenly Canadian—myself included. Bill C-3 (An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act) extended Canadian citizenship…
The Hazards of Being a Global Citizen and Doing Classified Work: Guideline B, Foreign Influence
In the context of eligibility for access to classified information, Guideline B, Foreign Influence is one (1) of the thirteen (13) Adjudicative criteria established by Security…
Procedural Points #6 | CIA – Applicants Before Office of Security, Appeals (Part II)
Part II: Personal Appearance and Appeal For more information on CIA SOR and requesting review, see Part I: Statement of Reasons and Response. Examine Your Investigative File and…
Procedural Points #6 | CIA – Applicants Before Office of Security, Appeals (Part I)
Part I: Statement of Reasons and Response For the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as with most federal agencies, the talent acquisition process slows to a crawl at the vendor…
PERSPECTIVE | Choosing Legal Rationale to Justify Caribbean Boat Strikes: The Piracy Paradigm
The Christmas holiday police action against the President of Venezuela took many inside the Beltway by surprise, even United States Senators. Questions now circulate about whether…
Procedural Points #5 | Gaining a Limited Access Authorization (LAA)
Government employees, military, contractors and subcontractors whose work requires access to classified information may be eligible for security clearance—but only if they are…