Practice Areas

HOMELAND & NATIONAL SECURITY

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, stakeholders seeking to engage policymakers on security issues found a changed environment. Businesses and communities faced fledging agencies, new mandates, shifting Executive branch players and responsibilities, fragmented Congressional oversight, and quickly-changing funding priorities. At the same time, these stakeholders also discovered new opportunities for public-private partnerships and mechanisms for providing effective solutions to complex security problems.

The Monument Policy Group has been on the forefront of mastering this new security framework since its inception. Our team offers unparalleled expertise in homeland and national security, with experts who worked on the frontlines during the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), developed the Congressional oversight framework for dealing with key issues, and initiated critical business coalitions on working with the government on security.

Our team includes Monument Policy's Group's founding partner, Stewart Verdery, who served as the first Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning at DHS. In that capacity, he led efforts to develop and implement policies related to, among other things, cargo security, international trade and transportation.

Partner Andrew Howell served as Vice President of homeland security policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation, and continues to work with a wide range of officials throughout DHS.

Partner Jessica Herrera-Flanigan served as the Staff Director and General Counsel for the House Committee on Homeland Security where she directed, supervised and managed the legislative, policy and oversight activities of the Committee’s staff during its first five years.

Vice President Jane Alonso served as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where she handled Chairman Collins’s work on nonproliferation, intelligence, and international homeland security issues. Other members of our team have worked extensively with the first responder communities, customs, and law enforcement and intelligence agencies on a variety of homeland issues.

We understand the difficulty faced by many companies and communities in understanding the federal government's security efforts and have successfully assisted stakeholders in navigating the federal government's security maze. We effectively represent companies providing hardware, software, communications systems and consulting services to government agencies involved in security. We also provide consulting services to companies, trade associations and coalitions affected by security programs and mandates and insight into foreign markets and governments.

We are experienced professionals with recognized expertise in such areas as immigration, travel facilitation, maritime and cargo security, aviation and transportation security, intelligence, law enforcement, credentialing, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and liability protection for vendors of anti-terrorism technologies. Our team is regularly called upon to comment and testify on security issues and are considered experts in this growing field.

Within the Department of Homeland Security, we have worked with almost every major component, both at the political and career levels, as well as leadership at DHS headquarters. On the Hill, we have excellent relationships with the relevant Committees and Leadership offices. We also have worked with the Administration and OMB more broadly on security issues.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Represent a major technology company on a range of security issues, including critical infrastructure protection, cyber security, and immigration.

• Regularly assisted companies with identifying procurement opportunities at relevant agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State.

• Assist premier advanced systems engineering and advisory services company with procurement and business development efforts across civilian security agencies.

• Represent professional and technical services trade association on matters relating to homeland security.

• Promote biometrics-based security solutions at the Department of Homeland Security, allowing our clients to develop new lines of business with several components.

• Provide several Fortune 100 companies strategic advice, counseling, and support on its civilian security programs on such issues as cybersecurity, border security, interoperability, robotics, chemical detection, and IT.

• Represent leading high-tech company in expanding economic footprint in the security space relating to IT management software and solutions.

• Counsel emerging company on explosive and trace detection technology policy at TSA and other components within DHS

• Represented a major trade association on cargo security legislation.

• Represented a trade association in supporting the passage of legislation to assist business travelers who are wrongly placed on terrorist watch lists and are continually subjected to secondary screening.

• Worked with a leading travel association and sports committee on security-related and border issues related to the Vancouver Olympics and the Chicago 2016 bid.

• Supported technology company's CEO in his Chairmanship of the Secure Borders Open Doors Advisory Committee.