When you’ve been injured by the federal government—whether at a VA hospital, post office, airport, military base, or national park—you only get one chance to make it right.


That chance begins with hiring the right FTCA lawyer.

Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) cases are unlike any other kind of personal injury litigation. They are governed by strict rules, deadlines, and defenses. The government has teams of seasoned attorneys and investigators ready to minimize or deny your claim.

To win—and to maximize your settlement or judgment—you need a firm that knows how the federal system truly works from the inside out.

At National Security Law Firm (NSLF), our FTCA team is led by Danielle N. Moora, one of the nation’s most experienced former federal litigators, and supported by Matt Pollack, one of the foremost FOIA experts in the country. Together, they lead a powerhouse team of attorneys who know how to build federal cases from every angle—and win them.

Why Federal Experience Is Non-Negotiable

The single biggest mistake people make is hiring a state personal injury lawyer for a federal case. The FTCA is not just another negligence statute—it’s an entirely different system.

You need attorneys who:

  • Understand agency litigation from within

  • Know the government’s internal procedures, defenses, and vulnerabilities

  • Can obtain and interpret the records that prove liability

  • Are trained to navigate the bureaucracy and force accountability

That’s why NSLF stands apart.

Meet Danielle N. Moora — Leader of NSLF’s FTCA Team

Danielle N. Moora brings nearly two decades of federal government experience in civil litigation, regulatory compliance, and national security law. Before joining NSLF, she served as Senior Counsel in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Federal Court Litigation Branch, where she represented the agency through every stage of complex litigation involving torts, employment discrimination, and constitutional claims.

Her results were extraordinary—so much so that she received two DHS Secretary’s Awards for Team Excellence in 2024 for her outstanding litigation victories.

Prior to TSA, Danielle spent 13 years at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), where she managed major litigation efforts across program areas including torts, trade, procurement, environmental law, and the border wall portfolio. She advised senior DHS leaders, briefed congressional staff, and helped shape national litigation strategy.

Her performance earned multiple high-level honors, including:

  • DHS Gears of Government Award (2019)

  • Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Excellence (2019)

  • DHS Secretary’s Unity of Effort Award (2018)

  • CBP Commissioner’s Award (2017)

  • DHS “One OGC” Award (2013)

Danielle earned her J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, where she also completed a Certificate in National Security and Counterterrorism Law. She’s known throughout the federal legal community for her sharp litigation strategy, her ability to align legal goals with organizational success, and her exceptional results in complex cases.

Today, she brings that same precision, discipline, and tenacity to FTCA plaintiffs, fighting to maximize every client’s outcome.

Meet Matt Pollack — NSLF’s FOIA Powerhouse

FTCA cases are won with evidence, and no one in America knows how to uncover that evidence better than Matt Pollack.
Matt is among the nation’s foremost experts in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), with nearly two decades of experience in transparency, disclosure, privacy, and media law.

Before joining NSLF, he served as Acting General Counsel for the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and as Deputy Chief FOIA Officer, cutting agency backlog and processing times by over 90%.
Before that, Matt spent more than a decade at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ultimately becoming Chief of Disclosure Law and Judicial Actions—adjudicating more FOIA appeals than any other federal agency.

His background means one thing: no federal agency can hide evidence from NSLF.
Matt’s leadership ensures that every FTCA case begins with an aggressive, multi-layered FOIA plan that uncovers:

  • Safety reports

  • Internal communications

  • Surveillance footage

  • Risk assessments

  • After-action reports

  • Maintenance and inspection logs

In other words, everything the government doesn’t want you to see.

The NSLF Difference

1. Dual Insider Knowledge
Our attorneys are former federal prosecutors, agency counsel, and JAG officers who know the system’s weaknesses and how to exploit them.

2. FOIA-Driven Evidence Strategy
While other firms wait for discovery, we use FOIA to get the evidence first, giving us leverage in negotiation and strength in court.

3. Expert Network
We work with the nation’s top medical, safety, and economic experts to prove negligence and quantify damages with precision.

4. Early Case Structuring
Every case begins with a clear timeline, damages model, and preservation plan. We leave nothing to chance.

5. Nationwide Reach, D.C. Power
We operate nationwide but are headquartered in Washington, D.C.—the epicenter of federal litigation.

Red Flags When Choosing an FTCA Lawyer

Avoid any firm that shows these warning signs:

🚩 No Federal Experience – They’ve never worked inside a federal agency or handled FTCA litigation.
🚩 No FOIA Plan – They “wait for discovery” instead of pursuing records proactively.
🚩 Vague Pricing – Hidden fees, paid consults, or unclear contingency structures.
🚩 Inexperience with SF-95 – Mistakes in presentment, valuation, or deadlines can destroy your claim.
🚩 No Expert Involvement – They rely solely on your medical records without outside specialists.
🚩 Poor Communication – Delayed updates, missed deadlines, and vague timelines.
🚩 No D.C. Presence – FTCA cases often involve agencies and counsel based in Washington. Location matters.
🚩 Lack of Reviews or Transparency – Few public reviews, reputation issues, or frequent rebranding.
🚩 One-Size-Fits-All Approach – They treat FTCA like state personal injury. It’s not.
🚩 No Plan to Maximize Recovery – If they can’t explain how they’ll increase your damages, move on.

Questions You Should Ask Before You Hire

  1. Who on your team has actually worked for the federal government?

  2. What is your FOIA strategy for uncovering agency records?

  3. How will you calculate my damages early in the process?

  4. What experts do you plan to use for liability and valuation?

  5. What are the key milestones from SF-95 to litigation?

  6. How will you respond if the government denies or undervalues my claim?

  7. How do you keep clients updated and engaged?

  8. Do you handle FTCA cases nationwide, including D.C. courts?

  9. How do you ensure I get the maximum possible outcome?

If a firm can’t answer these confidently, they shouldn’t be handling your case.

Why NSLF Is the Firm Clients Trust

  • Led by Danielle N. Moora, former DHS and TSA litigator with nearly 20 years of federal experience

  • FOIA-powered investigations by Matt Pollack, one of the nation’s leading transparency experts

  • Insider knowledge from former government prosecutors, JAG officers, and agency counsel

  • 4.9-star Google Reviews from clients nationwide

  • Nationwide representation with a Washington, D.C. base

  • A single, driving mission: to maximize your settlement or judgment

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Choosing the right FTCA lawyer can be the difference between a denied claim and a life-changing recovery.
Let our team of former federal litigators, FOIA experts, and national trial attorneys guide your case from day one.

Schedule a free consultation now at National Security Law Firm or explore more educational resources in our FTCA Resource Center.

National Security Law Firm: It’s Our Turn to Fight for You.