National Security Practice

What sets Cordatis apart from other firms offering similar services?

Our experience, for one.  Bill and Jason blend decades of government contracts experience with an intimate knowledge of security clearances.  This permits them to uniquely understand the nuances of the overlapping disciplines, which informs their advice to clients. Bill has seen it all and handled it all through the years.

Our fee structure for another.  Cordatis targets small to mid-sized companies and individuals of all walks of life who deserve highly competent and experienced assistance in both government contracts and security clearances but want to avoid big firm rates and costs.  Cordatis’ fees are reasonable and can be structured to accommodate differing needs.

Our approach for another. Because the stakes are high, Bill and Jason handle clearance adjudications personally, from the beginning to the end and at each step along the way. This contrasts with the assembly line, cookie cutter approach employed by many firms who use staff, often who are non-lawyers, to prepare their cases.  Details matter.  Nuance matters.

What we can do for you:

Obtaining and Maintaining Facility Clearances.

Businesses that interact with the federal government or with federal programs today increasingly face the need to obtain a facility clearance. The universe of classified information within the federal arena is expanding exponentially.  The need can arise quickly and carry a short time frame, especially in time sensitive procurements.

Facility clearances are based in principal part on the clearance eligibility of a company’s key management personnel, which can create problems if the eligibility of these individuals is an issue. Foreign ownership, control or influence is a primary concern for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA and needs to be addressed early and adequately to avoid delays.

Obtaining an FCL can be straight forward or complex depending on the existence of foreign, ownership, control, or influence (FOCI) and the potential interplay with CFIUS considerations.  Timing can also become an issue.  Sometimes agencies will give uncleared vendors sufficient time to obtain an FCL, sometimes not.  Knowing how to maintain your competitive edge in these circumstances can mean the difference between winning and losing contracts.

Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence. A company subject to FOCI is precluded from obtaining a FCL unless it mitigates the FOCI to the satisfaction of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) or the Department of Energy (DOE). Bill has been helping companies successfully and economically mitigate FOCI hurdles for decades. He is intimately knowledgeable as to the various agreements and plans involved in FOCI mitigation and the best ways to implement them. Some of the Proxy Board companies Bill has established and helped implement have won the coveted Cogswell Award, which goes to those few companies selected by the Defense Security Service (DSS) as exhibiting industrial security excellence.

Purchasing or Selling a Cleared Facility. Buying or selling a cleared company triggers a unique set of issues that must be addressed by both parties in a timely fashion.  Cordatis handles the unique M&A needs of government contractors, particularly those buying or selling a company with classified work.  We have handled small deals of $1 million and larger deals exceeding $350 million.  We are often retained by other firms seeking our help with analyzing potential FOCI concerns and structuring transactions accordingly, handling due diligence on classified government contracts, and in drafting appropriate security representations and warranties.

Maintaining a Facility Security Clearance.  Managing an FCL requires attention to detail and a working knowledge of the National Industrial Security Industrial Program (NISPOM).  Bill Savarino advises Facility Security Officers (FSO) and company officials on questions that often arise about compliance with NISPOM requirements, adverse incident reporting, insider threats, visit requests, and annual reporting. He often attends board meetings of companies with outside directors under a Special Security Agreement (SSA) or a Proxy or Voting Agreement and advises them on best practices and keeping foreign parent companies in check.  He often serves as the corporate secretary for companies handling classified matters.

Obtaining and Keeping Personnel Clearances.

For agency and contractor employees, the importance of a PCL cannot be overstated.  Obtaining a PCL can make or break a career. PCLs are a privilege, not a right, and not everyone is eligible to obtain one. They can also be easily lost. Helping people succeed in this unique and daunting process requires a deftness that only decades of experience can deliver. Bill Savarino has been helping people get and keep security clearances for 35+ years.

