Career

    Career Planning

    General Information

    The following is a partial list of agencies, non-governmental organizations, law firms, defense contractors, and Congressional offices that employ national security lawyers. The link provided for each organization will direct you to the organization's main website. Job postings may be listed on these websites, or you may need to contact the organization's human resources department directly.
    Congressional job listings are available through the Senate Placement Office and the House Office of Human Resources. The location and contact information for the House and Senate are listed below. Agency job postings are available through the USAJOBS.com website, although some jobs may be listed on the agency's main website.

    Additionally, the ABA Career Center is a valuable resource

    Special Issue of the National Security Law Report: Careers in National Security Law

    Information about the Security Clearance Process

    By John E. Cummings

    This brief overview of the security clearance process answers questions including: what is a security clearance? What rules govern the process? What might complicate the process? How long does it take to receive clearance?

    Networking Basics

    Tips and suggestions that can help you network more effectively and find that dream job-- take a look!

    Executive Branch Departments and Agencies

    USAJobs: The definitive source for all Federal employment opportunities.
    http://www.usajobs.opm.gov

    Department of Defense:
    http://www.defenselink.mil

    Joint Chiefs of Staff
    http://www.dtic.mil/jcs

    United States Air Force
    http://www.af.mil

    United States Army
    http://www.army.mil

    United States Navy
    http://www.navy.mil

    Defense Intelligence Agency
    http://www.dia.mil

    Defense Information Systems Agency
    http://www.disa.mil/index.html

    National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
    http://www.nga.mil

    Missile Defense Agency (formerly Ballistic Missile Defense Organization)
    http://www.mda.mil

    National Security Agency
    http://www.nsa.gov

    Department of Energy:
    http://www.energy.gov

    Counterintelligence
    http://www.ch.doe.gov/offices/OCI

    Intelligence Office
    1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585 Fax: (202) 586-0751

    Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Office
    http://www.nn.doe.gov

    Infrastructure and Security
    1000 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20585 Fax: (202) 586-0467

    Office of Security
    http://www.so.doe.gov

    National Nuclear Security Administration
    http://www.nnsa.doe.gov

    International Affairs and Domestic Policy
    http://www.policy.energy.gov

    Department of Homeland Security:
    http://www.dhs.gov

    Border and Transportation Security Directorate Customs and Border Protection
    http://www.cbp.gov

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    http://www.ice.gov

    Transportation Security Administration
    http://www.tsa.gov

    Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate- FEMA
    http://www.fema.gov

    Citizenship and Immigration Services
    http://www.uscis.gov

    United States Coast Guard
    http://www.uscg.mil

    United States Secret Service
    http://www.secretservice.gov

    Department of Justice:
    http://www.usdoj.gov

    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
    http://www.atf.gov

    Federal Bureau of Investigation
    http://www.fbi.gov

    Department of State
    http://www.state.gov

    Bureau of Intelligence and Research
    http://www.state.gov/s/inr

    Bureau of Arms Control
    http://www.state.gov/t/ac

    Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation
    http://www.state.gov/t/isn

    Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
    http://www.state.gov/t/pm

    Coordinator for Counterterrorism
    http://www.state.gov/s/ct

    Department of Transportation:
    http://www.dot.gov

    Federal Transit Administration
    http://www.fta.dot.gov

    Office of Intelligence and Security
    400 7th Street, SW Washington, DC 20590 Fax: (202) 366-7261

    Office of National Security
    400 7th Street, SW Washington, DC 20590 Fax: (202) 493-2180

    Central Intelligence Agency
    http://www.cia.gov

    Director of National Intelligence
    http://www.dni.gov

    Environmental Protection Agency
    http://www.epa.gov

    EPA's Homeland Security Office
    1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, MC 1105A Washington, DC 20460 Fax: (202) 501-0026

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
    http://www.hq.nasa.gov

    NASA's Office of Security Management and Safeguards
    300 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20546 Fax: (202) 358-3238

    Office of Personnel Management
    http://www.opm.gov

    Center for National Security
    Theodore Roosevelt Building 1900 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20415

