Kearney & Company

Government Contracts Counsel

Kearney & Company$175K — $250K *
Legal & Accounting
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
  • Active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar.
  • 8+ years of relevant legal experience in federal government procurement and contracts law.
  • Strong knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and related procurement regulations.
  • Expertise in advising on government contracting matters, compliance, and regulatory issues.
  • Proficient in identifying and communicating legal and business risks.

Responsibilities

  • Provide legal advice on federal procurement laws and regulations including the FAR and related statutes.
  • Analyze complex solicitations and procurement strategies to identify legal risks.
  • Advise proposal teams on compliance and procurement requirements during the pursuit process.
  • Assess organizational conflicts of interest and develop mitigation strategies as needed.
  • Support the Company’s expansion into state and local government contracting through detailed research.
  • Monitor and interpret changes in procurement laws, translating them into actionable guidance for the business.
  • Collaborate with various departments while ensuring a clear division of responsibilities.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance package including medical, dental, and vision.
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan and a 529 Education Savings Plan for financial planning.
  • Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts for medical expenses.
  • Employee wellness programs and legal imaging options.
  • Generous paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
Full Job Description
The Government Contracts Counsel serves as a strategic legal advisor on government procurement, regulatory compliance, and contracting risk. Reporting to the General Counsel, this position provides legal guidance across the government contracting lifecycle, with primary emphasis on federal procurement and support for the Company's expanding state and local government business.
The Government Contracts Counsel partners closely with the General Counsel, Director of Contracts, Growth/Business Development, Finance, Pricing, Technology, and operational leadership to identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risk while supporting the Company's strategic business objectives.
This position requires strong knowledge of federal procurement law, sound legal judgment, and the ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical, business-oriented advice.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
  • Provide legal advice and counsel regarding federal government procurement laws and regulations, including the FAR, agency supplements, procurement statutes, regulations, and relevant case law and administrative decisions.
  • Review and analyze complex solicitations, requests for proposals, contractual requirements, and procurement strategies to identify material legal, regulatory, compliance, and business risks.
  • Advise proposal and business teams on procurement requirements, proposal risk, representations and certifications, solicitation terms, acquisition strategy, and other legal issues arising during the pursuit process.
  • Analyze organizational conflicts of interest (OCI), procurement integrity, unequal access to information, biased ground rules, impaired objectivity, and related ethics and compliance matters; develop or advise on appropriate mitigation strategies when necessary.
  • Advise the General Counsel, Director of Contracts, and business leadership regarding non-standard or high-risk contractual provisions, including indemnification, limitations of liability, intellectual property and data rights, cybersecurity, confidentiality, audit rights, pricing obligations, termination provisions, and regulatory flow-down requirements.
  • Provide legal support regarding bid protests, procurement disputes, claims, investigations, and other government contracting matters, including coordination with outside counsel as directed by the General Counsel.
  • Monitor and analyze changes in federal procurement laws, regulations, executive actions, agency guidance, and other regulatory developments affecting government contractors; translate developments into practical guidance and recommended actions for the business.
  • Support the Company's expansion into state and local government contracting by researching and advising on jurisdiction-specific procurement requirements, contract terms, certifications, public-records requirements, indemnification, pricing provisions, cooperative purchasing arrangements, and related risks.
  • Advise on government contract vehicles and acquisition structures, including IDIQ contracts, GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts, GWACs, BPAs, and other federal and state/local procurement vehicles.
  • Develop and maintain legal guidance, policies, templates, playbooks, training, and other compliance resources related to government procurement and contracting risk.
  • Conduct legal research and prepare concise written analyses and recommendations regarding complex or emerging procurement and regulatory issues.
  • Collaborate effectively with the Contracts function while maintaining clear functional responsibilities: Contracts owns contract operations, administration, and routine transactional execution; Counsel provides legal interpretation, legal risk analysis, and advice on matters requiring legal judgment.
  • Escalate material enterprise legal risks, precedent-setting matters, and significant legal or regulatory issues to the General Counsel.
  • Perform other legal duties as assigned by the General Counsel.

Qualifications

    • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
    • Active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar.
    • Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant legal experience, including substantive experience with federal government procurement and government contracts law.
    • Demonstrated knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and federal procurement laws and regulations, with the ability to independently research, interpret, and apply complex legal and regulatory requirements.
    • Experience advising on government contracting matters involving solicitations and proposals, contract terms and compliance requirements, procurement risk, and regulatory issues.
    • Demonstrated ability to identify, analyze, prioritize, and clearly communicate complex legal and business risks.
    • Demonstrated ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical, business-oriented advice that appropriately balances legal risk, compliance obligations, and business objectives.
    • Strong legal research, analytical, drafting, negotiation, and written and oral communication skills.
    • Ability to independently manage complex legal matters, exercise sound judgment, prioritize competing demands, and provide clear recommendations.
    • Ability to collaborate effectively with executive leadership, attorneys, contracts professionals, and cross-functional business teams.
    • The ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

    Preferred Qualifications
    • Experience with organizational conflicts of interest (OCI), procurement integrity, ethics, and government contractor compliance.
    • Experience reviewing complex solicitations and advising on proposal strategy, procurement risk, bid protests, claims, or procurement disputes.
    • Familiarity with GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts, OASIS+, GWACs, IDIQs, BPAs, and other government-wide acquisition vehicles.
    • Experience with government contractor pricing requirements, commercial products and services, cost or pricing data, representations and certifications, and subcontracting requirements.
    • Experience advising on state and local government procurement or demonstrated ability and interest in developing expertise in state and local procurement laws and contracting requirements.
    • Familiarity with government contractor requirements involving cybersecurity, data rights, artificial intelligence, supply-chain risk, and other emerging regulatory areas.
    • Agency procurement attorney
    Prior experience as in-house counsel for a government contractor, in a law firm government contracts practice, or in a relevant federal government legal or procurement position.

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The expected salary range for this position is between $175,000 and $250,000. This range is representative of base pay only and does not include straight time pay for hours worked over 40 per week, company contributions towards paid benefits, and/or bonuses. Actual compensation (meeting or exceeding the range) will be determined based on specific experience, education, work location, clearance level, and other factors permitted by law. This position is eligible for bonuses (when applicable).

We also offer a competitive benefits package that includes:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan and 529 Education Savings Plan
  • Flexible Spending & Health Savings Account
  • Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity Insurances
  • Legal Insurance and Pet Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program, fitness and wellness benefits, and other firm benefits.
  • Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time

About Kearney & Company

Kearney & Company is an accounting and consulting firm headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The company was founded in 1985 and provides a range of services to clients in the public and private sectors. Kearney & Company specializes in financial statement audits, performance audits, and IT audits. The company has received numerous awards for its work, including being named one of the Best Places to Work in Virginia. Kearney & Company is committed to providing high-quality services to its clients and maintaining a positive work environment for its employees.
Learn more about Kearney & Company
Size
700 employees
Industry
Net Income
$20 million
Founded
1985
5 Year Trend
+20%
Revenue
$100 million

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