Jon W. van Horne will teach a course called “Introduction to Government Contracts” at Solo Practice University®.

Based on his experience in government and corporate positions as well as private practice, John focuses on strategic advice on government contracting problems and on contract litigation against the U.S. Government, primarily bid protests before the Government Accountability Office and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. He has also dealt with all aspects of the U.S. Government procurement process and with related policy matters, contract issues involving U.S. state and local governments, U. S. Government regulation of international business, and international contracts, as well as a wide range of transactional and litigation matters.

John has served as an Assistant to the General Counsel of the Navy and Associate Counsel, Naval Air Systems Command and as in-house counsel in several departments of the General Electric Company, with responsibility for all legal matters. He has conducted contract litigation in the administrative tribunals, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the District of Columbia Superior Court. In addition to providing advice on government contract matters, including grants and leases, to a number of the clients, John has participated in due diligence exercises for corporate sales. He has represented clients in commercial business matters, including such matters as sale of a business, drafting of commercial procurement and sales contracts, dealings with foreign sales representatives, drafting corporate policies, standard contracts and forms, negotiation and drafting of agreements for international and domestic transactions, and corporate compliance reviews and compliance structuring.

John currently teaches on-line for the Acquisition and Supply Chain Management program at the University of Maryland University College.

Education

• J.D., Harvard Law School, 1971
• M.P.A., John F. Kennedy School of Government, 1971
• B.A., Andrews University, 1967

Admitted to Practice

• District of Columbia
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Positions Held

• Attorney-Advisor, U.S. General Accounting Office, 1971-1972
• Attorney-Advisor, Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, 1972-1976
• Assistant to the General Counsel of the Navy, 1976-1978
• Associate Counsel, Naval Air Systems Command, 1978
• Corporate Counsel, General Electric Company, Aerospace Group, 1978-1985
• Manager, Procurement Policy, General Electric Company, Washington DC, 1985-1987
• Partner, McDermott, Will & Emery, Washington DC, 1987-1997
• Partner, Greenberg Traurig, Washington DC, 1997-2004
• Principal, Law Office of Jon W. van Horne, Esq., Washington DC, 2004 to present
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Management & Technology, University of Maryland University College, 2008 to present

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Syllabus – Introduction to Government Contracts

What Every Attorney Should Know About Government Contracts

• Red Flags
  • Bid Protests
  • Fraud Allegations
• Sovereign Immunity Lives
  • Square Corners
  • Agents with limited authority
  • Dispute Jurisdictions
  • Christian Doctrine
• Administrative law meets contract law
  • Rules for Small Businesses
  • Socio-economic Policies
• Blacklisting government contractors
• Cost Based Contracting
  • Cost Allowability and Cost Allocation Rules
  • Truth in Negotiations
  • Government Audit Rights
• Industrial Espionage in Government Contracting
• False Claims and Qui Tam
• Anti-Assignment Acts

Do I want to do this? Pros and Cons of a government contracts practice

• What is the market available to solos?
• What are the related practice areas?
• What about state and local public procurement?

Getting serious about a government contracts practice

• A Starting Library
• On-line Resources
• Organizations of Interest