Government Contract Litigation Associate

Advocates Legal Recruiting; Washington; On-site; USD 260,000 - 365,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocates Legal Recruiting is recruiting for a Government Contract Litigation Associate in Washington, DC, with 3–5 years of experience in litigation or investigations and a clear government contracts angle. The role includes False Claims Act and qui tam work, DOJ/OIG inquiries, bid protests, and procurement counseling within a major AmLaw 100 firm presence.

The base salary listed ranges from $260,000 to $365,000, reflecting a high-stakes, broad practice that touches defense, technology,

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of associate-level experience in litigation or investigations.
• Strong government contracts angle with FAR/SBA familiarity.
• Experience with FCA or qui tam matters is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Handle a mix of False Claims Act and qui tam defense, DOJ/OIG inquiries, bid protests, and procurement counseling.
• Engage in claims litigation, suspension and debarment work, and M&A/PE deal support involving regulated contractors.
• Contribute to a broad government contracts practice across defense, technology, cybersecurity, telecoms, and construction.

Skills

Litigation experience

Investigation exposure

FCA/qui tam familiarity

Court of Federal Claims

Job description

Government Contract Litigation Associate

Washington, United States | Posted on 07/21/2026

Washington, D.C. | Government Contracts Litigation Associate | 3 to 5 Years

Our AmLaw 100 client, a leading firm in this space, is hiring a midlevel associate in Washington for government contracts work that is broad, high-stakes, and not boxed into one lane. The platform is established and growing, with more than 1,000 lawyers across 19 offices, a serious D.C. presence, and continued investment in its government contracts bench.

Role Summary

This is not a paper-only seat. Expect a mix of False Claims Act and qui tam defense, DOJ and OIG inquiries, bid protests, claims litigation, suspension and debarment work, procurement counseling, and transaction support tied to M&A and private equity deals involving regulated contractors. The practice touches defense, technology, cybersecurity, telecoms, construction, services, and other federal contractor work. Base salary is listed at $260,000 to $365,000.

Candidate Profile

The best fit is a 3 to 5 year associate with real reps in litigation or investigations and a clear government contracts angle. Experience with the FAR, SBA regulations, cost accounting issues, GAO or Court of Federal Claims practice, and FCA or qui tam matters will matter here. A Court of Federal Claims clerkship is a plus.

Why This Role

This team gives associates better range than most groups in the space. You can build across disputes, investigations, counseling, and deal support inside a Chambers and Legal 500 recognized national firm that is active in mid-market M&A, invests in formal associate development, offers billable credit for pro bono, and has made a real push into Harvey-backed AI tools.