Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Washington DC, > Firm Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Offices
975 F STREET, NW
WASHINGTON DC 20004
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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Seyfarth Shaw LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
United States > Government > Government contracts Tier 3
The ‘energetic and creative’ government contracts team at Seyfarth Shaw LLP is highly regarded for offering ‘any federal contractor a “one-stop shop” for all their needs.’ The group is noted for its strong litigation practice, with a proven track record in bid protests, cost accounting disputes and False Claims Act cases. The practice was boosted in July 2022 with the arrival of former K&L Gates practitioners and Washington DC-based Amy Hoang, counsel Erica Bakies and associate Sarah Burgart, bringing a wealth of experience in bid protests and internal investigations. Hoang, who is well regarded as ‘very hands on and knowledgeable’, co-leads the department with Donald Featherstun in San Francisco and Seattle-based Adam Lasky, whose practice covers bid protests, international procurement matters and SBA regulatory compliance. Another key name is contract claims and bid protest expert Edward Arnold in Washington DC.
Practice head(s):
Donald Featherstun; Adam Lasky; Amy Hoang
Other key lawyers:
Edward Arnold; Erica Bakies; Sarah Burgart; Ashley Sherwood
Testimonials
‘I have personal experience working with several of the group’s partners, including Edward “Teddie” Arnold, Ashley Sherwood, and Adam Lasky. All of whom are capable, thoughtful and practical attorneys. I also am familiar with Amy Hoang, who like the others is an emerging leader in the field and I regard her highly.’
‘Amy Hoang is a very hands on and knowledgeable partner. She has the unique talent of simplifying complex government contracts concepts. She is very personable and meets all deadlines without exception. Her professionalism is second to none.’
‘Adam Lasky is the most knowledgeable government contracts attorney we have worked with in the industry. Adam consistently delivers solid legal advice, whether it is a bid protest, SBA issue, or government compliance concern. He is also quick to respond to client emails and phone calls.’
‘The government contracts team at Seyfarth has an excellent understanding not only of government contracts law and litigation, but also the manner in which the DOJ handles the litigation.’
‘Amy Haung, Erica Bakies and the rest of the team are simply top notch. What makes them different is the way they approach issues in a practical way and truly listen to my business needs and goals.’
‘Amy Hoang and Sarah Burgart are outstanding attorneys who not only possess subject matter expertise in government contracting generally, but specifically are a tremendous resource in pursuing bid protests. They provide timely and effective business-oriented advice and work seamlessly with inside corporate counsel.’
‘I value the swift responsiveness and candid dialogue I receive from Amy Hoang and Sarah Burgart. Both are masters of their craft when it comes to bid protests. In every instance they have achieved the desired results, and in each matter their predictions have been entirely accurate.’
‘I have been working very closely with Adam Lasky for several years on different cases. Adam makes himself available at all times, whether it’s a late night call or weekend. He provides detailed advice and outlines various courses of action. Always very detailed oriented and challenges ‘normal’ thinking. He does not simply assumes but always questions and provides reasoning behind his thought process. Definitely would recommend his team to others.’
Key clients
Raytheon
J&J Worldwide Services
Vectrus Systems Corporation
Municipality of Anchorage
Textron Systems Corporation
ManTech International Corporation
T-Mobile
Bell Helicopter
American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier Group
IMEG Corp.
Work highlights
- Successfully represented the Municipality of Anchorage at the US Court of Federal Claims, with the court holding that the United States had breached its contract with Anchorage.
- Acted for Raytheon Technologies on several government contracts engagements.
- Successfully represented a contractor in a bid protest at the US Court of Federal Claims challenging the US Navy’s award of a $88.5m 8(a) set-aside base operations contract.
