Mr Michael Vernick > Akin > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile
Akin Offices
Robert S. Strauss Tower
2001 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006-1037
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
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Mr Michael Vernick
Work Department
Government Contracts
Position
Partner
To learn more about Michael, please visit his profile here: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/michael-j-vernick
Career
Mike is the leader of the government contracts group at Akin, specializing in the higher education and health care sectors, particularly life sciences. His expertise in False Claims Act (FCA) cases encompasses various aspects of government contracting, including compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), General Services Administration (GSA) contracts, defective products, and bid rigging. Mike has extensive experience working with universities and academic medical centers, focusing on scientific compliance related to financial conflicts of interest, research misconduct, and human subject research.
He has successfully represented prestigious institutions in cases involving allegations of foreign influence on U.S. government-funded research, including the resolution of the first reported FCA case concerning undisclosed researcher ties to a foreign government. Mike assists research institutions with Uniform Guidance enforcement, compliance matters, and sponsor regulations, providing guidance on grants and cooperative agreements’ financial, administrative, and scientific management. He also advises leading research institutions on international sponsored projects, capacity building, and training initiatives.
Mike has handled bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, as well as suspension and debarment proceedings across multiple U.S. government agencies. Additionally, he has worked on contract claims and disputes and provided counsel on government cost accounting matters, including Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) audits, disputes, and claims. Before joining Akin, Mike led the government contracts practice and education industry sector team at another international law firm.
Memberships
Member, Government Contracts and Litigation Sections, Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
Member, National Association of College and University Attorneys.
Education
J.D., George Mason University School of Law, with high honors, 1997
B.A., Tufts University, cum laude, 1991
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Government > Government contracts
Small and large contractors in tech, aerospace and defense routinely seek the services of Akin in support of FCA matters, government investigations, bid protests, and APA litigation across state, federal, and international levels. With Washington DC as its home base, the team is led by Michael Vernick, a giant in the education space, assisting high-profile universities and institutions with grants, FCA investigations, CMMC queries, and foreign influence and research misconduct allegations. Susan Lent is a key contact for DOT contractors, with specialist knowledge of infrastructure and Buy American funding, highlighted by her work on behalf of Brightline Holdings. Scott Heimberg assists large venture capital and private equity funds with national security contracts and M&A. Angela Styles is known for her work on CHIPS, grants, and the Buy American Act. At the counsel level, Elise Farrell advises on M&A, due diligence, internal investigations, and subpoena responses, while Marta Thompson is integral in education sector compliance and regulatory work. Maureen McDonald left the firm in March 2023.
United States > Industry focus > Education
(Leading lawyers)Akin‘s education practice is well-placed to advise clients on a range of education matters, among them policy issues, internal investigations, Title IX obligations, data privacy, and litigation. Washington DC-based Michael Vernick steers the practice and has recently focused on matters such as foreign influence over U.S. government funded research, scientific misconduct investigations, and conflict of interest issues, in addition to advising on the financial and administrative management of grants. Additional key contacts in Washington DC include Marta Thompson, who represents clients involved in government audits, and allegations of misconduct and fraud, and Anthony Pierce, who litigates education disputes and defends clients from class actions.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading lawyers United States > Industry focus > Education
- Education United States > Industry focus
- Government contracts United States > Government
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- International trade > Customs, export controls and economic sanctions
- Government > Government relations
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- International trade > Trade remedies and trade policy
Firm Rankings
- Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Industry focus > Education
- Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Industry focus > Native American law
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance
- Government > Government contracts
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: middle-market (Up to $500m)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Energy > Renewable/alternative power
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings
- Finance > Capital markets: high-yield debt offerings
- International trade > CFIUS
- Energy > Energy transactions: electric power
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Antitrust > Merger control
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (International Trade Commission)
- Finance > Project finance
- Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: regulatory
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Industry focus > Sport
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism