Government Contracts

  • August 19, 2025

    Trump's 'Abnormal' Use Of FCA Could Get Tricky In Court

    The Trump administration is wielding the False Claims Act in unusually narrow ways to drive policies on social and cultural issues — including gender-affirming care and diversity, equity and inclusion programs — but the government's potential theories of liability under the federal law remain largely untested and might not hold up in court, experts say.

  • August 18, 2025

    OMB Says Agencies Can Cut Some Gov't Contract Requirements

    The Office of Management and Budget authorized federal agencies to immediately start eliminating requirements from future government contracts as part of the Trump administration's effort to get rid of non-statutory rules from the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

  • August 18, 2025

    9th Circ. Splits Over Ore.'s Denial Of Christian Youth Grants

    A split Ninth Circuit panel on Monday largely upheld a lower court's refusal to preliminarily block Oregon's requirement that recipients of certain youth grants agree not to discriminate on the basis of religion, though it also said the rule is unconstitutional if it restricts any initiatives that aren't tied to the grants.

  • August 18, 2025

    GAO Says $868M Navy Contract Evaluation Was Not Unfair

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office denied a Virginia company's protest of a $868 million U.S. Navy contract for information technology support services, saying there's no proof that an unlevel playing field influenced the agency's assessment of the protester's proposal.

  • August 18, 2025

    AmeriCorps Restores $400M In Slashed Grants, Judge Told

    AmeriCorps told a Maryland federal judge Monday that the agency restored around $400 million in funding to nonprofits canceled under the Trump administration in April, saying the government doesn't plan to ax grants before they end.

  • August 18, 2025

    AI Security Co. Reports $15M Settlement With Investors

    A Massachusetts-based company whose AI-powered weapons detection product has come under scrutiny by federal regulators over allegedly exaggerated performance claims has reached a $15 million settlement in principle with investors in consolidated proposed class actions, according to a pair of filings.

  • August 15, 2025

    18 AGs, Governors Sue To Block DOE Funding Cap

    A coalition of 19 states and Washington, D.C., on Friday hauled the U.S. Department of Energy into Oregon federal court, challenging a policy they say places a new cap on reimbursements for administrative and staffing costs, and thus slashes funds needed for state-run energy programs.

  • August 15, 2025

    Trump's Divisive 'China Initiative' May Get A Vigorous Reboot

    The Trump administration's ongoing battles with major universities may soon include the revival of an initiative that, with mixed success, targeted professors with ties to China during the president's first term, and experts told Law360 the second incarnation may be even more aggressive.

  • August 15, 2025

    Mass. Nonprofit To Pay $1M To Settle FCA Allegations

    A Massachusetts nonprofit will pay $1 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act by securing a pandemic relief loan that it was never eligible for and was later forgiven, federal prosecutors said Friday.

  • August 15, 2025

    New Jersey AG Slams Power Broker's 'Flawed' Appeal Brief

    South Jersey power broker George Norcross used a flawed argument in pushing back against New Jersey's effort to revive a dismissed criminal case against him, Attorney General Matthew Platkin has argued in a reply brief filed in state appellate court.

  • August 15, 2025

    'Creative' $2.5B DuPont Deal In NJ Is PFAS Road Map For AGs

    After six years of litigation between New Jersey and E.I. du Pont de Nemours, including a series of bench trials, the chemical manufacturer agreed to a deal that committed more than $2 billion to cleaning up the Garden State from "forever chemical" contamination at four of its facilities, in the largest environmental settlement ever achieved by a single state.

  • August 15, 2025

    Boies Schiller Seeks To End Fla. Fee Suit Between Law Firms

    Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and related defendants have moved to dismiss a Florida state lawsuit brought by a pharmaceutical mass tort law firm and related parties to block their former counsel from collecting fees after being fired for allegedly insufficient representation. 

  • August 15, 2025

    3rd Circ. Won't Rehear Pa. County's Dominion Contract Suit

    The Third Circuit has declined to revisit a ruling that a Pennsylvania county's commissioners lacked standing to sue Dominion Voting Systems over alleged security flaws during the 2020 election.