Pre-clearance Counseling, The process to obtain a clearance can be daunting.  It begins with the SF-86 (e-QIP), a 120+ page application that comes sprinkled with traps for the unwary, followed by a background investigation of varying degrees of intrusiveness. For clearances with intelligence agencies, the investigation may also include a polygraph, which is designed to elicit adverse admissions about such things as drugs, pornography, foreign activities, and computer misuses.  Polygraphers are not your friends.  Receiving advice from an experienced security clearance lawyer about what to disclose and how to disclose it in the most beneficial way can insulate an applicant from allegations of deception and avoid the risk of a denial. If you are an employer, knowing the likelihood that a prospective employee will obtain a clearance saves time and resources.

Adjudicating Clearance Denials and Revocations.  Nothing quite prepares someone for an agency letter denying or revoking their security clearance.  Learning that your federal government doesn’t trust you can be a difficult pill to swallow. Your job, you career, your reputation, and your family’s stability are all placed in sudden jeopardy.

People with the most to lose have for decades relied on Bill Savarino to handle their clearance denials or revocations.  He is nationally recognized as the one to call when getting or keeping a clearance is paramount.  He started handling clearance cases well before many of the other lawyers out there even knew about clearances and has handled hundreds of adjudications.  Over the past decades, he has saved the clearances and careers of some of the most prominent figures in business, science, and government, including presidential appointees, decorated military officials, government agents, CEOs of large corporations, famous scientists, computer specialists, data analysts, engineers, and tradesmen.  He has even been asked by Department Counsel at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) who have opposed him in clearance adjudications to represent their own family members with clearance issues.

Lawyers across the country entrust Bill to represent their most valued clients, often their own family members.  He is a sought-out lecturer on clearance issues and been featured on ABC news, Federal News Radio, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also served as an expert witness in court cases involving clearance issues.

Because the stakes are high, Bill handle sclearance adjudications personally, from the beginning to the end and at each step along the way. This contrasts with the assembly line approach employed by many firms who use staff to prepare their cases. Details matter. Across agencies and across the spectrum of clearances, Cordatis is the firm to call if you must get or keep a security clearance.

Suitability Determinations. 

Sometimes, an individual is denied a government job due to an agency determination of unsuitability, which is different from an adverse clearance determination, but no less problematic. Cordatis knows the best way to challenge such determinations and has successfully handled numerous adverse suitability determinations in his career.

Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS)

Navigating CFIUS is a concern anytime a potential acquisition may subject your U.S. business subject to control by a foreign person, entity, or government; or in certain circumstances when a foreign person, entity, or government makes an non-controlling investment in your company.  Cordatis will help you understand the process and how it fits within your acquisition or investment plans.  We will assess whether your transaction is subject to CFIUS, help you decide whether a CFIUS filing is required or voluntary, and assist you in preparing the filing, whether it takes the form of a declaration or a notice.

Controlled but Unclassified Information (CUI).

Government contractors and subcontractors often encounter information that is not classified but comes with certain access and dissemination control markings to protect national security. Cordatis advises companies about how to deal with CUI and safeguard it.

Cybersecurity Requirements.

Cordatis also advises government contractors and subcontractors on compliance with cybersecurity requirements, including for example the Defense Department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.

 

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VICTORIES

April 16, 2021 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This time it involved allegations against a senior executive of a large defense contractor pertaining to Mishandling of Protected Material under Guideline K.  The individual came to Bill desperate after losing at DOHA with another lawyer.   Bill successfully helped him regain his clearance upon reapplication.

July 8, 2020 –  Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This involved marijuana use under Guideline H, and associated criminal allegations and other personal conduct allegations under Guidelines J and E.

July 9, 2019 –  Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the DoD Consolidated Adjudicative Services (DoD CAS).  This time it involved Misuse of Computer Systems under Guideline M and associated Personal Conduct issues under Guideline E, that included for example accusations of falsifying information on the SF-86 clearance application form.

