Education
B.A and M.A. in Political Science, Auburn University
Mr. Sparkman has been with the firm since its inception. He has contributed to research and provided a wealth of knowledge in counterterrorism, along with identifying expert witnesses, consultants for the firm, and conducting investigations. Drawing on a global range of contacts and experts in counterterrorism, the Middle East, and other regions and issues, Mr. Sparkman has supported the Firm’s litigation under the U.S. Anti-terrorism Act and the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. More recently, he has assisted the Firm’s attorneys in matters concerning human trafficking and forced labor.
Mr. Sparkman is a 30-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, serving throughout his career as an operations officer with the CIA’s Clandestine Service. His seven foreign postings included four in Africa, two in Western Europe, and one in Australia. He was a Deputy Chief of Station three times and a Chief of Station twice, to include as Chief of Station and Senior U.S. Intelligence Representative to Australia. Among Headquarters tours, he was a group chief in Africa Division and later the chief of operations for East Asia, which included China and North Korea. He is the recipient of the CIA’s Career Intelligence Medal and the Intelligence Medal of Merit and was a member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service. Following his career at the Agency, Mr. Sparkman was a Senior International Affairs Analyst with the RAND Corporation, where he continued to support the U.S. Intelligence Community. He also served as a special advisor to U.S. Special Forces in the Middle East and later worked with two British firms representing their interests in the U.S. Mr. Sparkman lectures at various universities on intelligence and national security issues, has been published in The Hill and CNN, and is a regular speaker in the Palm Beach, Florida area focusing on U.S. foreign policy.
Mr. Sparkman is not a lawyer, does not provide legal advice, and works under the supervision of partners of the Firm who are licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C.