Government Contracts Senior Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 310,000 - 420,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life and disability insurance

Paid holidays

Generous parental leave

Job summary

Direct Counsel seeks an experienced Government Contracts Senior Associate to join its Washington, DC office. This role focuses on advising clients on government contracts, regulatory compliance, and strategic risk in a leading Am Law environment.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years of government contracts experience, with a strong background in transactional counseling, DCSA clearances, FOCI analyses, and federal procurement regulations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of government contracts experience with transactional and regulatory counseling.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions involving government contractors.
• Knowledge of DCSA facility clearances and FOCI analyses.
• Strong knowledge of federal procurement regulations and cybersecurity compliance.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on government contracts and regulatory compliance matters.
• Support M&A transactions involving government contractors, including due diligence and risk assessment.
• Counsel on DCSA facility clearances and FOCI analyses.
• Advise on federal procurement regulations, SBIR/STTR and cyber compliance.
• Draft, review, and negotiate prime contracts, subcontracts, and teaming agreements.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

DC bar admission or eligibility

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

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 programsSBIR and STTR awardsRights in technical data, software, and subject inventionsCybersecurity 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.

Benefits

• 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.