Victoria Combs (JD ’24) is the 2023-2024 Editor-in-Chief of the Public Contract Law Journal (PCLJ) and the GW Law “Boyd Scholar.” We spoke with Victoria about her thoughts on GW Law, her experience in the Government Procurement Law Program, and her plans for the PCLJ this year.
Interview With Victoria Combs
What is your hometown? Why did you decide to go to law school?
I am from Kokomo, Indiana, a smallish town near Indianapolis. I attended Butler University, and throughout my undergraduate studies, I studied political science, history, and sociology. During this time, I developed an appreciation for governmental structures and became particularly interested in regulatory and administrative law. Reflecting back, as a first-generation college student from a rural community, I did not particularly understand much about the practice of law until I arrived on GW’s campus as a 1L. However, I have learned a great deal since then and continue to learn more every day, but I am very grateful to have made the decision to come to law school.
How did you discover the government contracts field?
I found the government contracts field after I picked up a Government Contracts Student Association (GCSA) flier for an event called “What Is Government Contracts?” I went to the event and heard Professor Schooner colorfully describe the various and exciting opportunities available in the field. As a result of that meeting, I started attending GCSA events regularly, finding out more about GW’s program, and signing up for the courses.
What is the Public Contract Law Journal (PCLJ) and why should students consider joining this journal? What skills and opportunities does the journal offer students?
PCLJ is dedicated to publishing scholarship exclusively on public contract and grant law. It is a collaborative effort between GW Law and the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Public Contract Law.
Students should consider joining PCLJ because it is an excellent way to dive into the field of government contracts. From my perspective, many aspects of law school tend to be highly competitive and seemingly antithetical to teamwork; however, the participation on the Journal is one of the narrow areas where you can truly work together with your peers to aid in the publication of meaningful and forward-thinking scholarship.
Further, PCLJ offers students the chance to sharpen their editorial skills and provides many opportunities for professional development. Students can first very practically develop their research and writing skill through completing production assignments that support the publication of articles and through writing their note. Beyond honing these valuable skills, students can also gain collaborative and leadership skills through joining the Editorial Board. On the Board, students can mentor other members and provide guidance throughout the note writing process or do the challenging work of guiding articles through the editing process. Students also have the opportunity to have their note published in the Journal, which allows for their writing to be read by practitioners actively working in the field. Finally, PCLJ has an abundance of wonderful alumni who, from my experience, are excited to share their experiences and give advice to current members.
Please describe your experience with the PCLJ.
My experience with PCLJ has been incredibly valuable. When researching GW’s different journals, I knew I wanted to be on PCLJ because it provided such a clear connection to the field. As a member, I was able to develop a note that afforded me the opportunity to really investigate the changing landscape of technology’s role in procurement. The writing process gave me the chance to connect with practitioners and hear diverse perspectives on important issues in the field.
Broadly, PCLJ has allowed me the opportunity to problem-solve and work with other members to make difficult decisions. It has truly been wonderful to work with members to become a better editor and team player. Finally, PCLJ has been a fantastic way for me to engage with emerging issues within the field. I have genuinely valued reading articles and student notes that are creative, critical, and explore many nuanced areas of the law. I have deeply appreciated the opportunity to help share these innovative and insightful pieces with the community and the Journal’s readership.
Please describe your note topic – what was that process like?
My note discusses the role that artificial intelligence (AI) can play in promoting efficiency and encouraging accountability in conducting past performance evaluations. The note writing process was enjoyable and allowed for me to engage in fascinating conversations about the future of federal procurement.
Last summer I was scrolling through Linkedin and found an article Dean Tillipman wrote on the potential for AI within the procurement sphere. As a lifelong robotics enthusiast, I was instantly interested in how automation and emerging technology could play a role in procurement. It was really a serendipitous combination of my interests that I came across at the perfect time. I emailed Dean Tillipman to learn more, and she connected me with the professionals who were working on the projects I was interested in writing about. Then, I continued to reach out to folks and to research information on the topic, and I ultimately completed a note that captured an issue I am passionate about and that will hopefully provide a valuable contribution to the Journal.
Any advice for new members of the PCLJ?
PCLJ provides an excellent avenue into the government contracts field. For new members, I would recommend thinking about notes topics early. As soon as you can identify a topic that is interesting to you, you can connect with practitioners that will be able to give you direction or inspiration. Please do not think that you cannot write an effective, publication-worthy note if you are not necessarily passionate about government contracts. Some of the most interesting notes that we publish come from members taking an area of interest to them and meaningfully connecting to it federal procurement. However, if you pick a note topic that you have no interest in, it will likely make the many hours you will have to dedicate to note writing all that more challenging.
Also, while members’ work on editing assignments are incredibly valuable to PCLJ overall, they also provide you with the ability to better your own editing skills. Welcome the assignments as an opportunity to become a stronger editor, and if you have questions about substantiation or citations, then, of course, reach out to anyone on the Board—but PCLJ also has a wonderful resource in our librarian, Mary Kate Hunter. Reach out to her!
Tell us about your 2L summer experience and how your involvement in the government contracts program at GW Law impacted that experience.
Throughout my 2L summer, I have been working in NASA’s Office of the General Counsel’s Contract and Acquisition Integrity Practice Group. My involvement with the government contracts program at GW has greatly impacted my experience at NASA. I have been working on issues regarding both contract formation and administration as well as suspension and debarment matters. Particularly, I have been working on bid protest litigation, where I have been conducting research on the agency’s position in protests along with drafting documents to be filed with GAO. My work in the Formation of Government Contracts course was essential to my understanding of the everyday work I get to do at NASA, from participating in acquisition planning and interpreting solicitations to defending the agency.
You won the 2023 Arnold & Porter Government Contracts Moot Court Competition along with your partner, Ethan Syster. Can you tell us about that experience?
The Arnold & Porter Government Contracts Moot Court Competition was an excellent opportunity to develop my oral advocacy, brief writing, and collaboration skills. I am so grateful that I got to work with Ethan Syster, who was a fantastic partner who challenged me to think about issues in a different light and helped me continuously improve and build confidence throughout the semester. Overall, I feel that we both greatly benefitted from participation in the course.
Further, I would highly recommend taking the course. The Moot Court Competition is structured as a semester-long credit/no-credit course that meets once a week. Throughout the course, students work with a partner to develop an oral argument and brief on a government contracts issue. I enjoyed the aspect of meeting with the same group of students each week and cheering each other on, providing insightful feedback, and seeing how everyone’s arguments developed. At the beginning of the semester, I was incredibly nervous to stand in front of the class and simply introduce myself. However, by the time I was standing in front of the three Court of Federal Claims judges, I was, of course, still nervous but I felt much more confident and capable in my abilities.
What advice do you have for students who are interested in government contracts?
If you are interested in government contracts, I would absolutely recommend plugging into all of the wonderful opportunities available at GW and DC more broadly. First, join the GCSA; you will have the ability to attend meetings featuring GW alumni and unique opportunities to learn about careers in the field. Second, take the courses! The online, asynchronous course is short and gives you a grasp on the many acronyms and terms of art that pervade every aspect of government contracts. Additionally, I found the Formation & Performance of Government Contracts courses highly practical and still look over my notes on areas we covered in these courses as I read PCLJ articles and work on projects at NASA. Third, as a law student, you have access to the ABA’s Public Contract Section. Within the section, you can attend various committee meetings where you will have the opportunity to hear insightful perspectives on issues within the community, as well as get to meet practitioners and hear about the work they do. Fourth, talk to professors and alumni. Our professors are excellent and very welcoming; they are more than willing to chat or point you in the direction of someone to speak with.