Former Associate Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the ATF brings federal regulatory leadership and legal experience to national firearms compliance program
FFLGuard announced today that Thomas L. Chittum III, attorney and former Associate Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has joined FFLGuard's Attorney Advisory Group. His addition expands the program's legal and regulatory resources for Federal Firearms Licensees navigating compliance, inspections and enforcement matters.
Chittum served the United States for nearly 27 years, including more than two decades with ATF. When he retired from the Department of Justice in 2022, he was ATF's Associate Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer and had served as Acting Deputy Director, placing him among the agency's most senior executives. Before reaching ATF's executive ranks, Chittum served as Assistant Director of Field Operations, overseeing the agency's investigative, law enforcement and regulatory field operations nationwide.
In addition to his private practice, Chittum Law, PLLC, Chittum began teaching as an adjunct law professor in 2022 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas William S. Boyd School of Law including courses such as Expert Witnesses in Litigation and Firearms Law & the Second Amendment.
"I've spent most of my career at the intersection of firearms, law, regulation and enforcement, and I've seen how consequential seemingly small compliance decisions can become," said Thomas Chittum. "FFLs deserve guidance that recognizes both what the law says and how firearms regulation operates in real-world practice. FFLGuard's attorney-led model brings those disciplines together, and I'm pleased to contribute my experience to it."
Chittum's addition to the Attorney Advisory Group complements the work of FFLGuard's team of subject matter experts, which includes ATF Liaison Michael Bouchard whom previously served as ATF's Assistant Director of Field Operations, Director of Compliance Michael Fronczak whom served as a Director of Industry Operations and Chief of ATF's Firearms and Explosives Industry Division. Their agency experience informs the program's legal advice, inspection support and regulatory defense.
"Calling yourself a 'firearms consultant' does not make you legal counsel, and dealing with ATF is not the same as having worked inside that bureau," said Christopher Chiafullo, FFLGuard Founder and National Coordinating Counsel. "Our team combines attorneys who advise and represent firearms businesses with former ATF officials who have supervised inspections, shaped regulatory policy and managed enforcement. Those qualifications work together for the client."
"An FFL needs more than someone who knows what an inspector is likely to ask," Chiafullo continued. "It needs counsel who can assess what the law requires, challenge the government's interpretation when warranted and represent the business when its license is at stake. Knowing the regulator is valuable. Being prepared to challenge the regulator is essential."
Chiafullo said that distinction also extends to the role attorneys play in a client's compliance decisions.
"A referral to an attorney is a different service from having counsel help direct your compliance strategy," he added. "Our regulatory professionals inform that legal strategy from the outset. Tom strengthens the model because he brings both senior ATF leadership experience and the judgment of a practicing attorney."
About FFLGuard: Founded in 2008, FFLGuard provides legal, regulatory and compliance support to Federal Firearms Licensees and Federal Explosives Licensees nationwide. Through its National Coordinating Counsel, Attorney Advisory Group and network of compliance professionals, the program helps federally licensed businesses protect their licenses through proactive guidance, training and regulatory defense.
FFLGuard — Compliance Powered By Counsel™.
For more information, visit FFLGuard.com.
About Thomas Chittum: Thomas L. Chittum III is an attorney, adjunct law professor and retired federal law enforcement executive. He retired from the Department of Justice in 2022 as Associate Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of ATF after nearly 27 years of federal service. His ATF career included senior leadership positions overseeing national field operations, special operations, internal affairs and professional responsibility.
Following his government service, Chittum served as Senior Vice President of Forensic Services for SoundThinking, Inc. He currently practices law through Chittum Law, PLLC, and teaches Firearms Law & the Second Amendment at UNLV's William S. Boyd School of Law.
Learn more at ChittumLaw.com.