The Camp Lejeune water contamination incident is one of the worst cases of water contamination in U.S. history. It is estimated that around one million military personnel, their families, and civilians who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune cooked, bathed in, and drank severely contaminated water for decades – from August of 1953 when toxins began infiltrating the water systems at the base until the government finally shut them down in 1987. The contaminated water has been linked to serious health conditions, including many cancers, birth defects, Parkinson’s disease, infertility, and kidney disease.
Certificate of Relief From Disabilities (New York)
Certificates of Relief from Disabilities (“CRDs”) and Certificates of Good Conduct (“CGC”) are certifications that can help people in New York with convictions obtain employment, housing, and other benefits.
CRDs and CGCs remove most of these automatic bars and require licensing agencies and employers to consider your application. Thus, CRDs and CGCs are crucial in removing barriers and giving individuals a second chance to reintegrate into society.
Learn More About Certificate of Relief From Disabilities and Certificate of Good Conduct Here.
Expungements (New Jersey)
We understand that having a criminal conviction on your record can mean that you are losing out on various opportunities in life. Whether that means you are denied acceptance into a school, a job opportunity, a financial aide package, a New Jersey firearms identification card, or are prohibited from coaching your children in sports, you should know that New Jersey allows you the opportunity to have your criminal record erased through the expungement process.
Federal Employment Law
The employment rights of federal employees present a double-edged sword. On the one side, federal employment laws protect federal employees from arbitrary and unfair treatment by supervisors and others in authority. And, without a doubt, when it comes to “job security,” federal employees are much better off than employees in the private sector. But on the other hand, federal employees are subject to various restrictions and prohibitions on conduct that do not apply to employees in the private sector.
Freedom of Information Act
A transparent Government is essential in a democratic society. American citizens, as taxpayers, deserve to know what their Government is doing with their money.
Fortunately, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides a mechanism for us to find out what the Government is up to. Subject to nine specific exceptions, 5 USC 552 allows anybody to ask the Government to disclose its records. It does not matter why a person wants to see the Government’s records. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) applies to any and all federal agencies.
Hazardous Materials Endorsement
We understand the HME appeal and waiver process and will put together a comprehensive appeal and/or waiver application on your behalf.
Merchant Mariner Credential Denials
If you were denied a Merchant Mariner Credential, or if you had your Merchant Mariner Credential suspended or revoked, an experienced Merchant Mariner Credential lawyer can drastically increase your chances of keeping your MMC.
At the National Security Law Firm, we represent mariners nationwide with respect to obtaining or keeping their MMC. We also understand that, without your MMC, your ability to work is severely impacted as a mariner. Thus, our Merchant Mariner Credential lawyers will aggressively defend you throughout the MMC denial, suspension, or revocation process.
Military Discharge Upgrade
We represent clients in the upgrade process nationwide. Moreover, should your case require a hearing, our office is conveniently (and cost-effectively) located in Washington, D.C., where discharge hearings take place.
Military discharge upgrade lawyer Brett O’Brien, Esq., knows that, unless upgraded, less-than-honorable discharges can negatively impact veterans for the rest of their careers and make them ineligible for future benefits. If your military discharge was less than optimal or has affected your ability to obtain a job or benefits, discharge upgrade lawyer Brett O’Brien can help.
Military Immigration Law Services
At National Security Law Firm (NSLF), we honor the sacrifices of military service members and their families by offering comprehensive immigration services tailored to their unique needs. Whether you or your loved ones are stationed in the United States or deployed overseas, our experienced attorneys are here to guide you through the complex immigration system with care, expertise, and efficiency.
Presidential Pardons for Federal Convictions
Seeking a presidential pardon can be a crucial step in reclaiming your future and restoring your rights. Whether you want to remove the legal disabilities associated with a conviction or enhance your personal and professional opportunities, having an experienced presidential pardon lawyer on your side can make all the difference.
Security Clearance Denial Appeals
Approximately 1% of applicants are denied a security clearance. This statistic is misleading because the vast majority of applicants with disqualifying and/or derogatory information will chose to not respond to the Statement of Reasons (SOR) that is issued by the Central Adjudicative Facility.
The SOR will initially recommend a denial, but provide an opportunity to refute the recommendation. This is when many people will give up, but giving up ensures a denial. You have the right to refute the recommendation and successfully fight for your security clearance.
SIDA Badge Denial or Revocation
At The National Security Law Firm, we understand the critical role that Security Identification Display Area (SIDA) badges play in maintaining the integrity and safety of our nation’s airports. These badges are essential for aviation workers, granting them access to secure areas necessary for their jobs. However, being denied a SIDA badge can be a significant setback, potentially jeopardizing your career and livelihood.
