Category: Meet Blank Rome

Blank Rome Government Contract and White Collar Defense & Investigations Attorneys Appointed to American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section Leadership

Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that partners Dominique L. Casimir, Justin A. Chiarodo, Stephanie M. Harden, Luke W. Meier, and Jennifer A. Short; senior counsel David M. Nadler; and associate Robyn N. Burrows, of the firm’s nationally recognized Government Contracts group, have been appointed to leadership roles for the American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) Public Contract Law Section.

They will serve in the following roles for the 2021–2022 term:

      • Dominique Casimir: Co-Chair – Debarment & Suspension Committee; Vice-Chair – Diversity Committee
      • Justin Chiarodo: Vice Chair – Mergers & Acquisitions Committee
      • Stephanie Harden: Vice Chair – Accounting, Cost & Pricing Committee
      • Luke Meier: Vice Chair – Bid Protest Committee
      • Jennifer Short: Vice Chair – Procurement Fraud & False Claims Committee
      • Dave Nadler: Vice Chair – Procurement Fraud & False Claims Committee
      • Robyn Burrows: Associate Editor – Procurement Lawyer

The ABA Section of Public Contract Law serves to provide balanced recommendations on procurement policy, provide a forum to engage with colleagues across all segments of the procurement industry, and gain insight into and develop unique perspectives of federal, state, and local public contract law. For more information, please visit the Section’s webpage.

Blank Rome Government Contracts: 2020 Year-in-Review

As 2021 shifts into high gear, Blank Rome’s Government Contracts practice is pleased to share our 2020 Year-in-Review, covering key government contracts issues, recent practice news and recognitions, and our look at the year ahead.

Thanks to the trust and support of our clients and colleagues and our dedication to our Client Service Principles, we helped guide clients through an unprecedented 2020, and look forward to partnering with them to forge ahead in 2021.

We are particularly proud of Blank Rome’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including our practice’s facilitation of the ABA Public Contract Law’s 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge. We will continue to actively support these important issues in 2021 and beyond, and firmly believe our collective and sustained action will make a difference in our profession.

Finally, if you have not already, we invite you and your team to subscribe to this Government Contracts Navigator blog, where we cover issues of importance to our government contracting community. We know there are a lot of blogs out there, but we keep a strong focus on the practical, with day-to-day business considerations in mind. Interested in the greatest hits? We’ve included in this report a list of the top 10 read posts in 2020. You can also follow us on Twitter @GovConBR.

Thank you for reading. And please let us know how we can help you and your business. Wishing you and your families health and success in 2021.

Justin A. Chiarodo
Chair, Government Contracts
202.420.2706 | jchiarodo@blankrome.com

Please visit our website to read our entire Blank Rome Government Contracts: 2020 Year-in-Review.

A Conversation with Our Newest Partner, Stephanie Harden

Justin A. Chiarodo, Dominique L. Casimir, and Stephanie M. Harden

Stephanie Harden's Headshot Photo

We are thrilled to share that Stephanie Harden—a long-time and integral member of our practice group—has been elected to the partnership. For those who haven’t had the chance to connect or work with Stephanie—which we highly recommend!—we wanted to share the highlights of our virtual chat with Stephanie (edited for the blog) to help everyone get to know her better.

First of all, congratulations on your promotion! This is obviously the culmination of many years practicing in the field—but how did you first get interested in government contracts law?

Thank you! I’m very excited about this milestone and helping our clients succeed in my new role.

I spent one of my law school summers at GAO’s Office of General Counsel, where I was first exposed to bid protest litigation. I loved the fast-paced nature of bid protests and was interested in learning more about the field. After law school, I clerked for Judge Victor Wolski on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, where I learned about a host of government contracts issues and really solidified my interest in government contracts law. Being able to observe and learn from the Judge and the advocates practicing before the Court (both from the Justice Department and private bar) gave me a strong foundation for success.

What do you enjoy most about your practice area?

I love that every day brings new challenges and the opportunity to learn about something new. Whether it’s learning about a new technology or researching a novel legal question or a FAR clause you’ve never examined before, there is rarely a dull moment in this field. Continue reading “A Conversation with Our Newest Partner, Stephanie Harden”

Blank Rome’s Justin Chiarodo Named 2020 Client Service All-Star by BTI Consulting Group

Blank Rome Partner Justin A. Chiarodo has been named to the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2020, which recognizes leaders in superior client service identified exclusively by corporate counsel. The 2020 All-Stars were selected for their keen understanding of business impacts and unwavering commitment to client objectives, which BTI Consulting Group praises as “an astounding feat when also assessing a global pandemic alongside growing client expectations of law firms.” Justin notably joins the ranks of only three Government Contracts attorneys nationwide recognized in this year’s report.

Now in its 19th year of publication, BTI Client Service All-Stars 2020 features 475 individual attorneys from 181 law firms across the United States. The All-Stars designation, which is used by corporate counsel and law firms alike to identify the attorneys delivering the best client service, is a data-driven ranking based solely on in-depth telephone interviews with leading legal decision makers. To see the full list of 2020 All-Stars, please click here. 

At Blank Rome, Justin serves as co-chair of the Firm’s nationally recognized Government Contracts practice group. He focuses his practice on all aspects of federal, state, and local procurement law, and has spent his entire career helping leading and emerging government contractors successfully navigate high-stakes litigation, compliance, and regulatory matters. Earlier this year, Justin was named a Government Contracts MVP by Law360, and he is annually ranked for Government Contracts Law in Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and Super Lawyers.