Ambassador Nathan Sales, a seasoned leader with an extensive career in national security and public policy, has joined Holland & Knight as a partner in both the Public Policy & Regulation Group and the National Security & Defense Industry Group. His impressive trajectory in U.S. government service spans several high-profile roles, particularly during the first Trump Administration.
Ambassador Sales served as Acting Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State. At the same time, he was the Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism, acting as the primary adviser to the Secretary of State on global counterterrorism issues and leading the State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau.
Additionally, Sales was appointed Special Presidential Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, a coalition of 83 member countries. In this capacity, he was instrumental in forging international partnerships and directing strategies to secure the enduring defeat of ISIS both in the Middle East and worldwide.
His governmental experience also encompasses key positions at the Department of Homeland Security, where he spearheaded initiatives focused on border security and visa policy, and at the Department of Justice, where his work supported national security initiatives and federal judicial appointments.
Before joining Holland & Knight, Ambassador Sales founded Fillmore Global Strategies LLC, a firm specializing in legal and strategic counsel for clients navigating complex national security and international matters in the U.S. and abroad. His academic background includes a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University. Following law school, he served as a clerk for the Honorable David B. Sentelle of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Ambassador Sales is also recognized for his thought leadership as a Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, further highlighting his influence in shaping international security policy.
KEY QUOTES:
“Nathan is an extremely well-connected and seasoned lawyer with impeccable national security credentials. Having worked with Nathan during the Bush and Trump Administrations, I’ve seen firsthand the insight he brings to the most sensitive matters. His international experience will be of immediate benefit to our cornerstone defense clients with global operations.”
Jason Klitenic, chair of Holland & Knight’s National Security & Defense Industry Group
“Nathan’s extensive capabilities and connections to the current Trump Administration will be integral to a wide variety of the Firm’s lobbying and government contract clients. His wide-ranging contacts in foreign governments will be especially helpful with the Firm’s trade and tariff policy engagements and U.S. consular matters around the world.”
Rich Gold, leader of Holland & Knight’s Public Policy & Regulation Group
“The growth of my practice during the second Trump Administration, as well as the diverse needs of my clientele, prompted me to look for a broader platform. Holland & Knight’s longstanding focus on national security and defense, as well as its standout government relations, trade and immigration practices, are the perfect complement to my services. I look forward to using my government experience and global connections to ensure that our clients’ concerns are heard at the highest levels of the U.S. and foreign governments.”
Ambassador Nathan Sales
