Elizabeth Leavy

Liz represents companies ranging from large defense contractors and small businesses to efficiently resolve disputes related to the award, administration, and termination of federal and state government contracts. She specializes in bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Court of Federal Claims, the Small Business Administration, and federal and state agencies. She also represents contractors in internal, government, and Congressional investigations and False Claims Act litigation. Additionally, Liz helps contractors resolve claims, requests for equitable adjustment, suspension and debarment, and contract and grant terminations. Her experience spans the federal government, handling disputes against agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, State Department, Department of Energy, EPA, Department of Commerce, and General Services Agency. She also represents government contractors in bid protests of state and local government contract awards.

In addition to litigation, Liz serves as an outside partner to government contractors and works with them daily to ensure compliance with the FAR and DFAR, and resolve issues that arise from noncompliance. She conducts compliance audits and develops policies, procedures, and trainings to ensure compliance with the FAR and DFAR. She works hand-in-hand with clients to navigate issues such as mandatory disclosure obligations, small business representations, Foreign Ownership and Control, and whistleblower allegations. She has helped contractors address issues such as misrepresentations of small business status, noncompliance with the wage and hour requirement of the Service Contract Act and the Davis-Bacon Act, and supply chain challenges related to compliance with the Buy American Act, the Trade Agreements Act, and the Build America Buy America requirements. Liz also works with contractors to negotiate subcontracts, joint venture agreements, mentor-protégé agreements, teaming agreements, and ensure compliance from subcontractors and lower-tier suppliers.

Liz partners with Winston’s Private Equity and M&A practice to provide specialized due diligence on transactions involving the sale of a government contractor or its assets. She advises on risks to revenue as well as civil and criminal liability relating to government contracting compliance, guides contractors through the novation process, changes to a company’s foreign ownership status, and/or changes to a company’s small business size status resulting from a transaction.