Robert Nichols is a partner in Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Group. He specializes in government contracts law, Iraq and Afghanistan Reconstruction contracting, and international dispute resolution. His practice entails counseling on federal, state, and international public procurement issues, including domestic and transnational legal compliance, cost accounting, foreign military sales, claims analysis and preparation, due diligence reviews to support mergers and acquisitions, export controls, domestic content restrictions, contract terms and conditions, and risk mitigation strategies. Mr. Nichols also represents large and small defense and civilian contractors in significant bid protests and litigation before the General Accounting Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, and other forums.

Mr. Nichols graduated summa cum laude from Northern Arizona University, and cum laude from Arizona State University College of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review and the Order of the Coif. Mr. Nichols also graduated with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center with a Masters of Law in International Law.

Mr. Nichols began his career by serving on active duty as a Judge Advocate General in the Honors Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Next, he clerked for the Honorable Raymond L. Finch, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and then served as a Congressional Fellow for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. Mr. Nichols has taught an international litigation and arbitration course to practicing attorneys in the LL.M. program at the Stetson University College of Law and a similar course at the University of Grenada in Spain. He is an active lecturer and writer on domestic and international government contract issues.

In The News
Mr. Nichols was featured in the Washington Post for his comments on a meeting held in Iraq to discuss construction and the final completion efforts to build the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Nichols, as well as Crowell & Moring associate Christopher E. Gagné, attended the meeting as legal counsel to the main contractor First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting. Top State Department officials, along with senior staff members from First Kuwaiti, also attended the meeting. Read more: "U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Declared Ready, With Nudge by Rockets," The Washington Post (April 18, 2008).

Education
Northern Arizona University, B.S., 1991
Arizona State University School of Law, J.D., 1994
Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., 1997

Affiliations
Admitted to practice: District of Columbia, Arizona, U.S. Virgin Islands

Publications
"Flowing Down Clauses To Non-U.S. Subcontractors: An Approach For Ensuring A Meeting Of The Minds," International Government Contractor, Vol. 5, No. 4 (April 2008). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction Contracting: Widespread Difficulties In Record-Keeping And The Contractor’s Burden Of Proof," International Government Contractor, Vol. 2, No. 5 (May 2005). Author: Robert Nichols.

Analysis: "Public-Private Partnerships: Evolutions In The U.S. Public Procurement System And Lessons Learned From The UK And The EU," International Government Contractor, Vol. 2, No. 3 (March 2005). Co-Authors: Kathy Sharp, Lauren Randall and Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction: Key Procurement Issues," Briefing Papers, No. 05-3 (February 2005). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Europe’s Movement Toward A More Competitive Market For Defense Procurement," International Government Contractor, Vol. 1, No. 6 (November 2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction: Government Contracts Year In Review," Year In Review Conference Briefs (2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

"GAO And CPA Continue To Find Numerous Setbacks Affecting Iraq Reconstruction Work," The Government Contractor, Vol. 46, No. 26 (July 2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction: Legal Issues In Subcontracting," International Government Contractor, Vol. 1, No. 1 (June 2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

Feature Comment: "Emerging Issues In Iraq Reconstruction Contracting — Audits, Investigations, And The Transition Of Sovereignty," The Government Contractor, Vol. 46, No. 18 (May 2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction: US Government Procurement Practices in a Coalition Environment," Public Procurement Law Review (2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

Feature Comment: "Iraq Reconstruction — Significant Contracting And Legal Issues," The Government Contractor, Vol. 46, No. 4 (January 2004). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Iraq Reconstruction: Needs, Opportunities, and the Contracting Environment," BNA's Federal Contracts Report, Vol. 80, No. 15 (October 2003). Author: Robert Nichols.

"Issues in Developing Breach Claims: Under the General Dynamics Compensation Cap Decision," BNA's Federal Contracts Report (April 2002). Co-Authors: Richard C. Johnson and Robert Nichols.