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CO-CHAIR, GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS PRACTICE GROUPJustin focuses his practice on all aspects of federal, state, and local procurement law. He has spent his entire career helping leading and emerging aerospace, defense, and government services contractors successfully navigate high-stakes litigation, compliance, and regulatory matters. Recent engagements include the successful defense of a $3.1 billion contract award to replace the U.S. Postal Service’s vehicle fleet, managing the government contracts aspects of the $590 million sale of a defense and intelligence solutions provider, and defeating a $10 million False Claims Act suit based on the public disclosure bar.Justin’s experience extends to the full range of issues contractors encounter in the public sector marketplace, including bid protests, government investigations, contract claims and disputes, cost accounting and audit matters, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, suspension and debarment, and False Claims Act defense. In his role as practice co-chair, Justin leads a team of 25 professionals, with a singular focus on client service.Justin was recently recognized as a client service All-Star by BTI Consulting Group (one of only three Government Contracts lawyers nationally) and selected by Law360 as a Government Contracts MVP for 2020. Chambers USA notes that Justin is “[c]alled ‘an emergent presence in the government procurement law space.’” Chambers also states that sources say he is “really strong lawyer” and “good leader who lets his team shine.”Bid ProtestsJustin has represented contractors in more than 70 bid protests before all major protest forums, including procuring agencies, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the Court of Federal Claims, as well as in protests at the state and local level. Besides defending contract awards, he has a proven track record of obtaining injunctive relief, corrective action, favorable merits decisions, and significant settlements on behalf of clients. With more than 20 published decisions, Justin’s major protest wins include: Chronos Solutions, LLC, et al. (2020 CPD ¶ 306) (sustained protest challenging solicitation terms where the agency did not consider significant changes in the law, as well as the agency's policies and market conditions impacted by COVID-19); AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc., (2016 CPD ¶ 12) (sustained protest of GSA Schedule contract award where putative awardee’s FSS contract did not meet solicitation requirements); and Wyle Laboratories, Inc., (2014 CPD ¶ 16) (precedent-setting sustained decision regarding the impact of corporate transactions on proposal evaluations).False Claims Act Investigations and DefenseJustin maintains a nationwide False Claims Act defense practice focused on counseling, claims avoidance, government investigations, and litigation.&nbsp;Justin has represented clients in False Claims Act investigations and litigation in the Eastern District of Virginia, District for the District of Columbia, Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois, Northern District of California, Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of New York, District of Massachusetts, and Western District of Washington. His work extends to the defense of both companies and individuals in qui tam litigation. Justin has successfully resolved False Claims Act matters implicating hundreds of millions of dollars in exposure. Among other issues, Justin has handled False Claims Act matters and investigations involving logistics contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, technology alliances, export control issues, labor mapping, defective pricing, Trade Agreements Act compliance, small business programs, cost allowability, and the General Services Administration Schedule.Ethics, Compliance, and Contractor ResponsibilityComplementing his False Claims Act and investigations work, Justin has helped clients develop and strengthen ethics, compliance, and training programs, and has worked to ensure (or reinstate) contractor eligibility for federal programs.&nbsp;Justin has represented contractors before a wide range of federal agencies in responsibility matters, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior, Department of Energy, Defense Logistics Agency, and Small Business Administration. He has represented contractors in suspension and debarment matters arising from civil and criminal investigations and works closely with members of the firm’s white collar criminal defense and investigations practice in criminal investigations involving government contracts.In 2018, Justin co-authored the chapter “History and Development of Suspension and Debarment” in&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.americanbar.org/ebus/store/productdetails.aspx?productid=303230892">The Practitioner’s Guide to Suspension and Debarment, Fourth Edition</a>&nbsp;(ABA Book Publishing,&nbsp;2018).Claims and Disputes Justin has helped contractors recover millions of dollars under equitable adjustments and claims, and successfully defended contractors against government and counterparty claims (including, where necessary, through trial and appeal)&nbsp;in a broad range of contentious civil matters, from termination claims to breaches of contract to federal takings actions. He has served as lead counsel in government contracts disputes in both state and federal courts, and before arbitral forums.&nbsp;Justin has appeared as counsel before the Civilian and Armed Services Boards of Contract Appeals, Court of Federal Claims, and Federal Circuit, and has considerable experience litigating government contracts disputes in the Eastern District of Virginia and Virginia State Courts.&nbsp;Mergers &amp; Acquisitions and TransactionsJustin assists government contractors and their investors in evaluating and structuring mergers, acquisitions, and investments involving government contractors and government contracts.&nbsp;His experience extends to the fully panoply of issues arising in connection with investments and transactions involving government contracts, including small business program eligibility, due diligence, facility and personnel security issues, the mitigation of foreign ownership, control, and influence, and Anti-Assignment Act and novation matters.Counseling and Regulatory MattersJustin counsels clients on a wide range of government contract and regulatory issues, including disclosure obligations under the Mandatory Disclosure Rule, unsolicited proposals, cybersecurity, mergers and acquisitions, domestic preference provisions under the Buy American and Trade Agreements Acts, export control issues, conflict of interest issues and “revolving door” restrictions, small business and socio-economic programs, cost accounting, government audits, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, procurement integrity issues, and the GSA Schedule.

