Government Contracts Senior Associate Attorney

Government Contracts Senior Associate Attorney
Location: Washington, DC
Salary: $365,000+

Direct Counsel is seeking a Government Contracts Senior Associate to join a leading Am Law firm in Washington, DC. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced government contracts attorney to join a nationally recognized practice advising clients on complex transactional, regulatory, and national security matters.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience counseling government contractors, supporting M&A transactions, and navigating the unique regulatory landscape governing federal procurement and national security.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on a broad range of government contracts and regulatory compliance matters.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, and structured investments involving government contractors, including transactional due diligence and risk assessment.
• Counsel clients on Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) facility security clearances and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI) analyses.
• Advise on federal procurement regulations, including:
  • Small business set-aside programs
  • SBIR and STTR awards
  • Rights in technical data, software, and subject inventions
  • Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance
• Draft, review, and negotiate prime contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, and related government contracting documents.
• Provide practical legal guidance on regulatory compliance, contract performance, and government contracting strategy.
• Manage multiple complex matters while delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with a strong academic record.
• Active bar admission or eligibility to practice in Washington, DC.
• 5+ years of government contracts experience, including substantial transactional and regulatory counseling experience.
• Strong background supporting mergers, acquisitions, and structured investments involving government contractors.
• Experience with DCSA facility clearances and FOCI analyses.
• Knowledge of federal procurement regulations, including small business programs, SBIR/STTR, intellectual property rights in government contracts, and cybersecurity compliance.
• Experience negotiating government contracts, subcontracts, and teaming agreements.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Why Apply?

• Join a nationally recognized Government Contracts and National Security practice.
• Advise leading companies on sophisticated government contracting, national security, and transactional matters.
• Work alongside highly regarded attorneys in a collaborative and growing practice.
• Competitive compensation starting at $365,000+, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, health savings and flexible spending accounts, life and disability insurance, commuter benefits, generous parental leave, fertility benefits, backup care, four weeks of vacation, paid sick leave, and paid holidays.