Guideline L – Outside Activities

Your Side Job, Travel, or Unreported Work Could Jeopardize Your Clearance

Many security clearance holders think that what they do in their personal time stays personal. But under Guideline L – Outside Activities, even your legal side hustle, volunteer work, or foreign consulting project could put your clearance at risk if it’s not disclosed or properly authorized.

At National Security Law Firm, we’ve defended clients accused of everything from unauthorized moonlighting to failing to report foreign financial interests or affiliations. Whether you’re facing a Statement of Reasons (SOR) or simply concerned that your outside activities might raise flags, we’re here to protect your clearance—and your future.

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What Is Guideline L?

Guideline L – Outside Activities evaluates whether any of your non-government activities could:

• Pose a conflict of interest

• Create divided loyalties

• Violate agency policies or regulations

• Lead to unauthorized disclosures

• Raise concerns about judgment or reliability

This guideline often overlaps with others, including Guideline B (Foreign Influence), Guideline C (Foreign Preference), and Guideline M (IT Misuse)—which means small mistakes can snowball into bigger concerns.

If you didn’t tell your employer, didn’t get proper clearance, or didn’t realize the rules applied—you could still be at risk.

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Real-World Hypotheticals – Could This Be You?

• Scenario 1: A cleared engineer takes freelance consulting work for a foreign company without prior agency approval.

• Scenario 2: A federal employee runs a for-profit online business using government time or equipment.

• Scenario 3: A clearance holder accepts a speaking engagement at a foreign university and fails to report the invitation or compensation.

• Scenario 4: A contractor sits on the board of a non-profit affiliated with a politically active foreign entity.

• Scenario 5: A government worker travels abroad for personal reasons and discusses sensitive topics without agency pre-authorization.

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What the Government Looks For

Adjudicators evaluating Guideline L issues ask:

• Is the activity related to or could affect your government duties?

• Have you failed to report or seek approval for outside work, affiliations, or travel?

• Does the activity involve a foreign government or organization?

• Could it expose you to coercion, exploitation, or divided loyalties?

• Has the activity violated your agency’s policies or rules of conduct?

• Are you putting the government’s interests second to your own?

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Mitigating Factors – How to Protect Your Clearance

✅ You disclosed the activity and sought guidance or permission before engaging
✅ The activity was innocent, unrelated to your clearance, and promptly stopped once flagged
✅ The conduct was infrequent, short-term, or misunderstood
✅ There’s no evidence of divided loyalty, policy violations, or national security risk
✅ You’ve since completed training or taken corrective action to avoid recurrence
✅ You cooperated fully with the investigation and have a clean record otherwise

This guideline is often about oversight or misunderstanding, not malice. That’s what we help you prove.

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How National Security Law Firm Can Help

Guideline L cases are often complex because they involve gray areas, overlapping jurisdictions, or unintentional policy violations. But with the right legal defense, most cases can be resolved favorably.

We help clients:

✅ Respond to SORs and LOIs with strategic, policy-based mitigation
✅ Review outside activity disclosures and help clients correct past reporting gaps
✅ Represent clients at DOHA hearings and internal reviews
✅ Prepare persuasive documentation showing no conflict, coercion, or risk
✅ Assist with foreign travel disclosures, affiliations, or business interests
✅ Ensure future outside activities are safe, compliant, and well-documented

You can have a life outside your government work—we’ll help you keep both.

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Flat Fee Security Clearance Pricing

• SF-86 Review: $950

• LOI Response: $3,500

• SOR Response: $5,000 (includes $3,000 LOI credit)

• DOHA Hearing: $7,500 (includes travel)

💳 Legal financing available
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FAQ – Outside Activities & Your Clearance

Do I need to report a side business or freelance work?
Yes—especially if it involves foreign entities, government-adjacent work, or potential conflicts of interest. Many agencies require written pre-approval.

Can I be penalized for volunteering or nonprofit work?
If the organization is foreign-connected or politically active, or if the activity interferes with your official duties—it could trigger a Guideline L review.

What if I didn’t know I had to report something?
Unintentional violations can often be mitigated if addressed honestly and quickly. We’ll help you fix the issue before it escalates.

Can travel or speaking engagements trigger this guideline?
Yes—especially if foreign government involvement, funding, or sensitive topics are part of the event. Always report these activities, and consult with counsel if unsure.

What if I already received an SOR?
Time is critical. We can help you respond powerfully, with the right legal framing, documentation, and mitigation strategy to preserve your clearance.

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🔍 Want the Full Playbook?

Don’t leave your clearance to chance. Click here to visit our Security Clearance Strategy Center — your go-to resource for:

• Proven strategies to win your case
• A complete cost breakdown
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• Answers to “What if I already got denied?”

👉 You’ve got questions. We’ve got insider answers.

🛡️ Why Choose NSLF?

At National Security Law Firm, we’re not your average clearance attorneys—we’re the elite unit for national security representation:

• Every case is reviewed by our internal attorney board
• Staffed by former DOHA attorneys, Security Threat Assessment experts, and military lawyers
• Located in Washington, D.C. — where clearance decisions are made
• We’re insiders who’ve worked behind the curtain—now we fight for you
• Founded by and staffed with disabled veterans
• One of the fastest-growing national security law firms in the U.S.

💵 Transparent, Flat-Fee Pricing

No surprise bills. No hourly rates. Just mission-focused pricing.

• SF-86 Review: $950 flat fee
• Letter of Interrogatory (LOI) Response: $3,500 flat fee
  This covers everything you need to respond and start defending your clearance.
• Statement of Reasons (SOR): $5,000 flat fee
  Already paid for your LOI response? You’ll get a $3,000 credit applied here.
• Hearing Representation: $7,500 flat fee (includes all travel)
  One fee covers it all—prep, travel, hearing. No hidden costs.

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• No credit impact for checking eligibility
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• Keep your cash flow. Get the legal help now.

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