Government Contracts

September 19, 2025
DOD Watchdog Says Seafood Contracts Need Improvement

U.S. Department of Defense policies sufficiently ensure that its seafood comes from U.S. suppliers, though some contracting personnel overlooked clauses restricting purchases from foreign sources or that were tainted with forced or child labor, a watchdog report revealed.
September 19, 2025
Detention Facility Contract Able To Proceed Amid Protest

A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge refused to block the Army's decision to have construction proceed at an immigration detention facility at Fort Bliss, Texas, while a company protests the task order at the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
September 19, 2025
Feds Say Court Can't Stop Voice Of America Layoffs

The U.S. government agency that runs broadcaster Voice of America urged a D.C. federal judge not to hold that an order to fulfill its mandate as a news source blocks it from carrying out imminent layoffs, opposing an enforcement bid by unions and employees including VOA's director.
September 19, 2025
Claims Court Becoming More Attractive For Bid Protests

The allure of the U.S. Government Accountability Office as the primary bid protest stop has dimmed despite its advantages, with government contracts attorneys increasingly favoring the fuller administrative record offered at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
September 19, 2025
India Can't Challenge Immunity Ruling In $111M Award Suit

Canada's highest court has refused to review a Quebec appellate court's decision shutting down India's sovereign immunity defense in litigation to enforce a $111 million arbitral award to investors and shareholders in Devas Multimedia Services and reinstating a $37.5 million seizure order.
September 19, 2025
NJ Shipyard Agrees To Pay $4M To Settle FCA Allegations

A New Jersey shipyard will pay $4 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it employed immigrants without work authorizations to repair Navy vessels as part of its federal contract, prosecutors said.
September 18, 2025
Ex-La. Prosecutor Convicted In Pretrial Program Bribery Case

A former Lafayette assistant district attorney was convicted Thursday in Louisiana federal court of bribery and other charges for conspiring to solicit kickbacks and accept bribes while overseeing the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office's pretrial intervention program, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
September 18, 2025
Lima's $200M Award Fight Faces Judge's Sanctions Warning

U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes had a blunt warning for attorneys representing the Peruvian city of Lima on Thursday as it looks to vacate her ruling enforcing $200 million in arbitral awards over an alleged conflict involving Foley Hoag LLP: "proceed very carefully," or risk sanctions.
September 18, 2025
Groups Look To Block EPA's $3B Grant Cuts Amid Appeal

Conservation, tribal groups, and local and county governments are looking to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from terminating a $3 billion climate grant program while they appeal a decision that dismissed their claims, arguing that public interest and equities weigh heavily in their favor.
September 18, 2025
Feds Hit With Protest Over Project Labor Deal Requirement

A joint venture sued the federal government in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, saying the Navy's requirement that companies enter into a project labor agreement with a labor union to be considered for a construction project contract violated federal law.
September 18, 2025
Brothers Blame Associate For $90M HIV Drug Fraud Scheme

Two Maryland brothers accused of selling $90 million worth of mislabeled HIV drugs told a Florida federal jury on Thursday that their charges stem from an associate hired for his pharmaceutical industry connections, but who instead lied about the medication's black market origins and told them it was purchased legitimately.
September 18, 2025
Microsoft Whistleblower Suit Can Proceed, Judge Says

A former Microsoft worker can keep pursuing his federal whistleblower claim in his suit accusing the company of firing him for flagging compliance issues and misconduct, a Texas federal court ruled in its order determining the employee's alleged failure to utilize administrative proceedings does not bar him from bringing the claims.
September 18, 2025
Senators Intro Bill To Boost Contractor Price Transparency

Senators from both sides of the aisle laid out legislation that would require certain defense contractors to tell contracting officers when the price of a product or service provided under a contract surpasses the amount they proposed in their offer.
September 18, 2025
DOD To Probe Redundancies In Cyberspace Ops

