Joe Maher is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Nixon Peabody LLP where his practice focuses on international trade, customs, national security, and other cross-border legal issues.  Joe served for more than twenty years as a legal professional at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  For more than two years, Joe served as the chief legal officer, overseeing more than 2,000 attorneys.  While at the Department, Joe also served as the Chief Intelligence Officer (overseeing the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis), as the Associate General Counsel for Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, and for more than ten years as the Principal Deputy General Counsel.  He served under four Administrations, providing legal advice on national and homeland security issues involving travel, international trade, immigration, national emergencies, transportation industries, critical infrastructure and cybersecurity.  He also has extensive experience involving congressional investigations.  Joe began his legal career by clerking for Judge E. Grady Jolly on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

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Prior to his legal career, Joe worked as a materials engineer in the Midwest.  He earned his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School, a B.S. from Northwestern University, and an L.L.M. (national security and international law) from Georgetown University Law Center.