  • August 14, 2025

    Ed. Dept. Effort To Bar School Diversity Programs Blocked

    A Maryland federal judge on Thursday held that the U.S. Department of Education violated the constitution and Administrative Procedure Act when it issued guidance that took aim at school diversity programs, ruling that the "law does not countenance the government's hasty and summary treatment of these significant issues."

  • August 14, 2025

    NYC Fires Back At Co.'s Migrant Busing Suit

    New York City is coming out swinging against a lawsuit brought by a charter company that helped Texas bus thousands of migrants into the city and leave them there, saying that Roadrunner Charters wasn't injured by the city enforcing its own laws.

  • August 14, 2025

    Austin Asks Justices To Toss Abortion Travel Decision

    The city of Austin, Texas, threw its weight behind San Antonio in the latter's fight against a state appeals court finding that barred San Antonio from funding out-of-state abortion travel, telling the Texas Supreme Court the ruling allows the state to thwart Texas cities' legislative process.

  • August 14, 2025

    DC Judge Halts Some USDA Climate Grant Terminations

    A D.C. federal judge on Thursday halted the U.S. Department of Agriculture's termination of certain climate-focused grants awarded to five nonprofits, saying the terminations were likely arbitrary and capricious but stopping short of blocking the administration's broader grant termination policy.

  • August 14, 2025

    GSA Launches Generative AI Platform For Federal Agencies

    The U.S. General Services Administration on Thursday announced the launch of USAi, which it described as a generative artificial intelligence platform that will allow federal agencies to experiment with chat-based AI, code generation and document summarization. 

  • August 14, 2025

    NJ Officials Indicted Over Alleged Political Payback Plot

    A state grand jury has indicted a current and a former board member of a New Jersey transit agency for their roles in allegedly blocking payments to a contractor as political retribution, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Thursday.

  • August 14, 2025

    GAO Scolds Nev. Protester For Nonexistent Citations

    The Government Accountability Office dismissed a Nevada company's protest of a solicitation issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior for school counselor services on Wednesday and scolded it for including "misleading citations or citations to non-existent decisions" in its protest.

  • August 14, 2025

    GAO Rejects Small Biz Protest Over Helicopter Harness Deal

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office said an Arizona small business could not protest a fast-tracked Defense Logistics Agency procurement for helicopter engine wiring harnesses when it was unable to meet the rapid delivery schedule and did not submit a price quote.

  • August 13, 2025

    FINRA Fines Wells Fargo Over Muni Securities Biz Compliance

    Wells Fargo will pay $275,000 to end Financial Industry Regulatory Authority claims that the bank for years lacked a supervisory system designed to ensure that its investment services for municipal entity customers did not require it to register as a municipal adviser. 

  • August 13, 2025

    New Jersey Firm Fights Ouster From Bidding For DOD Contract

    A New Jersey IT services integrator has filed a formal protest in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims challenging the U.S. Department of Defense's decision to exclude the company from further competition for a major federal information technology support contract.

  • August 13, 2025

    GAO Upholds $37M IRS Deal For IT Support

    The U.S. Government Accountability Office shot down a protest from an incumbent contractor for the Internal Revenue Service after it lost out on an information technology deal to a rival business, saying the IRS reasonably weighed the strengths of both businesses.

  • August 13, 2025

    DC Circ. Greenlights Trump's Freeze On Foreign Aid

    A divided D.C. Circuit on Wednesday lifted an injunction requiring the Trump administration to release funding for foreign aid work done before Feb. 13, with a dissenting judge saying the decision lets the administration sidestep judicial review of unconstitutional actions.

Expert Analysis

  • Contract Disputes Recap: Terminations Galore

    Author Photo

    Attorneys at Seyfarth examine three recent decisions in which the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals provide valuable insights into contract terminations, modifications and the jurisdictional requirements for claims.

  • How Attorneys Can Master The Art Of On-Camera Presence

    Author Photo

    As attorneys are increasingly presented with on-camera opportunities, they can adapt their traditional legal skills for video contexts — such as virtual client meetings, marketing content or media interviews — by understanding the medium and making intentional adjustments, says Kerry Barrett.