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United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

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United States Court of Federal Claims

Energy

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Life Sciences

Aviation

Software

ADG M&A

Aerospace, Defense & Government Services

ADG Intellectual Property

ADG Complex Dispute Resolution

ADG False Claims Act

ADG Real Estate

Applying Hard Lessons Learned

Pub K Government Contracts Annual Review 2026

Up the Chain: Third-Party Exposure for Private Equity, Consultants, and Funders

Blank Rome Represents J.F. Lehman & Company in Its Acquisition of Wellman Dynamics

Delayering to Spur Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base: The Practical Impact of the New Focus on Commercial Items, Cost Competitiveness & Speed

Blank Rome Recognized as a 2025 BTI Client Service A-Team by BTI Consulting Group

Blank Rome Attorneys Appointed to American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section Leadership for the 2025–2026 Term

180 Days of the Trump Administration—Quick Hits on Executive Orders, Actions, and Policies

Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices Highly Ranked in The Legal 500 United States 2025

Chambers USA 2025 Recognizes Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices

How to Get (or Keep) a Federal Contract in the Era of Trump

Hybrid Event: Export Controls Amid Evolving Trump 2.0 Trade Dynamics: Policy Updates and Best Practices

Blank Rome Partners Named to Law360’s 2025 Editorial Advisory Boards

President Trump Signs New Executive Order: “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative”—What Federal Contractors Need to Know

False Claims Act

Blank Rome Advises Gladstone Investment Corporation on Acquisition of Ricardo US Holdings, Inc.

Blank Rome Advises Gladstone Investment Corporation on Acquisition of Nielsen-Kellerman, Co.

What Contractors Facing Terminations, Stop-Work Orders, and Suspension of Work Orders Directed by the Trump Administration Need to Know

Behind the Spike in Contract Bundling and How It’s Hitting Small Businesses the Hardest

Justin A. Chiarodo Joins the Federal Drive Podcast

Blank Rome Advises Clarivate Plc in Sale of ScholarOne Manuscripts and ScholarOne Conferences to Silverchair

Blank Rome Attorneys Appointed to American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section Leadership for the 2024–2025 Term

ACC NCR Government Contractors: Current and Emerging Ethics and Compliance Issues

DDTC Issues Long-Awaited Rule Implementing AUKUS: Five Key Takeaways

Blank Rome Facilitates Sale of Coastal Clinical and Management Services to Luke Holdings

Three Takeaways from Recent Regulatory Actions Implementing AUKUS

Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices Highly Ranked in The Legal 500 United States 2024

Chambers USA 2024 Recognizes Blank Rome Attorneys and Practices

3 Takeaways from Recent U.S. Regulatory Actions Implementing AUKUS

Trending Issues in Indirect Rates

Blank Rome Partners Named to Law360’s 2024 Editorial Advisory Boards

2024 Federal Procurement Institute

Meet Our Newest Partner, Robyn Burrows

Government Contracts under the Microscope: Navigating Procurement Fraud and Mitigating Risk

How Many Federal Manufacturing Contracts Actually Go to Small Business Anyhow?