United States > Industry focus > Cannabis Tier 4
Seyfarth Shaw LLP routinely assists cannabis industry clients on intellectual property, contractual enforcement, and employment law issues as well as environmental compliance. The practice also advises on the use of ETFs, M&A, taxation, and venture capital. Head of the department Stanley Jutkowitz is located in Washington DC and routinely assists clients on cannabis risk assessments, real estate lending and corporate transactions.Practice head(s):
Stanley Jutkowitz
Other key lawyers:
Patrick Muffo
Key clients
AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF
Viridescent Realty Trust
Work highlights
- Advised AdvisorShares on its latest ETF, AdvisorShares Psychedelics ETF.
- Advised lender Viridescent on various issues related to lending against cannabis use real estate.
United States > Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 5
Institutional investors are key clients for Seyfarth Shaw LLP, with the firm acting for governmental pension plans, corporate and multi-employer plans, university endowments and family offices. The ‘deep, broad, and pragmatic‘ team is co-led by the ‘unflappable‘ Robert Bodansky in Washington DC and Atlanta-based tax and investment expert Steven Richman. In April 2022 the firm strengthened its client base of US retirement funds with the hire of Michael Jordan and Evan Sarosi to its Chicago office from Ice Miller, both praised by one client as ‘excellent at communicating with both the client and counterparty counsel‘. ‘Fast-paced and thorough‘ associate Trevor Tullius is a further name to note, supporting the partners from the Washington DC office.Practice head(s):
Robert Bodansky; Steven Richman; Patricia Poglinco; Robert Van Grover
Other key lawyers:
Michael Jordan; Evan Sarosi; Trevor Tullius; Gordon Peery
Testimonials
‘The team is deep, broad, and pragmatic, assisted by helpful technology.’
‘Robert Bodansky is an unflappable lawyer and leader of the investment management team.’
‘The firm is nimble and able to get up to speed very quickly. They treat clients with the level of interaction the client decides. They understand current and novel issues and do not bring in additional counsel unless necessary. For our work with them, that’s very important. The team that we work with is all white males, but they are very inclusive from discussions we have shared. Most of the other law firms we work with also have mostly or all male teams who work in our area. Something that really sets them apart from other firms is the respect colleagues have for each other. The junior lawyer, on the team we work with, frequently shares his opinion (even if differing) in meetings with senior partners. This dynamic is wonderful, efficient, and I find very refreshing.’
‘The two I’ve worked most with are Robert Bodansky and Trevor Tullius. Trevor is fast-paced and thorough. He is good at keeping discussions focused on pertinent points. He’s kind and deliberate and skilled at delivering bad news to opposing counsel. I respect the way he speaks up, even when a senior partner is present. And even if his opinion or ideas are different. Robert is a calm spoken, unshakeable force that works very effectively for the type of work we do. Opposing counsel may get furious during a discussion, but Robert doesn’t crack or show any emotion. He’s respectful, but consistent and steady. He’s great with client relations, but not in a fake way. He also impresses me with how he talks up other teammates. Finally, Robert allows, or even encourages junior colleagues to speak up in front of the client and that is great in my opinion.’
‘Seyfarth Shaw created a buy-side/limited partner-focused investment practice by hiring Michael Jordan and Evan Sarosi from Ice Miller. Seyfarth has empowered the team to continue its excellent practice. I consider them the best in the industry at what they do. Again, the team is small. They do not over-produce deliverables. As an example, most law firms are able to use associates for contract reviews by having them fill out a standard, gigantic excel template and ten deliver it to the client, along with many hours billed. Seyfarth has more senior attorneys spending far less time doing that, and delivering a more efficient review work product. If I could use them for every item we have, I would.’
‘Seyfarth attorneys Michael Jordan and Evan Sarosi both stand out. They are excellent at communicating with both the client and counterparty counsel. When reviewing documents, they are very detail-oriented but excel at identifying materials items and more efficient with timing. More than any other firm we have ever worked with they function as a seamless part of our team, they already know what want, how to adjust communication on our behalf, in what format we would prefer deliverables. It makes for a pleasant, fast, and high-quality legal process.’