April 19, 2019 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This time it involved allegations pertaining to Criminal Conduct under Guideline J for several drinking and driving incidents, an aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle incident, a failure to appear in court, having an outstanding arrest warrant, and possessing a controlled substance.  It also involved associated issues pertaining to Personal Conduct under Guideline E and Alcohol Abuse under Guideline G.  A five-hour hearing took place in Tampa following which DOHA granted the clearance.

April 18, 2019 –  Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This time it involved allegations pertaining to excessive drinking under Guideline G and associated personal conduct issues under Guideline E.

August 20, 2018 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This time it involved allegations pertaining to marijuana use under Guideline H.

April 30, 2018 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA).  This time it involved significant allegations of past due debts under Guideline F.

March 17, 2017 –  Bill Savarino saved another clearance and a career with a victory at the DoD Consolidated Adjudicative Services (DoD CAS).  This time it involved allegations of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction under Guideline G.

December 19, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. This time it involved a senior IT professional who was a naturalized citizen from India. She faced allegations under Guideline C Foreign Preference and Guideline B Foreign Influence. A favorable decision was delivered shortly following a 3 hour hearing at DOHA in Arlington, VA.

July 26, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance this time an SCI level clearance with NSA. The matter involved allegations pertaining to pornography under Guideline D (Sexual Behavior); illegal hacking of computer systems under Guideline M (Use of Information Technology Systems); and fraudulent conduct under Guideline J (Criminal Conduct).

July 11, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), this time for a senior executive from India. It involved mitigating Foreign Influence issues under Guideline B concerning siblings in India and assets in India.

June 1, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), this time without the need for a hearing by convincing DOHA to withdraw the Statement of Reasons. The applicant was from Pakistan, who had siblings and parent’s-in-law in Pakistan.

Feb. 24, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), this time for an employee of a defense contractor with a Colombian spouse and family residing in Colombia. It involved mitigating Foreign Influence issues under Guideline B and Foreign Preference issues under Guideline C due to possession and use of a Colombian passport.

Feb. 19, 2016 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) for an employee of a contractor working at the U.S. State Department. The case involved Guideline E – Personal Conduct and was based on allegations that he lied on his SF-86 about his reason for having left his employer. The individual believed he was laid off due to a downsizing at the State Department. However, his former supervisor at the State Department, a vindictive man with an axe to grind, asserted to OPM investigators that the State Department had fired him for cause. A 5 hour hearing took place in San Francisco during which Bill Savarino cross-examined the former State Department supervisor, forcing him to admit that his statements to OPM investigators about firing the individual for cause were not true.

Aug. 19, 2015 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance and with it the long, distinguished career of a key employee of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS suspended and fought hard to revoke the employee’s access to classified national security information and eligibility to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on allegations under Guideline E – Personal Conduct, Guideline K – Handling of Protected Information, and Guideline M – Use of Information Technology Systems.

Jan. 12, 2015 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance, this time for an employee of a defense contractor in Seattle, Washington. This one involved Foreign Influence under Guideline B due to relatives living in South Korea and risky behavior during a trip to China. It also involved Personal Conduct under Guideline E for failing to report possible contemplated travel to North Korea during that same trip to China.

Nov. 26, 2014 – Bill Savarino succeeded in saving a clearance for an individual who had smoked marijuana while holding a Top Secret clearance. No hearing was held as the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) withdrew the Statement of Reasons.

Oct. 22, 2014 – Bill Savarino helped save another clearance, this one for an Army officer. The issues involved Personal Conduct under Guideline B; Financial Considerations under Guideline; and Criminal Conduct under Guideline J stemming from a US Army Criminal Investigation Command report alleging that the officer committed wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the G-RAP program. Bill handled the four-hour personal appearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, VA, that then issued a recommendation to the Personnel Security Appeals Board (PSAB), which granted the appeal and reinstated the officer’s clearances.

Aug. 11 2014 – Bill Savarino helped save another clearance, this one involving Foreign Influence and Outside Activity issues raised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Bill assisted in the preparation of a rebuttal letter following receipt of a statement of reasons from the FAA, which satisfied the agency’s concerns.