The U.S. Department of Defense said it will look for possible efficiencies and consolidations after a congressional watchdog said there may be unnecessary overlap in sprawling cyberspace operations that span hundreds of organizations, tens of thousands of personnel and more than 9,500 contractors.
September 17, 2025
J&J Whistleblowers Defend $1.6B False Claims Act Win

Whistleblowers filed a brief Wednesday in the Third Circuit in a closely watched False Claims Act appeal involving a $1.6 billion judgment against Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen as well as the constitutionality of the FCA's "qui tam" whistleblower provisions, arguing that the act's lawfulness has been settled by its "unbroken 162-year history."
September 17, 2025
Colo. Judge Certifies U Visa App In GEO Forced Labor Suit

A Colorado federal judge certified a U visa application for the class representative in a 2014 suit involving forced labor claims against private prison company GEO Group, after he told the court that immigration officials said he could be detained during a check-in this week.
September 17, 2025
11th Circ. Judge Calls Ga. School Racism Defense 'Ridiculous'

The Eleventh Circuit appeared unlikely Wednesday to let Georgia school officials escape accusations they violated a settlement requiring their district to hire more Black educators, with one judge slamming as "ridiculous" the notion they could plead ignorance over whether the agreement was binding on them.
September 17, 2025
Charter Can't Dodge Cable Royalties In Texas, 5th Circ. Rules

Charter Communications cannot avoid paying a 3% royalty for the use of cable permits in three Texas cities' rights of way, regardless of a change in state permitting law, the Fifth Circuit ruled Wednesday.
September 17, 2025
DOJ Watchdog Raises Alarm On App Use To Track Victims

A U.S. Department of Justice watchdog has urged DOJ grant recipients to safeguard victims' personally identifiable information, so domestic abusers and members of the public can't exploit apps and social media to gain access to safe-house addresses and other data.
September 17, 2025
Union Settles FCA Suit Over Pandemic Loans for $2M

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 will pay just over $2 million in restitution and interest to settle allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan for which it was not eligible, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston announced Wednesday.
September 17, 2025
Security Co. Wins Discovery Bid In $15M Afghan Award Fight

A D.C. federal judge has given permission to an Emirati security company to seek discovery from the airline industry's primary international lobby group as the private firm looks to enforce a confirmed $15.29 million arbitral award against Afghanistan.
September 17, 2025
GAO Sustains Protest Of $48.5M Medicare Contract

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unreasonably evaluated whether a Wisconsin company was eligible to compete for a $48.5 million task order, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said, sustaining a protest of the agency's award decision.
September 17, 2025
FTC Sends White House List Of Regulations For Deletion

The Federal Trade Commission provided the White House with a report on Wednesday recommending that more than 125 regulations from agencies across the federal government be modified or deleted because they create barriers to competition.
September 17, 2025
Shipbuilders Ask Justices To Weigh 4th Circ. No-Poach Ruling

Shipbuilders and designers accused of conspiring to suppress industry wages urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit decision that revived a proposed class action against them, saying the allegedly untimely antitrust claims threaten ruinous damages.
September 17, 2025
CORRECTED: NYC Construction Co. Prez Gets 4 Years For Contract Fraud

The 65-year-old president of a New York City construction company has been sentenced to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty in New York federal court to being part of a fraud scheme involving NYC homeless shelter contracts worth $12 million, the New York City Department of Investigation announced.

Editor's Picks

The Latest On Escobar's FCA Impact

Federal courts across the country are handing down important rulings interpreting the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on False Claims Act liability in Universal Health Services v. Escobar. As the rulings keep pouring in, stay up to speed on Law360’s latest coverage and analysis of Escobar’s impact.