Titling Removal
At The National Security Law Firm (NSLF), we understand the profound implications that titling can have on the lives and careers of service members. Titling, a process by which military law enforcement documents individuals as subjects of criminal investigations, can cast a long shadow, affecting promotions, security clearances, and future employment opportunities.
TWIC Waivers and Appeals
If you were denied a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), you should contact an experienced TWIC lawyer today.
If we determine that the information that the TSA based its preliminary determination of ineligibility on is correct, and that you were in fact convicted of a disqualifying offense, the experienced TWIC waiver lawyers at National Security Law Firm will file a waiver on your behalf. In doing so, we will work to gather and submit various documentation in an order to demonstrate that you have been rehabilitated and that you are eligible to hold a TWIC.
TSGLI Appeals
Our TSGLI appeal lawyers are highly knowledgeable of the TSGLI claim and appeal process and will aggressively pursue the benefits that you deserve. Moreover, our TSGLI appeal lawyers handle TSGLI claims and appeals nationwide.
Whether you are an active duty member, a reservist, or a National Guard member, you may be eligible for substantial TSGLI benefits as a result of any injuries that you have sustained. Moreover, the broad sweeping TSGLI benefits are available to you even if your injury was not sustained while on duty or even related to your military service.
Courts-Martial Defense – Military Defense Lawyers
A criminal trial in the military is known as a court-martial. At National Security Law Firm, our military defense lawyers know the military justice system inside and out. This is extremely important if you are being accused of a crime in the military, due to its unique criminal justice system. While most people have a general understanding of the civilian criminal justice system, the military criminal justice system is unique and differs in many ways from a civilian criminal trial. Thus, it is very important that any attorney that represents a military member at a court-martial has specific military defense experience.
Customs Seizures
The Customs Seizure Lawyers at the National Security Law Firm assists individuals in the filing of administrative petitions with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) with respect to seized goods and currency and obtaining the release of their property from CBP. Since this is a federal practice area, the Customs Seizure Lawyers at the National Security Law Firm represent clients in this process nationwide.
Expungements (New York)
We understand that having a criminal conviction on your record can mean that you are losing out on various opportunities in life. Whether that means you are denied acceptance into a school, a job opportunity, a financial aide package, a New Jersey firearms identification card, or are prohibited from coaching your children in sports, you should know that New Jersey allows you the opportunity to have your criminal record erased through the expungement process.
Flight Delays, Cancellations, Denied Boarding
Flight delays, cancellations, and boarding denials are an inevitable part of travel. Sometimes, there is a reasonable explanation for the delay, such as severe weather conditions. Often, however, these disruptions are caused by mechanical or technical failures that were reasonably preventable by the airline.
Disrupted flights can cause not only minor inconveniences but serious hardship as well. It may mean not only fewer hours vacating, but it could also mean missing an important conference, event, meeting, or even the last few hours in the life of a loved one.
Global Entry Appeals
According to the TSA, approximately 3-5% of the roughly 30,000 applicants that apply for Global Entry status every month will be denied.
Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) in most cases will issue a written reason for the denial, but this is not always the case. In some cases, the applicant will have to pursue various avenues in an attempt to find out the reason for the denial. The most common reasons applicants will be denied, however, will be due to past arrests or convictions for criminal offenses or for administrative customs violations.
Human Reliability Program (HRP) Appeals with DOE
At National Security Law Firm (NSLF), we specialize in representing Department of Energy (DOE) employees as they navigate the complexities of the Human Reliability Program (HRP). Whether you’re applying for HRP certification, facing concerns about your reliability, or challenging a revocation or suspension of your HRP duties, we understand the high stakes involved and are equipped with the experience and knowledge to ensure your case is handled with the utmost care and precision.
Learn More About Human Reliability Program (HRP) Appeals Here.
Mental Health Commitment Record Expungements (New Jersey)
New Jersey’s law relating to the expungement of mental health commitment records was therefore enacted in order to remove any stigmas attached to individuals who have been committed to psychiatric hospitals. Thus, the mental health expungement provisions were designed to eliminate exposure to discrimination and were intended to return the petitioner to the same position he or she was in prior to the commitment.
Learn More About Mental Health Commitment Record Expungements Here.
Military Benefits
As a military service member or veteran, you and your family have sacrificed a great deal. As a way of saying “thank you,” there are a multitude of benefits, programs, and discounts that you and your loved ones are entitled to. There are so many benefits available that, chances are, you might be overlooking some major opportunities to invest, plan, and save. In fact, in a survey conducted by the Washington Post, they found that more than half of the surveyed veterans had not used the benefits outlined in the Post-9/11 GI Bill — one of the most popular benefits for service members.
