Government Contracts Counsel

Kearney & Company•Alexandria, VA

About The Position

Kearney & Company is seeking a Government Contracts Counsel to serve as a legal advisor and subject-matter expert on government procurement law and contracting risk. Reporting to the General Counsel, this individual-contributor role advises on complex, non-standard, and elevated-risk matters, primarily involving federal procurement, with targeted support for state and local government work. The Counsel partners 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 strategic business objectives. The role requires strong knowledge of federal procurement law, sound legal judgment, and the ability to translate complex requirements into practical, business-oriented advice. The position develops or supports legal guidance, contract positions, templates, playbooks, and training for recurring or elevated government-contracts issues. It conducts research, prepares written analyses and recommendations, monitors relevant legal and regulatory developments, and escalates material enterprise risks and significant issues to the General Counsel. Work location may change based on client requirements. The expected base salary range is $175,000–$250,000. Actual compensation depends on factors including experience, education, work location, and clearance level. The position is eligible for bonuses when applicable. Kearney & Company offers a competitive benefits package, and describes its work environment as flexible, collaborative, and open-minded.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

Experience with organizational conflicts of interest (OCI), procurement integrity, ethics, and government contractor compliance.
Experience reviewing complex solicitations and advising on proposal 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.
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.

Responsibilities

Provide legal advice on federal government procurement laws and regulations, including the FAR, agency supplements, procurement statutes, relevant case law, and administrative decisions.
Review complex solicitations, requests for proposals, contractual requirements, and acquisition structures to identify legal, regulatory, and contractual risks and communicate business implications.
Advise proposal and business teams on procurement requirements, representations and certifications, solicitation terms, acquisition structures, and proposal-related legal risks.
Analyze organizational conflicts of interest, procurement integrity, unequal access to information, biased ground rules, impaired objectivity, and related legal or ethics issues; recommend mitigations and coordinate with Quality Management and business leaders.
Advise leadership on non-standard or high-risk contract provisions, including indemnification, liability limits, intellectual property and data rights, cybersecurity, confidentiality, audit rights, pricing, termination, and regulatory flow-downs.
Monitor material developments in procurement law, regulation, executive action, and agency guidance; translate developments into practical recommendations and coordinate implementation with process owners.
Support selected state and local government contracting matters through research and advice on jurisdiction-specific requirements, terms, certifications, public-records requirements, pricing, cooperative purchasing, 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 vehicles.
Develop or support legal guidance, contract positions, templates, playbooks, and training for recurring or elevated government-contracts issues.
Conduct legal research and prepare concise written analyses and recommendations on complex or emerging procurement and regulatory issues.
Collaborate with Contracts and other functions while respecting role boundaries: Contracts owns operations, administration, and routine transactional execution; business functions own proposal management, pricing, professional-independence determinations, and day-to-day compliance execution; Counsel provides legal interpretation, legal risk analysis, and advice 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.