Government contracting can be a maze. We’ll be your guide.
David M. Nadler and Brian S. Gocial
Regular readers of Mainbrace know that Blank Rome LLP has the largest and most comprehensive maritime legal practice in the United States, providing unparalleled knowl- edge and counsel to our maritime industry clients. With the recent addition of more than 100 attorneys from Dickstein Shapiro LLP’s New York and Washington, D.C., offices, Blank Rome now offers our maritime clients a nationally recog- nized, full-service government contracts practice with a deep bench of dedicated professionals who can assist our maritime clients in navigating the increasingly competitive world of contracting with the U.S. government. From bid protests, claims, dispute resolution, and litigation, to cyber- security, government audits and investigations, False Claims Act cases, mandatory disclosure issues, and suspension and debarment, Blank Rome’s attorneys can assist our maritime industry clients with the complex regulatory matters facing government contractors today in all aspects of government contracts, from contract formation through close-out.
Our Team and Multidisciplinary Capabilities
Led by Practice Chair Dave Nadler, a former Navy lawyer, Blank Rome’s government contracts practice features more than 20 attorneys focused on government contracts law and litigation who regularly deal with the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, U.S. Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, United States Coast Guard, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, United States Maritime Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other government agencies. Our government contracts team works closely with Blank Rome’s maritime and complementary national practices, including government relations, insurance coverage, labor and employment, white collar defense and investigations, and mergers and acquisitions, providing a broad base of knowledge and full range of experience to serve the maritime industry.
Our collective pool of talent encompasses a wide variety of backgrounds, including former U.S. Coast Guard and Navy officers, representatives and senior staff from congressional committees, and high-level officials of the U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Our government contracts attorneys understand the interplay between law and politics, and coordinate strategies with Blank Rome Government Relations LLC to help clients anticipate and take advantage of the issues and opportunities that affect the maritime industry. Our team approach focuses on bringing the right resources and counsel to resolve our clients’ issues, whether it be advising on a new regulatory development or guiding a client through a bet- the-company government investigation.
Our Recent Noteworthy Representations
Most recently, our government contracts team represented a leading provider of ship repair and maintenance services on Guam, filing a bid protest at the Government Accountability Office after the U.S. Coast Guard awarded a multimillion dollar contract to a competitor for drydock repairs. As a result of our protest, the Coast Guard took corrective action, resulting in a contract award to our client.
Our government contracts attorneys also worked closely with our corporate lawyers to assist a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on the maritime sector in its acquisition of a leading provider of scaffolding systems and environmental containment solutions for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of U.S. government vessels.
We also successfully resolved a False Claims Act case on behalf of the largest container shipping company in the world related to detention changes for cargo shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, our government contracts team represents a shipowner in Federal District Court con- testing the default termination of a military charter.
Government Contracting Today
Government contracting in today’s marketplace presents both great opportunities and challenges. Government contractors face heightened risks presented by ever-changing regulations and aggressive enforcement. Blank Rome’s maritime and government contracts attorneys, combined with the Firm’s full-service commercial and corporate legal capabilities and significant litigation experience, allow us to offer our maritime clients a highly sophisticated set of legal solutions for maritime contractors both large and small, experienced government contractors, and those seeking to enter the government marketplace for the first time.