United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
United States > Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
Seyfarth Shaw LLP offers a deep bench of experienced lawyers, handling a full-range of labor-management relations mandates. Praised as ‘top notch’, the team focuses on all matters relating to organized labor: complex labor arbitrations, negotiations pertaining to collective bargaining, unfair labor practice charges, representation before the National Labor Relations Board and union organizing campaigns. Glenn Smith chairs the practice group and is based in New York, with support from vice-chair and Seattle-based Molly Gabel. Washington DC’s Bryan O’Keefe focuses on traditional labor law matters, including NLRB unfair practice charges and administrative law judge trials. In Boston, ‘extraordinary’ lawyer Arthur Telegen advises major clients on complex collective bargaining agreements, alongside general labor-management relations issues. Chicago-based Karla Sanchez maintains her impressive practice in the space, predominantly engaging on unfair labor practice proceedings and representations before the NLRB. Former co-chair Kyllan Kershaw left in October 2022, whilst Bradford Livingston retired in July 2022.Practice head(s):
Glenn Smith; Molly Gabel
Other key lawyers:
Bryan O’Keefe; Arthur Telegen; Karla Sanchez; Brian Stolzenbach; Joe Damato; Stuart Newman; Jeff Berman
Testimonials
‘Seyfarth is a top-notch firm in this practice area and a great value in light of their reasonable billing rates.’
‘Jeff Berman is one of the country’s top experts in the field and can be counted on for thorough and practical advice.’
‘Arthur Telegen is extraordinary. He has deep expertise and is a very strong advocate and great strategist. Would look to him on the most complex and high-stakes matters.’
United States > Labor and employment > Immigration
Seyfarth Shaw LLP fields a fully integrated immigration team handling all business immigration matters at the intersection of employment law. Senior partners Russell Swapp and James King jointly manage the team out of Boston and Atlanta, respectively and are key contacts for high-volume, complex immigration legal issues for some of the largest companies in the US. As former director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division, Washington DC-based Leon Rodriguez is well-positioned to advise clients in immigration regulatory and policy development, and is a sought-after counsel to clients on strategic business decisions concerning immigration and global mobility. Gabriel Mozes is an experienced business immigration advisor with specialized expertise in PERM program counselling, H-1B third-party placement and right to control issues, as well as high-volume TN cross-border work. For foreign nationals’ immigration matters Sharon Cook is the key contact in Atlanta. With Dawn Lurie, also in DC, recommended for her extensive expertise in immigration compliance and EB-5 investment strategy, Michelle Gergerian assists in global mobility matters out of the Boston office. Jacob Cherry joined the New York office from Ogletree Deakins in April 2022. Angelo Paparelli left the firm in September 2023.Practice head(s):
Russell Swapp; James King
Other key lawyers:
Leon Rodriguez; Gabriel Mozes; Sharon Cook; Michelle Gergerian; Dawn Lurie; Jacob Cherry; Jason Burritt
Testimonials
‘Team is always thinking holistically about the immigration program and willing to revisit/amend any immigration processes to make things easier for both our firm and our employees. They also have an immigration platform they are consistently upgrading.’
‘Gabriel Mozes is the Partner on our account and is very involved in day-to-day matters. He is just as involved in mundane tasks like prepping H-1Bs or assisting with PERM certifications in addition to any complex immigration issues. Our foreign national employees trust and enjoy working with him which makes for a much smoother experience when dealing with deeply personal matters like immigration.’
‘The team works well together and are able to provide the holistic advice we need in a timely fashion, which helps lead to positive outcomes. They bring insight into how the US government handles these matters, which has proven invaluable. They proactively provide webinars and blog posts on the latest immigration law news that are helpful.’
‘Leon Rodriguez, Dawn Lurie, and Jason Burritt. Leon has provided help on compliance matters and litigation, Dawn has provided help on I-9s, Jason has provided general business immigration advice. They present potential solutions that take our business needs into account and proactively reach out when new immigration news may impact us.’
