National Capital RegionVA DCJS License No. 99-613042
info@deetzconsulting.com
Deetz Consulting
— I. THE PRACTICE

A private security advisory practice — not a vendor, not a guard service.

Deetz Consulting is a boutique security advisory firm based in the National Capital Region. The work is counsel — strategic, confidential, and conducted directly with the principal of the firm — for corporate boards, executive teams, family offices, foundations, and the general counsel who serve them.

A federal security operations center at night — analysts working across banks of monitors displaying maps and live feeds.

When the cost of error is not measured in dollars, the people responsible for getting it right rarely advertise. Neither do their advisors.

Deetz Consulting was founded on a simple observation: at the senior end of the security profession — protective programs for principals, internal investigations at the C-suite, board-level risk advisory — what the work actually requires is judgment. Not headcount. Not platforms. Not a national brand. Judgment shaped by direct experience with the problem at hand, applied privately, in the room.

Most security consulting firms scale by selling hours of junior labor under a senior name. The economics of that model are well understood by anyone who has bought it. Deetz Consulting operates the opposite way. Engagements are conducted personally by the firm's principal — a former United States Secret Service Special Agent in Charge with thirty-five years of leadership across military counterintelligence, federal protection and investigation, diplomatic liaison, and corporate enterprise security. The work is not delegated. The counsel does not arrive thirdhand.

The firm serves a limited number of clients each year, by design. Engagements are accepted by referral and introduction. The objective is fewer matters, handled completely, by an advisor whose name is on the analysis.

Four principles that shape every engagement.

  1. — i.

    Confidentiality is the default, not the policy.

    Clients hire this firm to remain unseen — by regulators, by the press, by their own competitors. Engagements proceed under written confidentiality and, where appropriate, under attorney-client privilege. There are no public client lists, no testimonials, and no marketing references to matters handled.

  2. — ii.

    Counsel is given by the person who did the work.

    Every engagement is led personally by Mr. Deetz. Site visits, interviews, document review, and the writing of findings are conducted directly — not delegated to junior staff or contract analysts. The signature on the report belongs to the person who reached the conclusion.

  3. — iii.

    Recommendations are candid, even when unwelcome.

    Independent counsel earns its value precisely when it disagrees with the parties paying for it. The firm's posture is to report what the evidence supports — including where current programs, leadership decisions, or vendor relationships have created exposure that no one inside the organization is comfortable naming.

  4. — iv.

    The deliverable is useful, not theatrical.

    A security report is only valuable if leadership can act on it. Findings are written for the audience that will read them — board, committee, counsel, or principal — with prioritized recommendations, realistic resourcing implications, and a private briefing that allows for clarifying conversation outside the document itself.

How engagements actually proceed.

Engagements follow a deliberate sequence — designed to ensure mutual fit, protect the confidentiality of the matter, and produce counsel that the client can act on. Four stages, no surprises.

STAGE 01.

Confidential Inquiry

A direct conversation. By introduction or referral.

The engagement begins with a private call between the prospective client and Mr. Deetz personally — typically thirty to forty-five minutes. The objective is mutual fit: understanding the matter at hand, the parties involved, the timeline, and whether the firm is the right advisor for the work. There is no charge for the inquiry call.

Where the inquiry involves litigation or potential litigation, or where the matter touches on internal misconduct, the call may be structured at the outset under attorney-client privilege through the client's counsel.

Deliverable: Engagement letter · 2 – 3 pages

STAGE 02.

Scope & Engagement Letter

Written terms, clear deliverables, fixed expectations.

Within a few days of the inquiry call, the firm issues a written engagement letter setting out the scope of work, deliverables, timeline, fee structure, and any conditions on confidentiality or privilege. The engagement letter is the firm's contract — short, plain, and signed by both parties before any substantive work begins.

Fees are typically structured on a fixed-scope basis for assessments and program reviews, hourly for expert witness and litigation support, and on retainer for ongoing advisory relationships. Travel and reasonable expenses are billed at cost.

Deliverable: Engagement letter · 2 – 3 pages

STAGE 03.

Fieldwork & Analysis

Conducted directly. Without intermediaries.

Mr. Deetz personally conducts the substantive work — site visits, document review, witness interviews, vendor coordination, and the analytical work of reaching findings. Sensitive matters are handled in person where appropriate; routine document review is conducted from the firm's offices in Centreville, Virginia.

Throughout fieldwork, the client receives regular informal updates from Mr. Deetz directly. Surprises are surfaced as they arise rather than held for the final report — particularly in matters involving internal misconduct, where preliminary findings may affect ongoing personnel decisions or counsel's strategy.

Deliverable: Typically 2 – 6 weeks · Variable by matter

STAGE 04.

Written Counsel & Briefing

A report leadership can actually use.

The engagement concludes with a confidential written report delivered directly to the named client — board, audit committee, general counsel, or principal. The report sets out findings, prioritized recommendations, resourcing implications, and any matters requiring further inquiry. A private briefing follows, in person or by secure video, to walk through the findings and answer questions outside the document itself.

Reports are written for the audience that will read them, not for archival or marketing purposes. Length follows substance; clarity follows leadership's need to act.

Deliverable: Written report & private briefing

The clientele of the practice.

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What clients can expect from the practice.

  1. Q.01

    Who will conduct the work on the engagement?

    Mr. Deetz personally. The firm does not subcontract substantive work to associates or junior consultants. Where specialized technical capability is required — for example, electronic countermeasures sweeps or forensic accounting — the firm coordinates with a small group of trusted, named specialists, disclosed to the client in advance.

  2. Q.02

    How quickly can the firm begin an engagement?

    Most engagements can begin within seven to fourteen days of the inquiry call, allowing time for the engagement letter to be drafted, reviewed, and signed. Urgent matters — particularly active threat situations or live internal misconduct inquiries — can be accommodated more quickly where capacity permits.

  3. Q.03

    How does the firm handle conflicts of interest?

    Before accepting an engagement, the firm runs a conflicts check against current and recent matters. Where a conflict exists or could reasonably be perceived, the firm declines the engagement. The firm does not represent both sides of a matter, in any sequence.

  4. Q.04

    What does the practice cost?

    Fees depend on scope, urgency, and the nature of the matter. Most assessments and program reviews are quoted on a fixed-scope basis; expert witness and litigation support work is billed hourly; long-term advisory relationships are structured on retainer. All terms are agreed in writing before work begins. Pricing is discussed during the inquiry call.

  5. Q.05

    Where does the firm operate?

    The firm is based in Centreville, Virginia and operates principally across the National Capital Region — Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Engagements extend nationally and internationally where the matter warrants, drawing on Mr. Deetz's three decades of federal and corporate experience operating across both domains.

  6. Q.06

    Will the engagement appear on a public client list?

    No. The firm maintains no public client list, publishes no testimonials, and does not reference specific matters in marketing or external commentary. Where a client wishes to provide a reference for a future prospect, it is offered privately and with their explicit, written authorization.

For matters where the cost of error is not measured in dollars.

Schedule a confidential consultation