He served as a First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's Office of the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1956.

He entered private practice in Washington, D.C., as an associate in the law firm of Hamel, Park, McCabe and Saunders from 1956 to 1960 and a partner from 1960 to 1981.

Archer served as Assistant Attorney General in charge of the United States Department of Justice Tax Division from 1982 to 1984.

[3] On October 16, 1985, Archer was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated by Judge Jack Miller.

[4] Archer resided in Alexandria, Virginia and Oxford, Maryland, but subsequently moved to Tempe, Arizona.