Government Contracts

  • January 17, 2025

    Unified Care Services To Pay $18M To Settle PPP Case

    Skilled nursing chain Unified Care Services LLC and its owner have agreed to shell out $18 million to put to rest a whistleblower suit alleging the California-based company and its affiliates knowingly included false information on Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, according to an announcement made Friday.

  • January 17, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs Vacating Some Trump-Era Oil And Gas Leases

    A split Ninth Circuit ruled Friday that an Idaho federal court, but not a Montana federal court, abused its discretion in striking down oil and gas leases sold during the Trump administration, but halted "surface-disturbing activity" while the federal government reconsiders the leasing decisions.

  • January 17, 2025

    Bayer, J&J Minimized Drug Reaction Data, 3rd Circ. Told

    A doctor urged the Third Circuit on Friday to revive his whistleblower suit against Bayer Corp. and Johnson & Johnson, arguing that the drugmakers' regulatory approval applications played down the side effects of the antibiotics Cipro and Levaquin.

  • January 17, 2025

    Contractor Asks Justices To Ax Iraqi Immunity In $120M Suit

    A Pennsylvania defense contractor is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to unravel a D.C. Circuit decision to throw out a $120 million judgment against Iraq, arguing that review is needed to ensure a uniform interpretation of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

  • January 17, 2025

    Tennessee, BlackRock Settle Suit Over ESG Goals

    Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Friday that his office has dismissed its lawsuit accusing BlackRock of misleading customers about its environmental, social and corporate governance investment strategies, with the asset manager committing to certain transparency and compliance measures.

  • January 17, 2025

    Ga. Judge Shoots Down Bias Deal Between Feds, Fire Dept.

    A Georgia federal judge has shot down a deal that would have resolved allegations of racial bias in hiring against a metro Atlanta county's fire department, ruling that the proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice lacked a basis to justify prioritizing future Black applicants.

  • January 17, 2025

    Ex-Conn. State Employee Accused In $1.9M Medicaid Scam

    A former employee of Connecticut's Office of Policy and Management is one of two people charged by federal authorities with defrauding the state Medicaid program out of nearly $1.9 million by submitting false claims for services for children with autism, the U.S. attorney's office said Friday.

  • January 17, 2025

    Ga. Law Firm Beats DQ Bid In FCA Suit Against Tool Co.

    A Georgia federal judge has rejected a former tool company employee's bid to have a Smith Gilliam Williams & Miles PA attorney disqualified from representing the business in a False Claims Act suit, saying he failed to show that the attorney violated ethical rules to warrant his removal.

  • January 17, 2025

    Recalled Ex-Oakland Mayor Indicted On Bribery Charges

    Federal prosecutors announced criminal bribery charges Friday against former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao along with her partner and two others following a yearslong FBI corruption investigation, alleging she and her partner accepted cash payments of $95,000 disguised as no-show jobs, among other allegations.

  • January 16, 2025

    No 'Half Measures' On Tort Reform In 2025, Ga. Gov Pledges

    Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp threw down the gauntlet in his annual State of the State address Thursday and promised to deliver on tort reform, for decades an intractable issue in Peach State politics.

  • January 16, 2025

    New Proposal For Controlled Information Not Entirely Realistic

    A proposed rule intended to clear up confusion and better protect controlled unclassified information via a governmentwide standard has created new uncertainties and could lead to unattainable demands such as unrealistic incident reporting deadlines.

  • January 16, 2025

    Teradyne Tells 9th Circ. Jury Should Weigh Copyright Row

    Teradyne urged the Ninth Circuit on Thursday to revive its allegations Astronics Test Systems lifted its copyrighted code to sell competing digital test instruments, arguing there are factual disputes a jury should have resolved, including whether Astronics' copying was fair use and the amount of code used.

  • January 16, 2025

    L3Harris CEO Urges Musk, Ramaswamy To Limit Bid Protests

    L3Harris Technologies' CEO published an open letter Wednesday to leaders of the new U.S. Department of Government Efficiency — billionaire Elon Musk and ex-presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — calling on them to overhaul the defense contracting process and limit bid protests to three per year, per contractor, among other changes.