Challenges to DBE Goals in Federal Contracts Gain Steam

Gov’t Contracting Policies to Watch in 2024

How Exporting Weapons Becomes Risky for Contractors Who Make the Exports

Career Opportunities in Internal Investigations & Compliance

Small Biz Contractors at Biggest Risk as Shutdown Looms

Sustainability for Government Contractors

Blank Rome Attorneys Appointed to American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section Leadership for the 2023–2024 Term

3 Tips to Reduce False Claims Act Exposure in the Wake of United States ex rel. Schutte v. SuperValu, Inc.

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International Trade

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Foreign Corrupt Practices Act & Anti-Corruption

Privacy, Security & Data Protection

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False Claims Act Investigations & Defense

Bid Protests

Claims

Data Rights, Licensing & IP Issues in Government Contracting

Suspension & Debarment

Accounting, Cost & Pricing Issues in Government Contracting

Department of Energy (“DOE”) Contracting

Trade Enforcement

Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Team (“SWERT”)

eGovHoldings, Inc. (d/b/a Aquilent)
<ul>
<li>Represented eGov Holdings, Inc. in the government contracts aspects of its sale to Booz Allen Hamilton ($250 million).</li>
</ul>
Oshkosh Defense
<ul>
<li>Successfully defended the award of a $6.7 billion production contract to Oshkosh Defense in the Army’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Program, the largest tactical wheeled vehicle procurement in Army history. Our win followed extensive proceedings before both the GAO and Court of Federal Claims.</li>
<li>Successfully defended the award of a $3.1 billion contract by the U.S. Postal Service under the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program.</li>
</ul>
Wyle Laboratories, Inc.
<ul>
<li>Represented a leading specialized engineering, scientific and technical services company in successful sustained protest on a $1.7 billion, 10-year NASA program.</li>
</ul>
SRA International, Inc.
<ul>
<li>Led protest team that secured contract award for $1.6 billion dollar information technology contractor following corrective action in $5.6 billion dollar intelligence analysis support services procurement by Defense Intelligence Agency.</li>
<li>Secured the dismissal of a False Claim Act lawsuit seeking over $10 million in damages and penalties against a former member of Congress under the False Claims Act’s public disclosure bar, along with sanctions award against the relator and his counsel.</li>
<li>Successfully resolved False Claims Act case on behalf of one of the largest systems integrators in the world in multiyear litigation related to technology alliances—part of a series of cases involving one of the largest procurement-related FCA cases in the last decade.</li>
<li>Successfully resolved False Claims Act matter on behalf of the largest container shipping company in the world in an FCA suit related to detention charges for cargo shipped to Iraq and Afghanistan.</li>
</ul>
Boston Edison Company
<ul>
<li>Served as trial counsel for the former owner of a nuclear power plant in a 13-day trial securing a $40 million judgment against the United States for its failure to dispose of nuclear waste as required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (“NWPA”). It was the first such case addressing damages related to the post-NWPA sale of a nuclear power plant.</li>
<li>Secured reinstatement of federal program eligibility for security services contractor despite conviction of several former senior executives for government contracting fraud (including former CEO and owner); helped design and implement enhanced compliance program as part of successful transition to new ownership.</li>
<li>Represented a specialized professional services provider in a dispute involving $12 million in self-insurance costs; our analysis led the Government to withdraw the entire claim without litigation and retroactively approve all questioned self-insurance costs.</li>
<li>Represented a publicly traded manufacturer of defense articles in successfully contesting several significant deficiencies identified during an Accounting System audit performed pursuant to DFARS 252.242-7005; advocacy led the Government to rescind its deficiency findings without any payment withholdings.</li>
</ul>
Apptis, Inc.
<ul>
<li>Represented Apptis, Inc. in a successful bid protest before the Court of Federal Claims related to the $50 billion GSA Alliant GWAC program. After the court enjoined the GSA’s award decision in a 42-page opinion (in a case involving eight protestors and five intervenors), the client was awarded an Alliant contract.</li>
</ul>
VT Griffin Services, Inc.
<ul>
<li>Represented VT Griffin Services, Inc. in a dispute arising from the Army’s failure to pay millions of dollars for work at the second largest Army installation in the United States. Secured payment from the Army and favorably resolved a subcontractor’s related lawsuit in the Eastern District of Virginia through motions practice and mediation.</li>
</ul>
TKC Communications, LLC
<ul>
<li>Served as lead counsel on behalf of TKC Communications, LLC in a breach-of-lease action in Virginia state court that involved a parallel federal takings action resulting from the government’s holdover tenancy. Successfully argued against the lessor’s efforts to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages from his client in the state action and helped negotiate a favorable settlement involving his client, the United States, and the lessor in the federal action.</li>
<li>Represented one of the largest privately owned real estate developers in the United States in a successful lawsuit related to the development of CityCenterDC, securing a favorable settlement with the District of Columbia and awardee on the eve of trial.</li>
</ul>

Justin A. Chiarodo

Justin A. Chiarodo

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