Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is highly regarded for its breadth of experience in government contract issues affecting the aerospace, defense, and intelligence communities, offering clients a soup to nuts service covering counseling, regulatory compliance, disputes, and protests. The practice is housed in Washington DC, and led by Jonathan Aronie, a powerhouse in bid protests, self-disclosures, and DOJ and FCA investigations. Litigator Anne Perry counts among her specialisms export controls, M&A, costs and pricing issues, and suspension and debarment proceedings. Keith Szeliga is frequently retained by aerospace and defense contractors for a host of claims and disputes, while David Douglass enjoys a strong reputation in defending healthcare and life sciences companies in government and FCA investigations and litigation. Townsend Bourne is an emerging name in cybersecurity and data protection, specializing in DOD and civilian agency security contractors. Ryan Roberts supports small business and large defense contractors in both disputes and counseling.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
- Profile
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Sheppard Mullin's government contracts practice delivers excellent, pragmatic advice and is budget-friendlier than most other firms in this space. They have strong relationships with IGs at various agencies so can represent a company with great credibility in delicate situations.’
‘They understand business realities better than most, and I also appreciate their attention to diversity in their partnership. They've done a great job growing female and URP leaders.’
‘Ryan Roberts is my go-to counsel for any federal contracts ethics and compliance issues. He is responsive, smart, knowledgeable and really understands his clients.’
‘Townsend Bourne is establishing herself as a true leader in the government cybersecurity space, which is increasingly important.’
‘The team offers not only the depth of subject matter expertise that you would expect, but also provides practical, solution-oriented outcomes. The respect the team has achieved translates into highly effective results when navigating complex and often ambiguous or unchartered territory that seems to be increasingly common in the government contract context. ’
‘I would especially call out Jonathan Aronie and Ryan Roberts as thought leaders in the evolving landscape facing federal contractors. Their knowledge and experience as well as their close interactions with their federal counterparts allow them to provide a level of insight and practical, solution-oriented guidance as part of the overall value proposition.’
‘Outstanding subject matter expertise and availability.’
Key clients
- NortonLifeLock
- CACI International Inc.
- Northrop Grumman
- Deloitte Consulting LLP
- International Business Machines Corporation
- Xerox Corp.
- Research Triangle Institute International
- New Orleans Police Department
- Winchester Ammunition and Olin Corporation
- MasterCard
Work highlights
- Successfully defended NortonLifeLock in a FCA qui tam matter in which the U.S. government and California sought more than $1.2bn in damages and penalties.
- Represented CACI Inc. in a significant protest by Booz Allen Hamilton over a $2.49bn NSA contract for analyst services.
- Assisted Northrop Grumman with litigation seeking more than $82m in damages against USPS relating to a contract for the production and installation of 102 Flats Sequencing System machines.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Jonathan Aronie
Other key lawyers
Anne Perry; Keith Szeliga; David Douglass; Townsend Bourne; Ryan Roberts