Nov. 6, 2013 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This one involved allegations under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) stemming from the applicant’s family ties to the African country of Tanzania. Both his parents lived there and his father was a former diplomat of the Tanzanian Government. In addition, his mother was the secretary to the former president of Tanzania. A three-hour hearing was required in Arlington, VA.

Oct. 18, 2013 – Bill Savarino helped a world-famous senior aerospace engineer successfully overcome an unfavorable adjudication at DOHA under Guideline C (Foreign Preference) by strategically orchestrating his clearance reapplication 12 months later.

Aug. 9, 2013 – Bill Savarino won another Personnel Security Hearing at the DOE. This involved allegations under Criterion F (10 C.F.R. 710.8(f)) that the applicant deliberately misrepresented his drug use to both another government agency as well as DOE. A 3 hour hearing was required at DOE HQ in Washington, DC.

June 21, 2013 – Bill Savarino won another case before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This one involved allegations under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) and Guideline D (Sexual Conduct). The applicant was accused of purposefully seeking out and downloading child pornography over a period of years and lying on his SF-86 about that and a teenaged arrest. A four-hour hearing was required in Arlington, VA.

March 15, 2013 – Bill Savarino helped save another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved six separate allegations under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption). The case required a 3 hour hearing in Arlington, Virginia.

Feb. 24, 2013 – Bill Savarino helped save another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved multiple issues under Guideline C, Foreign Preference. The applicant, a well-known and accomplished CEO of a major publically traded IT company, was a dual British – U.S. citizen. He exercised British citizenship by renewing and using his British passport on multiple occasions and indicated to investigators an unwillingness to relinquish it.

Dec. 31, 2012 – Bill Savarino helped save another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal, handled without a hearing, involved allegations under Guideline D (Sexual Behavior) of nearly a decade of actively seeking out and viewing pornography of under-aged girls; and allegations under Guideline E (Personal Conduct) of allegations of deception with investigators, and multiple occasions of misusing information technology system by downloading pornographic images on a company computer.

Feb. 8, 2012 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance, this time with the NSA. This case involved a 7-page statement of reasons and a 10-page report from a NSA Psychiatrist, which specified multiple issues under Guideline H (Drug Issues); Guideline G (Alcohol Issues); Guideline I (Psychological Conditions); and Guideline E (Personal Conduct).

Feb. 3, 2012 – Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved allegations of Foreign Influence under Guideline B. The applicant was born in Pakistan and married to a Pakistani national. The case required a 3 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

Jan. 30, 2012 – Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guideline E (Personal Conduct), including declassification of documents; failing to follow established security protocols; unauthorized access to e-mail; and denial of SCI access by another U.S. Government Agency. The case required a 4 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

Jan. 19, 2012 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance with a significant U.S. intelligence agency. The allegation involved alleged deception of drug use during a polygraph.

Dec. 15, 2011 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance at an important intelligence agency. This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) involving family and contacts in Pakistan and with the Pakistani government.

July 28, 2011 – At the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA), Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance. This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guideline G (Alcohol Consumption), Guideline J (Criminal Conduct), and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The applicant reported numerous arrests for DUI as well as several additional arrests for marijuana possession, theft, and reckless driving. In addition, shortly before the hearing, DoD amended the SOR to include an allegation of deception under Guideline E involving the applicant’s failure to identify certain arrests in his SF-86. The case required a 5 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

Jul. 28, 2011 – Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved several allegations under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) since the applicant had family in Columbia and Chile, and under Guideline F (Financial) because the applicant’s house went to foreclosure. The case required a 3 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

May 9 , 2011 – Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved several allegations under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) since the applicant had family in Columbia and Chile, and under Guideline F (Financial) because the applicant’s house went to foreclosure. The case required a 3 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

April 20, 2011 – Bill Savarino saved another DoD clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guideline B (Foreign Influence). The applicant had considerable ties to India, including over a million dollars in assets in India as well as immediate family and in-laws. The case required a 4 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

Sept. 1, 2010 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guidelines: D (Sexual Behavior); E (Personal Conduct); G (Alcohol); H (Drugs); and I (Psychological Impairment).

July 29, 2010 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance at the NSA. This successful appeal involved multiple allegations under Guidelines D (Sexual Behavior), H (Drug Use); and E (Personal Conduct).

June 7, 2010 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The applicant was denied a clearance under Guideline E Personal Conduct based on allegations that he had (i) recently smoked marijuana, (ii) demonstrated a pattern of accessing questionable material on a Government computer system; and (iii) stole considerable property from his employer and the employers of his friends. Mr. Savarino was able to overturn the denial following a 4-hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

May 18, 2010 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The applicant was denied a clearance under Guideline D Sexual Behavior, Guideline E Personal Conduct, and Guideline M Use of Information Technology Systems. For over a year, the applicant had viewed pornography on his work issued laptop both at his office and while away on business. The Department of Defense also alleged that the applicant had engaged in sexual misconduct in his office. Mr. Savarino was able to overturn the denial following a 5 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

March 22, 2010 – Bill Savarino saved another SCI clearance with the CIA. The applicant was initially denied SCI access due to numerous issues involving piracy of copyrighted materials, shoplifting, and the improper use of prescription drugs. Mr. Savarino successfully overturned the intial denial through the preparation of a thorough brief, strong preparation of the applicant for the personal appearance and attending the personal appearance with the applicant.

Jan. 28, 2010 – Bill Savarino successfully defended another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This case involved issues under Guideline B arising from relatives in Iraq, Jordon, and Syria. One of the relatives was a former member of the Iraqi Parliament. The hearing took place in Arlington, VA.

Nov. 12, 2009 – Bill Savarino overturned another denial of a security clearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This case involved allegations of recent past drug use (within the past year) under Guideline H. The case required a 3 hour hearing in Denver, Colorado.

Sept. 21, 2009 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance for an applicant at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved allegations under Guidelines B (Foreign Influence – Korea); Guideline K (Security Violations); and Guideline E (Personal – deception). The case was difficult as the Government raised numerous issues; namely, that the applicant lived in Korea with a Korean wife; the applicant had several clear security violations in 2004 and 2005; and the applicant gave inconsistent information to the investigator concerning the security violations. The case required a 5-hour hearing before DOHA in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Sept. 2, 2009 – Bill Savarino secured another clearance for an applicant at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, Virginia. DoD contested the applicant’s eligibility under Guideline B. The applicant and his wife had numerous family members in Pakistan, provided financial support to one of his Pakistan relatives and had traveled to Pakistan often. The successful 3 hour hearing took place in Arlington, VA.

Aug. 31, 2009 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance for an applicant at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved allegations under Guideline F (Financial) and was based on the applicant’s inability to pay a mortgage on a second home. The case required a 3 hour hearing at DOHA in Arlington, Va.

Aug. 22, 2009 – Bill Savarino secured another SCI clearance for an applicant at the National Security Agency (NSA). The denial was based on the fact that the applicant had been charged with felony sexual conduct involving his young stepdaughter and failed to report this charge on his SF-86. Mr. Savarino worked with the applicant to prepare a detailed brief and numerous exhibits in mitigation, which carried the day. NSA’s Deputy Chief of Security reversed NSA’s initial decision to deny the applicant SCI access.

May 20, 2009 – Bill Savarino secured another clearance for an applicant at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, Virginia. The applicant is an translator from Kurdistan, Iraq with several families members residing in Iraq. DoD contested the applicant’s eligibility under Guideline B. After a 3 hour hearing in Arlington, the Judge granted the clearance on an expedited basis to permit the Applicant to resume his duties in support of the U.S. Army in Iraq.