See Our Complete Guide to Maximizing Military Benefits, Programs, & Discounts here.
Military Discrimination & USERRA
As a servicemember, you have answered the call to serve and protect. You have sacrificed time with your family, endured the demands of military life, and risked everything to uphold the freedoms we all cherish. But when you return to civilian life, you may find that the country you fought for does not always fight for you.
Learn More About Military Discrimination & USERRA Services here.
Name Changes (New Jersey)
The New Jersey name change lawyers at the National Security Law Firm understand that people might want to change their names for a variety of reasons, whether due to aesthetics, assimilation or for some other reason. If you reside in New Jersey and you wish to change your name as shown on your birth certificate and/or your state and federal identification cards, such as your driver’s license or social security card, you will need the approval of a New Jersey Superior Court.
Reputation Restoration and Privacy Solutions
At National Security Law Firm, we understand that your reputation and privacy are critical to your personal and professional life. In today’s interconnected world, negative online content, nonconsensual imagery, or a criminal record can have long-lasting consequences. Our dedicated Reputation and Privacy practice is here to help you regain control, protect your dignity, and secure a brighter future.
Learn More About Reputation Restoration and Privacy Solutions Here.
Seal Records (New York)
The primary record sealing law in New York is contained in N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 160.59. It addresses the sealing of adult conviction records in New York. The law went into effect on October 7, 2017, and is the broadest sealing bill ever passed in New York State.
The law allows individuals with up to two convictions, only one of which may be a felony, to seal the conviction records for all crimes other than sex offenses, class A felonies, and violent felonies after a 10-year waiting period.
Suitability Determination
Not all federal employment positions require security clearances (e.g., Confidential, Secret, Top Secret). However, federal employment positions are sensitive in nature and, accordingly, require a high level of integrity and trust. As such, the federal government requires its employees and contractors to be considered “suitable for employment” and fit to perform work on behalf of the federal government. Examples of federal positions that require suitability determinations would include federal law enforcement officers, IT professionals, and health workers.
SF-86 Application Advice and Document Preparation
The application advice and document preparation attorneys at National Security Law Firm offer highly specialized knowledge to help you gain security clearance for a job. We work with huge numbers of individuals who are filling out the SF-86 application. In many cases, incomplete or inaccurate information is found that may add time to the application process. When you work with the National Security Law Firm, we’ll help you prepare for, fill out, and submit your SF-86 application. We can also assist you if additional documentation is needed for the application to go through.
Learn More About SF-86 Application Advice and Document Preparation Here.
TSA Pre-Check Appeals
Surprisingly, TSA PreCheck appeal attorneys have found that the TSA often times bases its preliminary of determination of ineligibility on inaccurate, incomplete, or false information.
If your offense was downgraded to a misdemeanor or a lesser offense, was expunged or pardoned, or if it has been more than 7 years since you were convicted of a disqualifying offense (for some, but not all felony convictions), you should be eligible for participation in PreCheck. In these circumstances, we recommend that you appeal the TSA’s preliminary determination.
White Collar Federal Investigation Defense
The stakes couldn’t be higher when facing a federal investigation, whether as a corporation, board of directors, executive, or individual. With reputations, financial stability, and even freedom on the line, you need an experienced legal team with a proven track record of success. At National Security Law Firm (NSLF), we offer premier legal representation in the most sensitive and high-stakes white-collar criminal investigations.
Learn More About White Collar Federal Investigation Defense Here.
Experienced Attorneys to Help
Our attorneys specialize in security clearance appeals. They have dedicated their careers to learning the entire security clearance process from start to finish. They started by working for the federal government before entering private practice. Their extensive experience working for the federal government includes over eight years advising clients on revoking and suspending an employee’s security clearance, reporting derogatory information, representing clients in their response to a Statement of Reasons (SOR), and serving in a joint duty assignment for the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). Their work at the DOHA allowed them to learn the inner-workings of the Agency responsible for representing the Department of Defense Central Adjudicative Facility (DoD CAF). All of these experiences provide our attorneys a unique advantage over other attorneys and firms who practice in the security clearance niche.
A Denial Is Not The End…You Can Fight, We Can Help.
SECURITY CLEARANCE DENIED OR REVOKED
If you are appealing a security clearance determination, it is imperative that you obtain experienced legal representation. Doing so will provide you with the best opportunity to obtain or maintain your clearance.
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