WASHINGTON, DC, February 28, 2022: Barron Avery, a leading government contracts lawyer, joins Morgan Lewis today as a partner resident in Washington, DC. Barron, who will lead the firm’s government contracts practice, advises clients across industries on federal contracting disputes, rules, and regulations. He arrives from BakerHostetler, where he led the government contracts practice and the aerospace and defense industry team.
“Barron is a skilled practitioner who is well positioned to advise on the myriad challenges and opportunities facing companies that contract with the US government,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “His experience will be invaluable to government contractors and subcontractors seeking to navigate a complex regulatory scheme and benefit from the renewed focus on federal procurement activity.”
In addition to the aerospace and defense industries, Barron represents clients in the logistic, telecommunications, media, construction, and technology industries. He brings and defends bid protests at the Government Accountability Office and the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and litigates contract disputes before the COFC and key boards of contract appeals.
“With the likely expansion of infrastructure projects and continuing growth in the areas of investigations, cross-border investments, and government-related litigation expected, Barron’s insights will prove extremely useful and timely to our clients,” said J. Gordon Cooney, Jr., leader of the firm’s global litigation practice. “He joins our multidisciplinary team—some of whom have served in military intelligence—in guiding companies doing business with the federal government in areas ranging from litigation, investigations, disclosures, and suspension and debarment issues, as well as False Claims Act litigation.”
Barron is the latest of several partners who have joined Morgan Lewis and who focus on government-related activities. Most recently, the firm announced that Kelly Gibson, former acting deputy director of enforcement for the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC), director of the SEC’s Philadelphia Regional Office, and inaugural leader of the nationwide Climate and Environmental, Social, and Governance Task Force, will join the firm as a partner in the coming months. In Washington earlier this year, US Department of Justice and US Federal Communications Commission veteran David Plotinsky and SEC lawyer Erin Martin also joined the firm’s strong bench of former government officials.