Apr. 30, 2009 – Bill Savarino secured another clearance for an applicant at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, Virginia. The applicant had 6 relatives living in Nigeria and DoD contested the applicant’s eligibility under Guideline B.

March 25, 2009 – Bill Savarino successfully assisted an applicant to gain his clearance through a reapplication following an adverse ruling by the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The applicant was denied a clearance and contested the denial in a hearing at DOHA where he represented himself. The DOHA hearing judge found that it was not in the national interest to grant him a clearance. Mr. Savarino subsequently persuaded the Director of DOHA to permit the applicant to reapply for a clearance after which DOHA granted him a clearance.

March 9, 2009 – Bill Savarino saved another security clearance before the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, VA. The case involved numerous allegations of past due debts under Guideline F; several allegations of questionable conduct and deception under Guideline E; and an allegation of a pattern of criminal conduct under Guideline J. The case required a 5-hour hearing.

Dec. 30, 2008 – Bill Savarino successfully mitigated Guideline B concerns for a scientist with close family ties to Lebanon at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in Arlington, VA.

Sept. 30, 2008 – Bill Savarino successfully convinced the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals to grant a clearance despite admissions of dishonesty under Guideline E. The applicant, a former military officer, lied about having extramarital sex with an enlisted man to her superior officer, to a state court judge in her divorce proceedings, and then to a Defense Security Service Special Agent in connection with her periodic reinvestigation. Mr. Savarino presented sufficient evidence to mitigate DOHA”s concerns during a 4 hour hearing in Arlington, VA.

Sept. 29, 2008 – Bill Savarino successfully gained a clearance for another Iraqi translator, who had lost his clearance under Guideline B for having immediate family in Iraq, Syria, Germany, Jordan and Canada. After a 4 hour hearing in San Diego, CA, Mr. Savarino convinced DOHA that the applicant, who served as a translator in Iraq for a military contractor, mitigated DOHA”s concerns of possible foreign influence. Mr. Savarino has successfully represented numerous Iraqi translators against Guideline B allegations.

Sept. 3, 2008 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance. This time he successfully convinced a Department of Energy (DOE) Appeal Panel to reverse an adverse hearing decision by a Department of Energy (DOE) Hearing Official to revoke a DOE employee”s Q clearance. The employee had a used marijuana while he possessed a Q clearance. His clearance was revoked after a hearing at DOE in Washington, D.C. Mr. Savarino appealed the adverse decision to the DOE, which formed an Appeal Panel to hear the appeal. Mr. successfully convinced the Appeal Panel that the Hearing Official”s decision was unsupported and that restoring the employee”s clearance would be clearly consistent with the national interest.

June 26, 2008 – Bill Savarino and his team won another key clearance decision. This time they successfully overturned an initial adverse decision by the NSA to deny an applicant access to Sensitive Compartment Information (SCI) based on long-term excessive alcohol use. The final level of appeal comprised a written brief attacking the findings of an NSA psychologist and an oral argument before a seven member panel at NSA in Ft. Meade, Maryland.

May 27, 2008 – Bill Savarino succeeded in helping another individual keep his clearance with the Department of Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case required a lengthy hearing in Arlington, Virginia and involved allegations of misconduct relating to pornography under Guideline E.

May 7, 2008 – Bill Savarino successfully assisted an individual to regain his TS/SCI clearance with the CIA. The matter involved allegations of questionable conduct and security violations. Bill Savarino, assisted by his client, was able to overturn a security decision denying the clearance at the first level of review.

April 17, 2008 – Bill Savarino won another case at Department of Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved defeating 15 separate allegations under Guideline E relating to job terminations and deceit.

Jan. 28, 2008 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. The case involved past due debts under Guideline F. The case was tried in Arlington, VA.

July 31, 2007 – Bill Savarino won another Guideline B case at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved an applicant from Russia who had immediate family still in Russia, traveled often back to Russia, and sent money to her family in Russia several times a year. The 4-hour hearing was held in Arlington, Va.