  • Series

    Baseball Fantasy Camp Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    With six baseball fantasy experiences under my belt, I've learned time and again that I didn't make the wrong career choice, but I've also learned that baseball lessons are life lessons, and I'm a better lawyer for my time at St. Louis Cardinals fantasy camp, says Scott Felder at Wiley.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From Fed. Prosecutor To BigLaw

    Author Photo

    Making the jump from government to private practice is no small feat, but, based on my experience transitioning to a business-driven environment after 15 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, it can be incredibly rewarding and help you become a more versatile lawyer, says Michael Beckwith at Dickinson Wright.

  • Jurisdiction Argument In USAID Dissent Is Up For Debate

    Author Photo

    A dissent refuting the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent order directing the U.S. Agency for International Development to pay $2 billion in frozen foreign aid argued that claims relating to already-completed government contract work belong in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims – answering an important question, but with a debatable conclusion, says Steven Gordon at Holland & Knight.

  • How Importers Can Minimize FCA Risks Of Tariff Mitigation

    Author Photo

    False Claims Act risks are inherent in many tariff mitigation strategies, making it important for importers to implement best practices to identify and report potential violations of import regulations before they escalate, says Samuel Finkelstein at LMD Trade Law.

  • Firms Still Have Lateral Market Advantage, But Risks Persist

    Author Photo

    Partner and associate mobility data from the fourth quarter of 2024 shows that we’re in a new, stable era of lateral hiring where firms have the edge, but leaders should proceed cautiously, looking beyond expected revenue and compensation analyses for potential risks, say Julie Henson and Greg Hamman at Decipher Investigative Intelligence.

  • Making The Opportunity Zones Program Great At Last

    Author Photo

    As the opportunity zone program approaches its expiration, the Republican-led government could take specific steps to extend and improve the program, address its structural flaws, encourage broader participation and enable it to live up to its promised outcomes, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Opinion

    We Must Allow Judges To Use Their Independent Judgment

    Author Photo

    As two recent cases show, the ability of judges to access their independent judgment crucially enables courts to exercise the discretion needed to reach the right outcome based on the unique facts within the law, says John Siffert at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.

  • Series

    Performing Stand-Up Comedy Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Whether I’m delivering a punchline on stage or a closing argument in court, balancing stand-up comedy performances and my legal career has demonstrated that the keys to success in both endeavors include reading the room, landing the right timing and making an impact, says attorney Rebecca Palmer.

  • Constitutional Foundations Of Gov't-Guaranteed Investments

    Author Photo

    For attorneys advising clients with exposure to government-backed investments, understanding the constitutional guardrails on presidential impoundment offers essential guidance for risk assessment, contract strategy and litigation planning, says Mauni Jalali at Quinn Emanuel.

  • Investor Essentials For Buying Federally Owned Property

    Author Photo

    Investors and developers can take advantage of the Trump administration's plan to sell government-owned real estate by becoming familiar with the process and eligible to bid, and should prepare to move quickly once the U.S. General Services Administration posts the list of properties for sale, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Series

    Adapting To Private Practice: From SEC To BigLaw

    Author Photo

    As I adjusted to the multifaceted workflow of a BigLaw firm after leaving the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, working side by side with new colleagues on complex matters proved the fastest way to build a deep rapport and demonstrate my value, says Jennifer Lee at Jenner & Block.

  • Weathering Policy Zig-Zags In Gov't Contracting Under Trump

    Author Photo

    To succeed amid the massive shift in federal contracting policies heralded by President Donald Trump's return to office, contractors should be prepared for increased costs and enhanced False Claims Act enforcement, and to act swiftly to avail themselves of contractual remedies, says Jacob Scott at Smith Currie.

  • Making The Case For Rest In The Legal Profession

    Author Photo

    For too long, a culture of overwork has plagued the legal profession, but research shows that attorneys need rest to perform optimally and sustainably, so legal organizations and individuals must implement strategies that allow for restoration, says Marissa Alert at MDA Wellness, Carol Ross-Burnett at CRB Global, and Denise Robinson at The Still Center.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Government Contracts archive.