  • January 16, 2025

    Biden Makes Final Push To Fortify US Cybersecurity Posture

    President Joe Biden took the latest step toward boosting the nation's cybersecurity Thursday, issuing an executive order that requires software vendors that work with the government to prove they're meeting certain security standards and promote the use of artificial intelligence for cyberdefense.

  • January 16, 2025

    Fed. Circ. Calls Newman's Constitutional Challenge 'Meritless'

    The Federal Circuit Judicial Council urged the D.C. Circuit on Thursday to reject U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman's argument that the suspension her colleagues have imposed on her for refusing to participate in an investigation into her fitness to serve on the bench is unconstitutional.

  • January 16, 2025

    Trump's HUD Pick Opposes Telework, Backs Opportunity Zones

    Eric Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said he would bring the agency's largely remote workforce back to the office and boost a popular incentive for development in testimony before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.

  • January 16, 2025

    Trump's DOT Pick Says Air Safety, New Tech Big Priorities

    President-elect Donald Trump's would-be transportation secretary pledged to oversee a leaner and more efficient U.S. Department of Transportation focused on expediting project permitting, prioritizing mega infrastructure projects, and ensuring that Boeing and aviation safety gets "back on track."

  • January 16, 2025

    Trump EPA Pick Faces Climate Questions, Dodges Details

    President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday tried to steer clear of controversy at a Senate confirmation hearing, taking a conciliatory tone, deferring judgment on specific matters and promising to exercise independence.

  • January 16, 2025

    9th Circ. Affirms $23.2M Judgment In ICE Detainee Wage Trial

    A split Ninth Circuit panel on Thursday upheld a $23.2 million district court judgment in favor of a class of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees and Washington state, ruling that the GEO Group isn't immune from paying the detainees the state minimum wage for their involvement in a work program.

  • January 16, 2025

    Interior Nom Stresses Need For More Fossil Fuels

    Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum said on Thursday that he will promote U.S. energy dominance and add more fossil fuel-derived electricity to the grid, as Democrats and Republican senators sparred over how much emphasis should be given to renewables.

  • January 16, 2025

    Madigan Racketeering Case Will Go To Jury

    The Illinois federal judge overseeing a criminal racketeering trial against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime friend and political ally made certain Thursday that the jury will deliberate and decide the case, rejecting severance and acquittal requests on the last day of evidence.

  • January 16, 2025

    'Nothing To Fear' For DOJ Attys With Bondi, Ex-Colleague Says

    Prosecutors and law enforcement officials, including one Democrat, told lawmakers Thursday that President-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general will be a fair-minded official who will not succumb to possible outside pressure to abuse the office.

  • January 16, 2025

    Enviro Org. Drops Fight Over DOE's $1.1B Diablo Canyon Award

    An environmental group has begrudgingly dismissed its challenge of a $1.1 billion U.S. Department of Energy award that aimed to help California's last nuclear power plant keep running after learning state officials have already given Pacific Gas & Electric Co. $1.3 billion for the same purpose.

  • January 16, 2025

    Defense Fights Privilege Waiver In $250M COVID Fraud Case

    A Minnesota nonprofit director accused of orchestrating a $250 million fraud scheme using funds from a COVID-19 federal food program has told a federal judge that prosecutors are wrong to argue that her lawyer's testimony at her impending trial will waive her attorney-client privilege, since the lawyer would be discussing facts, not advice.

  • January 15, 2025

    Fla. Ex-Rep Can't Get Feds' Evidence In Foreign Agent Case

    A Florida federal judge on Wednesday denied a former congressman's bid to force U.S. prosecutors to turn over evidence showing the government improperly directed Venezuela's state-owned oil company to file a New York lawsuit against his consulting firm to obtain evidence in his criminal case, calling the request speculative.

Expert Analysis

  • Rethinking Litigation Risk And What It Really Means To Win

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    Attorneys have a tendency to overestimate litigation risk before summary judgment and underestimate risk after it, but an eight-stage litigation framework can clarify risk at different points and help litigators reassess what true success looks like in any particular case, says Joshua Libling at Arcadia Finance.

