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  1. Professionals

Elizabeth Leavy

Partner

Washington, DC

+1 202-282-5026

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Liz is an experienced government contracts attorney with tremendous depth of experience helping companies grow and maintain their presence in the federal, state, and local contracting and grant space through the procurement process and mergers and acquisitions.

Liz represents companies in the resolution of disputes related to the award, administration, and termination of federal and state government contracts. Liz has successfully represented contractors in bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Court of Federal Claims, and federal and state agencies. She regularly represents contractors that are targets of government investigations and whistleblower lawsuits alleging violations of the False Claims Act, the Defense Contractor Whistleblower Reprisal Act, and other investigations conducted by various federal Offices of the Inspector General. Further, she represents clients on Contract Disputes Act claims, suspension and debarments, and the appeal of contract terminations.

Liz also provides advice and counsel to companies that hold government contracts, grants, or other nontraditional vehicles such as Other Transaction Agreements, Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, and federal loans. Liz works with these companies to negotiate agreements, such as subcontracts, joint venture agreements, mentor-protégé agreements, and teaming agreements. She also works with companies to develop policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the applicable regulations. These regulations include the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, small and other disadvantaged business regulations, wage and hour requirements specific to federal contractors, such as the Service Contract Act, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Buy America Act, and domestic preference requirements such as the Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act, as well as the Uniform Grant Regulations.

Additionally, Liz partners with transactional counsel on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructuring involving the sale of a government contractor or its assets. Liz provides specialized due diligence on such transactions, as well as post-transactional support to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations impacted by the transaction, such as contract novation and change to a company’s small business size status.

Key Matters

Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.

  • Advise recipient of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) OECD grant from inception, including advice of negotiation with DOE, budgeting, developing and implementing compliance program and procurement forms and policies, and providing daily advice
  • Advise recipient of DOE grant for construction of a battery materials processing and manufacturing facility to develop and implement compliance program
  • Advise recipient of DOE loan for construction of a lithium battery recycling plan facility to develop a Davis-Bacon Act compliance program, including managing flow down requirements to general contractor and subcontractors
  • Assist multiple non-profit federal grant recipients with developing subrecipient and subcontractor template agreements, including all regulatory and contractual flow down requirements
  • Assist subrecipient of a USAID grant to develop and implement internal compliance policies specific to travel restrictions
  • Advise semiconductor manufacturing company on compliance with potential requirements under a grant awarded through the CHIPS Act
  • Facilitated negotiations between a large railway company and the State of New Jersey to secure a subrecipient agreement under a federal block grant program
  • Advised large telecom trade association on Build America Buy America Act requirements under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and assisted with negotiating waivers with the U.S. Department of Commerce
Recent Experience
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Represented Post Capital Partners in its Acquisition of RKON
The Sterling Group Creation of Compost360 and Acquisition of Nature’s Choice

  • Legal 500 US, “Key Lawyer,” for Healthcare: Life Sciences and for Healthcare: Service Providers, 2024
  • Lawdragon, “500 Leading Global Litigators,” recognized for Global Disputes, inc. Government Enforcement, 2024
  • Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers, recognized as a “Rising Star” for Government Contracts, 2016–2022
  • Human Rights First, “Pro Bono Star Award,” 2016

  • American Bar Association Section of Public Contract Law, Bid Protest Committee, Vice Chair, 2017
  • National Contract Management Association, DC Chapter Executive Committee Member, 2013–2015
  • American Bar Association Section of Public Contract Law, Bid Protest Committee

Capabilities

Compliance Programs
Crisis Management
Government Investigations, Enforcement & Compliance
Government Program Fraud, False Claims Act & Qui Tam Litigation
Litigation/Trials
Mergers & Acquisitions
Energy
Government Contracts & Grants
Health Care
Infrastructure
Life Sciences
Medical Devices
Power & Transmission
Professional Services

Key Matters

Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.

  • Advise recipient of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) OECD grant from inception, including advice of negotiation with DOE, budgeting, developing and implementing compliance program and procurement forms and policies, and providing daily advice
  • Advise recipient of DOE grant for construction of a battery materials processing and manufacturing facility to develop and implement compliance program
  • Advise recipient of DOE loan for construction of a lithium battery recycling plan facility to develop a Davis-Bacon Act compliance program, including managing flow down requirements to general contractor and subcontractors
  • Assist multiple non-profit federal grant recipients with developing subrecipient and subcontractor template agreements, including all regulatory and contractual flow down requirements
  • Assist subrecipient of a USAID grant to develop and implement internal compliance policies specific to travel restrictions
  • Advise semiconductor manufacturing company on compliance with potential requirements under a grant awarded through the CHIPS Act
  • Facilitated negotiations between a large railway company and the State of New Jersey to secure a subrecipient agreement under a federal block grant program
  • Advised large telecom trade association on Build America Buy America Act requirements under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and assisted with negotiating waivers with the U.S. Department of Commerce
Recent Experience
Cuadrilla Capital Acquires Gluware, Inc.
Represented Post Capital Partners in its Acquisition of RKON
The Sterling Group Creation of Compost360 and Acquisition of Nature’s Choice

Credentials

Education

Elizabeth received her J.D. from Cornell Law School in 2011, where she was Articles Editor for the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. She was also president and founder of the school’s National Security Law Society chapter. She received her B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University in 2007.

    Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • New Jersey
    • New York

    Related Insights & News

    Perspectives and publications
    • “Will the Administration’s New Federal Contracting Executive Orders Result in More Efficient Procurement?,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, April 18, 2025
    • “Why Acquirers Should reevaluate Federal Contract Risk,” Law360, Co-author, March 6, 2025
    • “GSA Announces FAR Deviations to Enforce Executive Orders for Government Contractors,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Feb. 19, 2025
    • “What to Do After Receiving a Stop-Work Order or Termination of Your Federal Contract or Grant: A Practice Guide for Government Contractors and Recipients,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Feb. 7, 2025
    • “FAR Council Issues Proposed Government-Wide Cybersecurity Rule for Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Feb. 4, 2025
    • “As Trump Hits Pause on Certain Federal Financial Assistance Programs, Including for Grants and Loans, What Are Recipients’ Rights and Remedies?,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Jan. 29, 2025
    • “Executive Order Changes Requirements for Affirmative Action Plans and Other DEI Programs,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Jan. 24, 2025
    • “Prospective Tariffs on Goods from Mexico, Canada, and China,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Dec. 10, 2024
    • “DOJ Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative Continues to Impact Government Contractors – The Latest False Claims Act Settlement,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Oct. 24, 2024
    • “DOGE Cuts Freeze Once-Hot Govt. Services Sector For PE,” Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine, Quoted, April 3, 2025
    • “The DOD Proposes DFARS Amendments to Promote Contractor Compliance with CMMC 2.0,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Sept. 30, 2024
    • “Nationwide Injunction on Sections of Davis-Bacon Act Final Rule Affects Government Contracts and Grants,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, July 15, 2024
    • “The Supreme Court’s Recent Rulings—A Boon for Government Contractors?,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, July 15, 2024
    • “Summary of the FIT Procurement Act,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, June 17, 2024
    • “Proposed FAR Rule Would Ban Federal-Government Procurement of Semiconductor Products and Services from Foreign Countries of Concern,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, May 8, 2024
    • “Enforceability of EULAs in Government Contracts: A Tale of Two Cases,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Feb. 8, 2024
    • “Final Rule Issued for Government Contractors’ Requirement to Hire Incumbent Contractor Service Employees,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Dec. 27, 2023
    • “New Construction at the Department of Labor: DOL’s Recent Renovations for the Davis-Bacon Act,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Dec. 14, 2023
    • “Biden Climate Push Expands With Contractor GHG Focus,” Law360, Co-author, Nov. 8, 2023
    • “New Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions May Cost Contractors,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Nov. 2, 2023
    • “New DOJ Safe-Harbor Policy Incentivizes M&A Due Diligence on Government Contractors,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Nov. 1, 2023
    • “‘Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence:’ What the Biden Administration’s Latest Executive Order Could Mean for Government Contractors,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Oct. 31, 2023
    • “Be Prepared for CMMC Changes,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Oct. 16, 2023
    • “Coming Soon: NIST Revision 3 Requirements for Defense Contractor Protection Of Controlled Unclassified Information,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Oct. 10, 2023
    • “Government Contractors: Advice for the Imminent Government Shutdown,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Sept. 29, 2023
    • “New Federal Ban Prohibits TikTok on Devices Used on Government Contracts,” W&S Investigations, Enforcement, & Compliance Alerts, Co-author, Jun. 26, 2023
    • “U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Subjective Knowledge Requirement for False Claims Act Violations,” W&S client alert, Co-author, Jun. 5, 2023
    • PE Deals Should Consider Gov’t Contractors’ Small Biz Status, Law360, June 26, 2020
    • Unpacking GSA’s Waiver Of Medical Supply Trade Restrictions, Law360, April 21, 2020
    Blog
    Will the Administration’s New Federal Contracting Executive Orders Result in More Efficient Procurement?

    April 18, 2025

    Article
    Why Acquirers Should Reevaluate Federal Contract Risk

    March 10, 2025

    Blog
    GSA Announces FAR Deviations to Enforce Executive Orders for Government Contractors

    February 19, 2025

    Blog
    What to Do After Receiving a Stop-Work Order or Termination of Your Federal Contract or Grant: A Practice Guide for Government Contractors and Recipients

    February 7, 2025

    Blog
    FAR Council Issues Proposed Government-Wide Cybersecurity Rule for Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information

    February 4, 2025

    Blog
    As Trump Hits Pause on Certain Federal Financial Assistance Programs, Including for Grants and Loans, What Are Recipients’ Rights and Remedies?

    January 29, 2025

    Client Alert
    Executive Order Changes Requirements for Affirmative Action Plans and Other DEI Programs

    January 24, 2025

    Blog
    Prospective Tariffs on Goods from Mexico, Canada, and China

    December 10, 2024

    Blog
    DOJ Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative Continues to Impact Government Contractors – The Latest False Claims Act Settlement

    October 24, 2024

    Blog
    The DOD Proposes DFARS Amendments to Promote Contractor Compliance with CMMC 2.0

    September 30, 2024

    News
    Key Takeaways From Winston’s Fourth Annual Health Care & Life Sciences Summit

    August 15, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston Lawyers Featured on the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators List

    July 25, 2024

    View All Insights & News

    Capabilities

    Compliance Programs
    Crisis Management
    Government Investigations, Enforcement & Compliance
    Government Program Fraud, False Claims Act & Qui Tam Litigation
    Litigation/Trials
    Mergers & Acquisitions
    Energy
    Government Contracts & Grants
    Health Care
    Infrastructure
    Life Sciences
    Medical Devices
    Power & Transmission
    Professional Services
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