Bradley Arant’s government contracts practice is comprised of attorneys who regularly advise clients on the broad range of issues impacting those doing business with federal, state and local public authorities. Our government contracts lawyers include former military officers, former U.S. Attorneys, former agency lawyers, and numerous engineers. Our government contracts lawyers have devoted a substantial part of their careers either working for the United States Government, or advising clients who do business with the Government, or both.
The companies we assist include large, established government contractors, some of which are Fortune 100 companies, as well as companies in emerging industries seeking to engage in business with the government for the first time. Our clients span numerous industries, including defense and aerospace, information technology, communications, automotive, construction and engineering, environmental engineering and consulting, energy, food production, security, tire manufacturing, heavy equipment and machinery, and others. In the last two years alone, Bradley Arant has represented more than 30 of the 200 largest government contractors.
Our representation covers the full array of the procurement and contract performance cycles. In providing comprehensive representation to our clients in this arena, our government contracts lawyers take a multidisciplinary team approach, working closely with lawyers in our construction, corporate, environmental, intellectual property, litigation, labor and employment, white collar, and other practices.
Claims Resolution Our government contracts lawyers have substantial experience drafting, prosecuting, and resolving claims related to government projects, including coordinating and liquidating multiple subcontractor pass-through claims. Bradley Arant lawyers have achieved numerous multi-million dollar recoveries on behalf of clients, including several recent multi-million awards for contractors doing business with the Department of Defense, Department of State, and Department of Veterans Affairs, among others. Our lawyers have substantial experience advising clients during the project administration phase of a contract, to avoid, if possible, the necessity to file claims. When claims cannot be avoided, we assist with claim documentation, drafting, presentation, and prosecution. Our lawyers literally travel the globe, advising clients on project around the world. We have recently litigated and arbitrated claims and cases, and have advised on contract administration, for projects in Iraq, China, Canada, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Australia, France, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, Armenia, Ireland, Nigeria, Tunisia, Taiwan, Turkey, Panama, Chile, Myanmar, and Ghana. We travel with our clients, meeting them wherever their needs arise. We have substantial experience resolving cases (including arbitrations) around the world.
Bid Protests We work with companies of all sizes in various industries in pursuing protests when not selected for contract award, as well as defending against protests when selected. Our lawyers have substantial and recent experience in the GAO and the court of federal claims and at the agency level.
Construction We work closely with our clients during all phases of the construction process to help them accomplish their goals and objectives. Our lawyers know the construction industry, and know the many diverse legal and business issues that our clients face. Many of our construction lawyers have engineering degrees and real world construction experience, having worked in the construction industry prior to beginning the practice of law. We assist clients on public and private construction matters across the U.S. and around the world, including public works and military projects, projects for the State Department and various DOD agencies, state and local public facilities, and commercial projects.
Contract Counseling and Project Administration A significant amount of our work involves advising contractors regarding project administration. Our lawyers are familiar with the nuances and associated risks in the FAR and those additional risks associated with prime/sub contractor contracts, teaming agreements, and other arrangements. We routinely represent clients in contract and program administration issues, often resolving matters at the “deck plate” level before they escalate to bigger issues. We also advise clients regarding suspensions, delays, impacts, and termination issues.
Corporate Transactions The firm's corporate and securities practice involves the representation of businesses in all stages of development, ranging from newly formed entities to publicly traded entities engaged in a wide variety of "new" and "old" economy industries, including the biotechnology, telecommunications, software, computer hardware, health care, automotive, construction, banking, pulp and paper, recycling, steel, publishing, vehicle leasing, textile and garment, materials and aggregate, and manufacturing industries. Bradley Arant has provided advice and counsel on the significant government regulatory issues that arise in the acquisition and sale of companies.
Criminal and Civil Enforcement and Compliance The Department of Justice and various DOD agencies have signaled a renewed and enhanced effort to audit and, if appropriate, prosecute government contractors for violations of TINA and the False Claims Act. Qui tam litigation is on the rise, as relators aggressively pursue claims of fraudulent billing or improper contracting practices. Compliance programs designed to prevent and detect violations of regulatory requirements are particularly important to companies performing government contracts. We advise clients in the development, implementation and auditing of these compliance programs. We perform internal investigations to assist clients with responding to government inquiries. And when a lawsuit cannot be avoided, we aggressively defend our clients in trial and the appellate process. Drawing upon the experience of attorneys in related practices, we cover the range of federal requirements including antitrust, environmental law, export controls, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, federal procurement law, the Truth in Negotiations Act, the False Claims Act, government affairs, workplace safety, and intellectual property.
Intellectual Property and Data Rights Within our intellectual property practice, Bradley Arant has the largest group of patent attorneys in Alabama and Mississippi and one of the largest groups in the Southeast, with attorneys experienced in virtually all technology disciplines across-the-board. All of our patent attorneys do trademark and copyright work, while still other attorneys in our IP group concentrate on trademark and copyright subjects.
Labor and Employment Issues Bradley Arant represents employers in all issues arising under state and federal labor, employment, and occupational health and safety laws, including issues unique to government contracting. We regularly defend employers before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout the United States. We also represent employers in mediation and arbitration as an alternative to litigation.
Litigation and Dispute Resolution Bradley Arant trial lawyers work as a team with each of our clients to develop and implement litigation strategies designed to achieve the client's goals. We practice in federal and state courts, before the Boards of Contract Appeals and in the United States Court of Federal Claims and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on the wide variety of disputes which arise between contractors and public entities and between contractors and their subcontractors. Our lawyers have substantial courtroom trial experience. Over the last ten years, we have tried more than 200 cases to verdict.
