Please join us on September 24, 2024 for a networking reception and panel discussion about career opportunities in Space Law, generously hosted by GW Law Government Contracts Advisory Council member, Seyfarth Shaw, in their Washington, DC office.
At the dawn of a new Space Race, shifting geopolitical dynamics have ushered in a new wave of regulation, guidance, and government enforcement, with a strong focus on U.S. national security interests and companies with international business operations and supply chains. Both government and private sector funding are driving major scientific and technological advancements, impacting commercial, scientific, and national security capabilities.
The Federal Government market offers opportunities for traditional and non-traditional aerospace and defense companies, as well as academic institutions, across a range of space-related programs, whereby the government is increasingly integrating commercial space solutions into national security architectures. However, participating in government contracts involves unique risks and compliance obligations, such as competition requirements and non-negotiable terms. These trends have brought renewed importance for companies to fine tune their business strategies to best position themselves to win these contracts, while also being able to monitor compliance with these unique government requirements through effective corporate compliance programs.
This panel discussion will bring a diverse range of both in-house and outside counsel perspectives on careers in space law and the skills and experiences that can help attorneys become effective advisors in this important area.
EVENT DETAILS
Location: Seyfarth Shaw at 975 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Date: September 24, 2024 at 6-8PM
Schedule: Networking Reception (6-7pm), Panel Discussion (7-8pm)
Co-Sponsored by the GW Law Government Contracts Student Association
***This event is limited to currently enrolled GW Law students. Registration will close on September 22nd. ***
SPEAKERS
Edward V. (“Teddie”) Arnold is a partner in the Government Contracts practice group at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Washington, D.C. His practice encompasses all areas of government procurement, including bid protest, contract claims, internal investigations, ethics and compliance, data rights and intellectual property, procurement fraud, small business issues, and transactional matters. Teddie regularly represents contractors in litigation before the Government Accountability Office, the Boards of Contract Appeals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and state and federal courts across the country. Teddie is also co-leader of firm’s False Claims, Whistleblower and Internal Investigations cross-department group.
Teddie is the coordinator for the Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct. In addition, he holds several positions with the ABA Section of Public Contract Law. He is currently a Co-Chair of the Contract Claims and Dispute Resolution Committee and a Vice-Chair on the Procurement Fraud and False Claims Committee, the Intellectual Property Committee, and the Accounting Cost and Pricing Committee. Teddie is also a regular speaker for Federal Publications Seminars® on government contracts ethics and compliance.
Prior to entering private practice, Teddie served as law clerk to the Honorable Glen M. Williams in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
Teddie earned his LL.M. in Government Procurement from the George Washington University Law School, his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law, and his B.A. from Washington and Lee University.
Sarah E. Barney is an associate in the Government Contracts practice group at Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Washington, D.C. Her practice spans a wide variety of government contractor issues, including bid protests, contract claims, grant regulation advising, small business issues, and due diligence reviews. She counsels clients on matters related to domestic sourcing requirements under the BAA, TAA, and Buy America regulations and the Small Business Act, such as the Small Business Administration’s SBIR/STTR and 8(a) programs. Sarah additionally has extensive experience reviewing prime contracts and subcontracts to determine FAR compliance obligations and drafting internal contractor policies related to FAR required programs.
Sarah regularly represents contractors at the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and various state and federal courts. She has additional experience litigating complex civil matters in government contracts-adjacent fields, including trade secrets, RICO, and ERISA-related litigation
Sarah is an active member in the ABA Public Contract Law Section and serves as a Vice-Chair on the Young Lawyers Committee. She is an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School teaching a pre-1L experiential course and actively mentors law students and undergraduate students. She is a regular contributor to publications on government contracts trends and developments and has authored several chapters on government contract statutes and requirements.
Prior to joining Seyfarth, Sarah was a litigation associate at a Washington D.C.-based law firm and served as an intern for the Honorable Thomas C. Wheeler and for the Honorable Loren A. Smith.