United States > Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
Seyfarth Shaw LLP is routinely engaged in domestic and multijurisdictional development and critical infrastructure projects, and represents contractors, designers, investors and public and private developers across a breadth of sectors. Alison Ashford oversees the New York office’s construction practice and is often engaged in the structuring of infrastructure and development projects. Located in San Francisco, Micheal McKeeman co-leads the team and oversees disputes for subcontractors, owners and prime contractors on private and public construction projects. Based in Washington DC, Bennett Greenberg has negotiated and drafted contracts pertaining to significant projects including P-3. Senior associate Michael Wagner is also based in Washington DC and has experience on the full spectrum of construction projects including preconstruction, contract negotiation and project conception. Seattle's Meghan Douris assists clients in mandates concerning the construction of high-rise buildings and heavy civil infrastructures.Practice head(s):
Alison Ashford; Michael McKeeman
Other key lawyers:
Bennett Greenberg; Michael Wagner; Meghan Douris; Jason Smith; Ryan Gilcrest
Testimonials
‘Seyfarth Shaw LLP has a very deep team with extensive construction knowledge as well as experts in related fields such as government contracting and business organization.’
‘The team I work with includes very capable people with government contracting, legal research and writing, trial presentation and construction practices experience. It is a great combination of talent.’
‘The team has taken time to get to know us and learn how important our success is to our entire community. They are passionate about our case and have mastered new subject matter in a way that is extraordinary.’
‘Seyfarth’s team is collegial, intelligent, direct and adaptable. They are timely, responsive and business-like. Most in our small shop have a very god working relationship with the people we work with regularly.’
‘Jason Smith has provided excellent support to us on a contentious matter which has been drawn out and difficult. He is very responsive, considered and makes himself available with a challenging time zone difference. His strategic insights are invaluable and has been instrumental in putting us in a very strong position.’
‘The team at Seyfarth Shaw LLP is extremely knowledgeable in construction law. Ryan Gilcrest is one you can count on for his expertise. I would definitely recommend this law firm.’
‘Ryan Gilcrest knows the laws and how to articulate them to the other parties. He stood out for us in our most recent pre-litigation and was able to turn it around before having to proceed down the formal route.’
‘Meghan Douris is exceptional. She has a great understanding of construction and is well connected and organized. Her ability to quickly grasp our scope as well as our needs provides us with great service.’
Key clients
Municipality of Anchorage
PGP Development LLC
Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission
Watts Constructors, LLC
International Monetary Fund
Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA)
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW)
Panther Residential Management, LLC
The Hall Group
Terramar Retail Centers
Vance Brown, Inc.
Ventana Property Services, Inc.
LBA Realty
RMC Constructors, Inc.
Square Peg Construction, LLC
Level-It Installations Group
Redpath USA Corporation
Work highlights
- Represented the Municipality of Anchorage with the court first issuing an opinion that the United States had breached its contract with Anchorage, and then two months later entering judgment against the United States and awarding the client $367.4 million.
- Represented the Transbay Joint Powers Authority on all construction-related matters pertaining to the development of a $4.5 billion transit center in the heart of San Francisco.
- Acted as special counsel to the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission (HRTAC), a regional transportation financing agency in Virginia.
