FOIA Attorney

Wits Solutions Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wits Solutions Inc. in Washington, DC seeks a qualified FOIA Processing & Records Specialist with a JD and active bar license. You will manage FOIA requests, coordinate with other agencies, and review records for exemptions, redactions, and release readiness.

You will handle interagency referrals, prepare Vaughn indexes, and support litigation materials. The role emphasizes attention to detail, ability to meet deadlines, and experience with Nuix Discover or similar eDiscovery platforms, Adobe

Qualifications

• Hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and maintain an active bar license in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• Experience processing FOIA requests for a federal government agency.
• Experience processing FOIA requests that require interagency coordination and clearance.
• Subject matter expert in FOIA and the Privacy Act, including exemptions.
• Experience performing QC review of FOIA productions for exemptions and redactions.

Responsibilities

• Process FOIA requests and administrative appeals in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552.
• Review incoming requests for completeness; draft acknowledgment letters and requester communications.
• Track statutory deadlines and maintain FOIA tracking systems.
• Assist in evaluating expedited processing and fee waiver requests.
• Develop and execute search strategies to identify responsive records.
• Conduct document review using eDiscovery platforms (e.g., Nuix Discover, SharePoint).
• Determine responsiveness and apply metadata coding.
• Apply FOIA exemptions, especially Exemptions 5 and 6; perform redactions with Adobe Acrobat.
• Coordinate interagency referrals and consultations.
• Prepare final FOIA response packages and ensure proper formatting and counts.
• Assist with administrative appeals and re-searches.
• Support litigation activities by preparing Vaughn indexes and declarations.

Skills

FOIA processing

Interagency coordination

FOIA exemptions (5 & 6)

Document review

Redaction

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree

Tools

Nuix Discover

SharePoint

Adobe Acrobat

Microsoft Office

Job description

Hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and maintain an active bar license in any U.S. jurisdiction.

WORK EXPERIENCE MANDATORY

• Have at least two years of experience processing FOIA requests for a federal government agency.
• Have at least two years of experience processing FOIA requests that required interagency coordination and clearance, including consultations with other federal agencies.
• Have served as a subject matter expert in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act (PA), performing functions associated with reviewing and processing responsive records, including identifying applicable exemptions, redacting portions of records that cannot be released to requesters, and identifying records requiring special processing.
• Demonstrate experience applying FOIA exemptions during substantive document review, including familiarity with the privileges incorporated within FOIA Exemptions 5 and 6.
• Have experience performing quality control review of FOIA productions to verify exemption application, redaction accuracy, and release readiness.
• Demonstrate strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to meet deadlines efficiently.
• Demonstrate the ability to multitask and manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Demonstrate proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and an electronic discovery or document review platform (e.g., Nuix Discover or similar tools).

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FOIA Processing & Case Management

• Process FOIA requests and administrative appeals in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552.
• Review incoming requests for completeness; draft acknowledgment letters and requester communications.
• Track statutory deadlines and maintain FOIA tracking systems.
• Assist in evaluating expedited processing and fee waiver requests.

Records Search & Review

• Develop and execute search strategies to identify responsive records across electronic and hardcopy systems.
• Conduct document review using eDiscovery platforms (e.g., Nuix Discover, SharePoint).
• Determine responsiveness and apply appropriate metadata coding.

Document Review, Exemptions & Redactions

• Perform detailed, line-by-line review of records.
• Apply FOIA exemptions, especially Exemptions 5 and 6.
• Execute accurate redactions using tools such as Adobe Acrobat.
• Ensure redacted documents are legally compliant and release-ready.
• Identify and eliminate duplicate records.
• Organize and manage large datasets of documents for efficient review and release.

Consultations & Referrals

• Identify records requiring interagency coordination.
• Manage referrals and consultations with other federal agencies.

Release Preparation

• Compile and prepare final FOIA response packages.
• Ensure proper formatting, redactions, exemption markings, and document counts.
• Assist with administrative appeals, including re-reviews and additional searches.

Support litigation activities by:

• Preparing Vaughn indexes
• Organizing administrative records
• Drafting declarations and litigation materials
• Coordinate with Department of Justice and agency counsel.

Tracking & Reporting

• Maintain accurate logs of FOIA processing activities.

Support preparation of:

• Annual FOIA Reports
• Chief FOIA Officer Reports
• Other program metrics and reporting requirements