July 19, 2007 – Bill Savarino won another clearance case at the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Hearings and Appeals. The applicant’s Q clearance was suspended under 10 C.F.R. after experiencing two major psychotic episodes that required hospitalization. After a 6 hour hearing in Washington, D.C., at which two psychiatric experts testified, the applicant’s Q clearance was restored.

July 19, 2007 – Bill Savarino saved another clearance at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The applicant faced revocation under Guideline E for allegedly falsifying a time card. During a 2 hour hearing in Arlington, VA, DOHA found in favor of the applicant.

July 8, 2007 – Bill Savarino won another clearance case at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This case involved numerous serious past security violations that triggered a denial under Guideline K. Among a host of excellent reference witnesses, Bill Savarino relied upon the expert testimony of Bob Schwalls from Dallas, Texas. The 7 hour hearing was held in San Francisco.

June 21, 2007 – Bill Savarino scored another security clearance victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved an individual who had an extramarital affair and who misrepresented information to a Special Agent investigating the matter. The hearing, which took place in Arlington, VA, involved Guideline E and Guideline D issues.

June 11, 2007 – Bill Savarino won another Guideline B victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) following a lengthy hearing in San Diego. The case involved an individual who’s wife had numerous family members in Taiwan.

June 11, 2007 – Bill Savarino successfully assisted another Federal Government employee in retaining a clearance from the Consolidated Adjudications Facility (CAF) in the face of multiple allegations stemming from his dual U.S. – Mexican nationality and other alleged preferences for Mexico.

June 4, 2007 – Bill Savarino successfully assisted a Navy officer in obtaining a positive recommendation from the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) in connection with his attempt to retain his TS/SCI clearance in the face of multiple allegations from DON CAF involving (i) improper sexual behavior; (ii) criminal conduct; (iii) improper personal conduct; and (iv) security violations.

June 4, 2007 – Bill Savarino successfully overturned a decision by the U.S. Air Force to deny a former Chinese national Special Compartmented Information (SCI) access based on his associations with Chinese nationals.

May 20, 2007 – Bill Savarino was able to persuade the Defense Department of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) to withdraw its Guideline B concerns in a Statement of Reasons (SOR) involving an applicant with family in Bangladesh.

May 3, 2007 – Bill Savarino won another clearance decision at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). The case involved Guideline C and Guideline B issues. The applicant had family in Egypt and the UAE, made numerous trips to Egypt and sent money to family in Egypt. The case involved a 5 hour hearing in New York City.

April 19, 2007 – Bill Savarino posted another Guideline B victory, this time representing a Government employee with with a mother, father, and several siblings still living in China.

Jan. 9, 2007 – The case involved a senor FAA official in Los Angeles who received an intent to revoke his long standing clearance for issues relating to alcohol and personal conduct. Mr. Savarino assisted the employee in marshaling mitigating evidence and then presented the evidence at a 3-hour personal conference with the FAA in Los Angeles.

Dec. 22, 2006 – Another Guideline B Victory – Bill Savarino was able to convince DOHA to withdraw a Statement of Reasons involving allegations concerning relatives in Ethiopia.

Oct. 3, 2006 – Bill Savarino successfully restored a Department of Energy (DOE) “Q” clearance for an applicant with alcohol problems following a 5 hour hearing held in Las Vegas, NV.

Sept. 29, 2006 – Bill Savarino won another hearing at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This was a Guideline B case involving Lebanon, Sierra Leone, and the United Arab Emirates. The victory came following a four-hour hearing at DOHA in Arlington, Virginia.

Sept. 12, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team won another victory. They successfully overturned a decision by the CIA denying an applicant a TS/SCI clearance. The issue concerned improper drug use and deceit.

Aug. 8, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his team were successful again at DOHA in another Guideline B case. This one involved an applicant from the Republic of Korea who had made recent travels to visit family there.