  • Public Corruption Enforcement In 2024 Has Clues For 2025

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    If 2024 activity is any indication, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely continue to rein in expansive prosecutorial theories of fraud in the year to come, but it’s harder to predict what the new administration will mean for public corruption prosecutions in 2025, says Cathy Fleming at Offit Kurman.

  • Anticipating How GAO Pleading Standards May Shift

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    The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act's mandate to create an enhanced pleading standard at the U.S. Government Accountability Office may change the calculus for where to file when challenging a U.S. Department of Defense procurement, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

  • How DOGE's Bite Can Live Up To Its Bark

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    All signs suggest that the Department of Government Efficiency will be an important part of the new Trump administration, with ample tools at its disposal to effectuate change, particularly with an attentive Republican-controlled Congress, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • 5 Notable Information Security Events In 2024

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    B. Stephanie Siegmann at Hinckley Allen discusses 2024's largest and most destructive data breaches seen yet, ranging from ransomware disrupting U.S. healthcare systems on a massive scale, to tensions increasing between the U.S. and China over cyberespionage and the control of U.S. data.

  • US-China Deal Considerations Amid Cross-Border Uncertainty

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    With China seemingly set to respond to the incoming U.S. administration's call for strategic decoupling and tariffs, companies on both sides of the Pacific should explore deals and internal changes to mitigate risks and overcome hurdles to their strategic plans, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Series

    Playing Rugby Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing rugby, including a near-fatal accident, has influenced my legal practice on a professional, organizational and personal level by showing me the importance of maintaining empathy, fostering team empowerment and embracing the art of preparation, says James Gillenwater at Greenberg Traurig.

  • How 2025 NDAA May Affect DOD Procurement Protests

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    A bid protest pilot program included in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act shifts litigation costs onto unsuccessful bid protesters and raises claim-filing thresholds, which could increase risks to U.S. Department of Defense contractors who file protests, and reduce oversight of DOD procurement awards, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Opinion

    No, Litigation Funders Are Not 'Fleeing' The District Of Del.

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    A recent study claimed that litigation funders have “fled” Delaware federal court due to a standing order requiring disclosure of third-party financing, but responsible funders have no problem litigating in this jurisdiction, and many other factors could explain the decline in filings, say Will Freeman and Sarah Tsou at Omni Bridgeway.

  • 5 E-Discovery Predictions For 2025 And Beyond

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    In the year to come, e-discovery will be shaped by new and emerging trends, from the adoption of artificial intelligence provisions in protective orders, to the proliferation of emojis as a source of evidence in contemporary litigation, say attorneys at Littler.

  • What To Expect From Federal Cybersecurity Policy In 2025

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    There are 12 cyber policy questions to keep an eye on as the new administration and Republican control of Congress present an opportunity to advance less regulatory approaches and revisit some choices from the prior administration, say attorneys at Wiley.

  • Republican Trifecta Amplifies Risks For Cos. In 3 Key Areas

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    Expected coordination between a Republican Congress and presidential administration may expose companies to simultaneous criminal, civil and congressional investigations, particularly with regard to supply chain risks in certain industries, government contracting and cross-border investment, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Bid Protest Spotlight: Certification, Lateness, SBA Eligibility

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    In this month's bid protest roundup, Cody Fisher at MoFo examines three recent decisions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Government Accountability Office that address the treatment of a proposal that was timely submitted but received late, and highlight nuances of certification and small business eligibility requirements.

  • 7 Ways 2nd Trump Administration May Affect Partner Hiring

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    President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House will likely have a number of downstream effects on partner hiring in the legal industry, from accelerated hiring timelines to increased vetting of prospective employees, say recruiters at Macrae.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Rulings On Custodian Selection

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    Several recent rulings make clear that the proportionality of additional proposed custodians will depend on whether the custodians have unique relevant documents, and producing parties should consider whether information already in the record will show that they have relevant documents that otherwise might not be produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

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