United States > Dispute resolution > E-discovery
Seyfarth Shaw LLP‘s large team of dedicated, full-time e-discovery attorneys places key emphasis on technical expertise, with a reputation for remaining at the forefront of technological and legal developments. The department has particular strength in discovery issues related to labor litigation, and works closely alongside the firm’s market-leading employment practice. National chair Scott Carlson and deputy chair Jay Carle co-lead the group from Chicago. Carlson, who is the founder of the department, has particularly strong technical expertise, due to his prior experience as a software engineer, while Carle previously spent over a decade consulting in technology systems administration and security. Also in Chicago are Jason Priebe, who advises corporate clients on e-discovery preparedness, planning, and execution, and senior counsel Jaime Raba, a litigator with a history of working as a systems analyst and administrator. Kathleen McConnell, in San Francisco, is the lead name for data analytics in litigation.Practice head(s):
Scott Carlson; Jay Carle
Other key lawyers:
Work highlights
United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
With lawyers spread across its national footprint of offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP receives a regular pipeline of high-quality work for a range of consumer-facing clients both in relation to product liability matters, as well as consumer fraud-related class actions. A number of the lawyers have a core grounding in advertising law, including Boston-based partner Joseph Orzano whose client base includes food and cosmetic companies, who seek his advice from a risk management perspective on labeling as well as in litigation invoking the protection statutes of multiple jurisdictions. Chicago-based Kristine Argentine chair’s the national consumer class action group, with a considerable volume of her work emanating from alleged infractions of the TCPA. Washington DC-based Thomas Locke co-heads the product liability team alongside Orzano and has earned a reputation over the years for his skill in achieving favorable early settlements for clients.Practice head(s):
Kristine Argentine; Thomas Locke; Joseph Orzano
Other key lawyers:
William Prickett; Esther McDonald; Giovanna Ferrari; Aaron Belzer; Renee Appel
Testimonials
‘They display great professionalism and attention to detail.’
‘They are sensitive to costs and advise accordingly then leave the decision to the informed client. They do not disappoint.’
Key clients
JM Brands LLC
First Advantage Background Services Corp.
Pharmacare
Callaway Golf Company
American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association
Personal Care Products Council
The Middleby Corporation
Work highlights
- Representing JM Brands LLC in a class action lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in false advertising through its use of the phrase “Natural Hair Care,” while its products contain some synthetic ingredients, including those used to preserve the product.
- Representing Personal Care Products Council, in 2,000 Federal Product Liability Lawsuits.
- Representing Pharmacare against a nationwide consumer class action alleging that Pharamacare’s Sambucol products violate the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetics Act, as well as California, Missouri, and Massachusetts consumer statutes.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Firm Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service international law firm, serving Fortune 1000, Global 500 and other companies worldwide through more than 900 attorneys and dedicated professional staff (including certified project managers, legal technologists, practice managers and other paraprofessionals). Seyfarth has been widely recognized for its leadership in designing innovative, client-focused solutions for the delivery of high quality legal services.
- Earned “Law Firm of the Year” in Litigation – ERISA in the US News – Best Lawyers® 2022 edition of ‘Best Law Firms’. As well as, 15 Tier 1 national rankings in the areas of commercial litigation, construction law, employee benefits (ERISA) law, employment law – management, franchise law, health care law, immigration law, labor law – management, litigation – antitrust, litigation – construction, litigation – ERISA, litigation – intellectual property, litigation – labor and employment, patent law and real estate law.
- Recognized by The Financial Times among the world’s most innovative law firms for the eleventh consecutive year in its annual FT Innovative Lawyers series.
- Named a 2022 “Trailblazer” for Legal Technology by the National Law Journal. The firm was recognized for its new advanced immigration management platform, Caribou.
- BTI Consulting named Seyfarth ‘Most Recommended Law Firms’ in 2021. Seyfarth Shaw was named one of 21 law firms recommended by general counsel. These recommendations directly reflect the longstanding dedication to exceptional client service and innovative solutions, which continue to set the firm apart.
- Earned a perfect score of 100 in the annual Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index and was named a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality’ for the 14th consecutive year.
- Achieved Gold Standard Certification from the Women In Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for 2021. Seyfarth was among only 29 US law firms to earn this distinction in 2021.
- Largest US labor and employment practice in a full-service firm, with over 400 attorneys exclusively engaged in labor and employment law in the United States.
- Recognized by Law360 as ‘Practice Group of the Year’ in employment law for ten years.
- Specialist international employment law practice with experience covering more than 160 countries, including matters on which we have advised on up to 150 countries at one time, acting for some of the world’s largest multinational companies.
- One of the largest real estate practices in the United States with more than 150 attorneys.
- One of the largest employee benefits and executive compensation practices in the US, serving clients across 30+ industries.
- 165+ business litigators across a global platform, offering a full-service litigation practice.
- Proactive litigation strategies in the rapidly changing legal services landscape.
- Handled more than 200 corporate M&A transactions across a diverse range of industries over the past two years.
Main areas of practice
- ADA title III and public access
- Antitrust and competition
- Appellate
- Bankruptcy and restructuring
- Capital markets
- Class and collective actions
- Commercial contracts and outsourcing transactions
- Commercial finance
- Commercial litigation
- Construction
- Construction and development projects
- Construction claims and disputes
- Consumer financial services litigation
- Corporate counseling and governance
- eDiscovery and information governance
- Employee benefits
- Employment
- Employment litigation
- ESG, corporate citizenship and human rights
- Executive and equity compensation
- Financial products and technology
- Financial services
- Franchise and distribution
- Government contracts
- Government contracts litigation
- Government relations and policy
- Health care, life sciences and pharmaceuticals
- Hospitality and leisure
- Immigration
- Infrastructure and project finance
- International dispute resolution
- Institutional investors
- Intellectual property counseling and prosecution
- Intellectual property litigation
- International employment law
- Labor management relations
- Manufacturing
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Post-pandemic recovery and renewal
- Privacy and cybersecurity
- Product liability and complex tort
- Real estate
- Real estate finance
- Real estate litigation
- REITs and real estate capital markets
- Remote workforce
- Retail, wholesale and distribution
- Securities and fiduciary duty litigation
- Tax
- Tax controversies and litigation
- Technology, mobility and connectivity
- Trade secrets and non-competes
- Transportation and logistics
- Trials
- Trusts and estates
- Trusts and estates litigation
- White-collar defense and investigations
- Workplace arbitration and ADR
- Workplace safety and environmental
International experience: Seyfarth Shaw’s international service model is custom-built to deliver an integrated, cross-border legal and commercial solution. Seyfarth’s model relies exclusively upon cohesive partner-led teams of highly experienced international attorneys who focus solely on helping multinational clients deal with their international business issues, regardless of location. Central to the firm’s international department is Seyfarth’s award-winning, specialist international employment practice, which is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading practices in the area. Our team also offers multidisciplinary corporate, commercial, and real estate advice to multinational clients with needs across the globe.
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Raymond Baldwin | View Profile | ||
David Blake | David Blake is a partner in Seyfarth’s Construction practice in the Washington,… | View Profile | |
Mr Robert Bodansky | Partner and Chair of Institutional Investors Practice Group | View Profile | |
Joseph Damato | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw, LLP | View Profile | |
Joseph Damato | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw, LLP | View Profile | |
Ms Sara Farabow | View Profile | ||
Mr Ronald Gart | Partner and Office Chair of Washington DC Real Estate | View Profile | |
Mr Bennett Greenberg | Mr. Greenberg is a partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in the firm’s… | View Profile | |
Karla Grossenbacher | Chair of Seyfarth’s Washington D.C. Labor and Employment Practice, Head of National… | View Profile | |
Mr Eric Janson | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP | View Profile | |
Mr Stanley Jutkowitz | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Lawrence Lorber | As Senior Counsel at Seyfarth Shaw, Mr. Lorber’s practice focuses on employment… | View Profile | |
Ms Dawn Lurie | Senior Counsel | View Profile | |
Bryan O'Keefe | View Profile | ||
Alexander Passantino | Mr. Passantino is Vice Chair of the firm’s Government Relations Practice Group… | View Profile | |
Mr Leon Rodriguez | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Andrew J. Sherman | Partner, Chair of the Washington, DC Corporate Department and Co-Chair of the… | View Profile | |
Trevor Tullius | Associate | View Profile | |
Michael Wagner | Associate | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 426 Other lawyers : 505 Professional staff : 1,280- United States > Government > Government contracts
Firm Rankings
- United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- United States > Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- United States > Labor and employment > Immigration
- United States > Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation)
- United States > Dispute resolution > E-discovery
- United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)