Expert Analysis

Series

Writing Musicals Makes Me A Better Lawyer

My experiences with writing musicals and practicing law have shown that the building blocks for both endeavors are one and the same, because drama is necessary for the law to exist, says Addison O’Donnell at LOIS Law.
Series

Adapting To Private Practice: From Va. AUSA To Mid-Law

Returning to the firm where I began my career after seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia has been complex, nuanced and rewarding, and I’ve learned that the pursuit of justice remains the constant, even as the mindset and client change, says Kristin Johnson at Woods Rogers.
7 Document Review Concepts New Attorneys Need To Know

For new associates joining firms this fall, stepping into the world of e-discovery can feel like learning a new language, but understanding a handful of fundamentals — from coding layouts to metadata — can help attorneys become fluent in document review, says Ann Motl at Bowman and Brooke.
Deference Ruling Could Close The FAR Loophole

A recent U.S. Court of Federal Claims decision may close a loophole in the Federal Acquisition Regulation that allows agencies to circumvent the Trade Agreements Act, significantly affecting federal pharmaceutical procurements and increasing protests related to certain Buy American Act waivers, say attorneys at Polsinelli.
How Trump's Space Order May Ease Industry's Growth

President Donald Trump's recent executive order aimed at removing environmental hurdles for spaceport authorization and streamlining the space industry's regulatory framework may open opportunities not only for established launch providers, but also smaller companies and spaceport authorities, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
Agentic AI Puts A New Twist On Attorney Ethics Obligations

As lawyers increasingly use autonomous artificial intelligence agents, disciplinary authorities must decide whether attorney responsibility for an AI-caused legal ethics violation is personal or supervisory, and firms must enact strong policies regarding agentic AI use and supervision, says Grace Wynn at HWG.
Health Insurance Kickback Cases Signal Greater Gov't Focus

A series of recent indictments by federal prosecutors in California suggests that the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act is gaining momentum as an enforcement tool against illegal inducement of patient referrals in the realm of commercial health insurance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
Series

Being A Professional Wrestler Makes Me A Better Lawyer

Pursuing my childhood dream of being a professional wrestler has taught me important legal career lessons about communication, adaptability, oral advocacy and professionalism, says Christopher Freiberg at Midwest Disability.
Series

Law School's Missed Lessons: Adapting To The Age Of AI

Though law school may not have specifically taught us how to use generative artificial intelligence to help with our daily legal tasks, it did provide us the mental building blocks necessary for adapting to this new technology — and the judgment to discern what shouldn’t be automated, says Pamela Dorian at Cozen O'Connor.
Ch. 11 Ruling Voiding $2M Litigation Funding Sends A Warning

A recent Texas bankruptcy court decision that a postconfirmation litigation trust has no obligations to repay a completely drawn down $2 million litigation funding agreement serves as a warning for estate administrators and funders to properly disclose the intended financing, say attorneys at Kleinberg Kaplan.
DOJ's Novel Cybersecurity FCA Case Is A Warning To Medtech

The U.S. Department of Justice's recent False Claims Act settlement with Illumina over alleged cybersecurity deficiencies suggests that enforcement agencies and whistleblowers are focusing attention toward cybersecurity in life sciences and medical tech, but also reveals key unanswered questions about the legal viability of such allegations, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
Insuring Against FCA Risk In Shifting Trade Landscape

In today's heightened trade enforcement environment, companies should proactively assess whether their insurance programs are positioned to respond to potential False Claims Act or customs-related claims, including reviewing directors and officers, professional liability, and representations and warranties policies for key terms, say attorneys at Pillsbury.
Demystifying The Civil Procedure Rules Amendment Process

Every year, an advisory committee receives dozens of proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, most of which are never adopted — but a few pointers can help maximize the likelihood that an amendment will be adopted, says Josh Gardner at DLA Piper.
SAM Update May Ease Tricky Timing Technicalities

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council's recent rule update, clarifying the System for Award Management's registration requirement, may reduce the number of disqualifications and bid protests resulting from minor lapses, but government contractors should still implement procedures to ensure early submission of registration renewals, say attorneys at Butzel Long.
Parenting Skills That Can Help Lawyers Thrive Professionally

As kids head back to school, the time is ripe for lawyers who are parents to consider how they can incorporate their parenting skills to build a deep, meaningful and sustainable legal practice, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.