Sarah earned a J.D. with honors and a concentration in Public Procurement from the George Washington University Law School. She received B.A.s in Political Science and Acting from Pepperdine University. She holds bar memberships in the District of Columbia and Virginia.
Katie John is a Senior Associate General Counsel at ABL Space Systems Company, where she serves as the head of ABL’s government contracts legal and compliance functions. Katie’s practice focuses on shepherding emerging and high tech companies through all phases of their federal market journey. Prior to ABL, Katie managed the public sector legal team at RingCentral. Katie has also served as in-house counsel to Oracle and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Before moving in-house, Katie was a member of the government contracts departments at both McKenna Long & Aldridge and Baker Hostetler. There, Katie represented clients in all aspects of government contracts law, including protests, claims, investigations, and go-to-market counseling.
Katie is active in the ABA’s Public Contract Law Section and is currently Co-Chair of the Section’s Intellectual Property Committee.
Katie graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School, where she served as Senior Articles Editor of the Public Contract Law Journal. During her time at GW Law, Katie was also active with the moot court, mock trial, and alternative dispute resolution boards, as well as the Student Bar Association.
Janna Lewis joined Astroscale U.S. in May 2024 as Senior Vice President of Policy and General Counsel to provide strategic policy and legal direction to support the company’s growth and compliance with evolving regulations. She also serves as Secretary of the Astroscale U.S. Board of Directors.
Prior to joining Astroscale, she was a senior attorney and technology strategist with BAE Systems, Inc., focused on legal and policy matters in national defense, intelligence, and commercial space. She has unique, cross-sector expertise in advising programs and technology development for U.S. government and commercial initiatives, including launch services, satellite integration, on-orbit communications and sensing, microelectronics, and cybersecurity.
Janna began her career in private legal practice, where she served as counsel to U.S. and international clients in the aerospace and defense, commercial space, and telecommunications industries. She then worked for Facebook, where she helped frame industry partnerships to catalyze the delivery of space-based and high-altitude global connectivity solutions. From there, she facilitated innovation and strategic collaborations for Northrop Grumman’s Missions Systems Sector before joining BAE Systems.
Janna is a volunteer with the Space Foundation, served on the Defense Innovation Board’s Space Advisory Committee, and is a registered patent attorney. She is also a member of the International Institute of Space Lawyers and the AIA Intellectual Property Committee. Passionate about strategic space policy, Janna frequently speaks publicly about the rapidly evolving laws and policies affecting defense and commercial space. She is committed to increasing diversity in the space industry, and she is a strong advocate for new space professionals.
Frank Windham, Jr., is Senior Corporate Counsel within the Space Systems Sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation. In this role, Frank advises business units and Northrop Grumman subsidiaries within the Payload and Ground Systems Division on matters related to federal procurement law, international and commercial contracts, and real estate transactions.
Prior to his role at Northrop Grumman Corporation, from November 2011 to February 2020, Frank served in the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel (DON OGC) as an Associate Counsel, Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Sea Systems Command, and on a competitive rotation at the Navy Secretariat level. During his career with DON OGC, Frank provided legal support to several program offices, practicing the full breadth and depth of federal acquisition and fiscal law, where he advised clients on matters pertaining to major weapons systems programs, competitive and sole source procurements, bid protests, contract negotiations, contract administration, technical data rights, requests for equitable adjustment, contract claims and disputes, and the Antideficiency Act.
Frank graduated cum laude from The University of Alabama, where he obtained an Honors College certificate, in May of 2007 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Frank earned his Juris Doctor from the Howard University School of Law in May of 2010. Frank is admitted to practice law in the State of New York.
Frank is an active member of his community. Frank is a member of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Public Contract Law Section (PCLS). Frank also supports his law school as an alumni, and is a trustee at the Walker Memorial Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. Frank resides in Owings, Maryland with his wife, Tinelle, and their three children, Elijah, Audrianna, and Isabelle.