July 20, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his team were successful in convincing DOHA to withdraw the SOR of an applicant from Vietnam, who had family back in Vietnam and had made numerous trips back to Vietnam. Because the SOR was withdrawn, the applicant was able to obtain a clearance without the need for a hearing.

June 23, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his Security Clearance team won another DOHA Guideline B victory at DOHA. In this case, the applicant was from Libya and had a number of brothers and sisters still residing in Libya.

May 15, 2006 – Bill Savarino won another case at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This was a Guideline F (financial considerations) case involving an applicant with who had significant past due debt.

May 1, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team were successful in persuading the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) to withdraw a Statement of Reasons (SOR) concerning Guideline H (drug involvement) issues. DOHA was persuaded to grant the clearance without going to a hearing.

Jan. 31, 2006 – Bill Savarino won another case at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA). This was a Guideline B case involving an applicant with a Thai wife and several in-laws who were citizens and residents of Thailand. The case was tried in Tucson, Arizona.

Jan. 25, 2006 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team were successful in persuading the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) to withdraw a Statement of Reasons (SOR) alleging Guideline B issues based on applicant’s brother who was a citizen and resident of Hong Kong.

Oct. 25, 2005 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team has succeeded in convincing the Department of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) to withdraw a Statement of Reasons (SOR) under Guideline B for a client whose father lives in the Ukraine.

Sept. 20, 2005 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team wins DOHA Appeal Board decision. In ISCR Case No. 03-24356, dated September 19, 2005, the DOHA Appeal Board affirmed a hearing decision granting Mr. Savarino’s client a clearance. The Appeal Board addressed and rejected arguments made by the Government that the DOHA hearing judge erroneously concluded that Mr. Savarino’s client had committed a forgery and falsified his answer to Question 20 on his SF-86 form.

Sept. 15, 2005 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team add another win at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA)! This case involved Guideline B issues based on the applicant’s family members in Ghana, and Guideline E issues based on allegations that the applicant lied on his SF-86 Form.

Sept. 1, 2005 – Bill Savarino and the Security Clearance team won another victory at the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. The hearing, which took place in San Diego, CA, focused on complicated Guideline B issues involving Australia.

Aug. 19, 2005 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team have won another case at DOHA (Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals): The case, which was heard in Honolulu, HI, involved Guideline B issues stemming from relatives living in Hong Kong.

May 27, 2005 – Bill Savarino and his security clearance team have won four more cases at DOHA (Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals): The first case involved allegations of deception (Guideline E), where the applicant was accused of lying on his SF-86 form. Five witnesses were called during the 7 hour hearing at DOHA. The second case involved two allegations; one pertaining to foreign preference (Guideline B), where the applicant had family in India, and the other pertaining to outside activities (Guideline L), where the applicant had arrangements with a family business in India. This case also involved a complicated hearing at DOHA. The third case also involved two allegations; one pertaining to foreign preference (Guideline B), where the applicant had family in India, and the other pertaining to outside activities (Guideline L), where the applicant’s company owned other businesses in India and Germany and members of the applicant’s family served as directors for these other companies. Bill Savarino and his team convinced DOHA to withdraw the Statement of Reasons and grant the clearance without a hearing. The fourth case involved allegations of criminal conduct (Guideline J), where the applicant had pled guilty to possession of drugs. Because the applicant was sentenced to time in excess of one year, DOHA also alleged that the applicant was disqualified from receiving a clearance based on the Smith Amendment, 10 U.S.C. 986. Bill Savarino and his team convinced DOHA to withdraw the Statement of Reasons and grant the clearance without a hearing.

May 21, 2005 – Bill Savarino and Cohen Mohr’s Security Clearance team successfully reversed a decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deny an applicant Special Compartmented Information (SCI) access. The applicant possessed a top-secret clearance, but had been denied on two occasions SCI access, which was essential for his official duties.