    Library of Congress
    http://www.loc.gov

    Congressional Opportunities

    House of Representatives:
    http://www.house.gov

    House Office of Human Resources
    http://www.house.gov/cao-hr

    House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense
    http://appropriations.house.gov

    House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Homeland Security
    http://appropriations.house.gov

    House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, HUD, Judiciary, District of Columbia Subcommittee
    http://appropriations.house.gov

    House Armed Services Committee
    http://www.house.gov/hasc

    House Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations
    http://reform.house.gov

    House Homeland Security Committee
    http://hsc.house.gov

    House International Relations Committee, Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation
    http://www.house.gov/international_relations

    House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security
    http://judiciary.house.gov

    House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Control and Claims Subcommittee
    http://judiciary.house.gov

    House Permanent Select committee on Intelligence
    http://intelligence.house.gov

    Senate:
    http://www.senate.gov

    Senate Placement Office
    SH-142 Hart SOB Job Line: (202) 228-JOBS
    Employment Bulletin: http://www.senate.gov/visiting/common/generic/placement_office.htm

    Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense
    http://appropriations.senate.gov

    Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Homeland Security
    http://appropriations.senate.gov

    Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, and Housing and Urban Development
    http://appropriations.senate.gov

    Senate Armed Services Committee
    http://armed-services.senate.gov

    Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism
    http://www.senate.gov/~foreign

    Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
    http://hsgac.senate.gov

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship Subcommittee
    http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary

    Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security
    http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary

    Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
    http://intelligence.senate.gov

    Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's)

    American Civil Liberties Union, Washington Office
    http://www.aclu.org

    American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI), Foreign and Defense Policy Studies.
    http://www.aei.org

    The Brookings Institute, Foreign Policy Studies
    http://www.brookings.edu

    Business Executives for National Security
    http://www.bens.org

    Center for Democracy and Technology
    http://www.cdt.org

    Center for National Securities Studies
    http://www.cnss.org

    Center for Strategic and International Studies
    http://www.csis.org

    Council on Foreign Relations
    http://www.cfr.org

    Electronic Privacy Information Center
    http://www.epic.org

    Hudson Institute, National Securities Studies
    http://www.hudson.org

    Institute for Defense Analyses
    http://www.ida.org

    Institute for Science and International Security
    http://www.isis-online.org

    National Institute for Public Policy
    http://www.nipp.org

    Nuclear Control Institute
    http://www.nci.org

    Rand Corporation, Washington Office
    http://www.rand.org

    Site Institute
    http://www.siteinstitute.org

    Law Firms

    Arnold & Porter, National Security Law and Policy Practice
    http://www.arnoldporter.com

    CER Law, LLC
    www.cerlawllc.com

    Covington & Burling, Government Affairs Practice
    http://www.cov.com

    Greenberg Traurig, Governmental Affairs Practice
    http://www.gtlaw.com

    Krieger & Zaid, National Security Practice
    ZaidMS@aol.com

    Nixon Peabody, Government Relations Practice
    http://www.nixonpeabody.com

    Patton Boggs, Defense and National Security Practice
    http://www.pattonboggs.com

    Preston Gates Ellis, Policy and Public Law Practice
    http://www.prestongates.com

    Steptoe & Johnson, Government Relations Practice
    http://www.steptoe.com

    Venable, LLP, Legislative and Governmental Affairs Practice
    http://www.venable.com

    Williams & Connolly, Federal Programs and National Defense Practice
    http://www.williamsconnolly.com

    Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, Defense, National Security and Government Contracts Practice
    http://www.wilmerhale.com

    Defense Contractors

    BAE Systems
    http://www.baesystems.com

    Boeing Company
    http://www.boeing.com

    Booz Allen Hamilton
    http://www.boozallenhamilton.com

    General Dynamics Corp
    http://www.generaldynamics.com

    ITT Defense and Electronics
    http://www.defense.itt.com

    Lockheed Martin Corp
    http://www.lockheedmartin.com

    Northrop Grumman Corp.
    http://www.northropgrumman.com

    Raytheon Company
    http://www.raytheon.com

    SRI International, Washington Office
    http://www.sri.com

    United Technologies Corp.
    http://www.utc.com