Heather Christiana Tenney

Heather Tenney, Esq., LL.M. is a Partner in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law, federal employment, and national security law practice groups. She currently serves as the primary attorney for consultation in these areas. Heather brought her skills as an advocate and negotiator to Tully Rinckey after honorably serving with the US Army’s JAG Corps, and the results speak for themselves. At the firm, she focuses on military law; federal employment, EEO and discrimination litigation; disciplinary investigation and MSPB litigation, disability retirement, and national security clearance representation. Heather’s representation in national security and security clearance cases range from high-level military officers to covert operation officers of the CIA, NRO, FBI, DIA and a range of other intelligence agencies. Heather currently serves as Treasurer for the National Security Lawyers Association (NSLA).
Heather possesses years of experience representing officers and enlisted service members in complex legal matters, including courts-martial, adverse command actions against troops such as administrative separations, Article 15 matters, and other forms of non-judicial punishments. Additionally, Heather protects service members from employment discrimination by asserting their rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. As a Veteran, Heather is uniquely positioned to advise veterans in achieving optimal outcomes on claims and appeals for benefits that they have earned from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She assists veterans in upgrading their discharges to honorable and helps ROTC cadets avoid losing their scholarships. She advises individuals with federal debt issues as well. Her knowledge of the federal government and the military allows her to also provide skilled representation in security clearance litigation, congressional and employment investigations, whistleblower retaliation, disability retirement, and other federal employment matters. Heather represents federal and private sector employees in investigations and cases in front of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Heather was an attorney and advisor with the U.S. Army Claims Service. There she supervised, investigated and determined the appropriate course of action for tort claims including medical malpractice, wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage alleged against the U.S. Army under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), the Military Claims Act (MCA) and the Foreign Claims Act (FCA). Heather has insight that few attorneys possess regarding the way the military handles torts claims, which she uses to assist clients with their actions against the U.S. Government for damages.
Heather served as both a senior and trial defense counsel with the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service in Korea and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While with Trial Defense Service, she provided criminal and administrative legal services to a community of over 50,000 service members., representing and advising soldiers at all phases of trial and administrative hearings. Heather began her career as a prosecutor and legal aid attorney in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate in Fort Benning, Georgia.
Heather obtained her juris doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was managing editor of the Albany Law Environmental Outlook Journal. She went on to receive her Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in Trial Advocacy, where she graduated with honors. Heather also attended the University of Virginia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree with distinction.