Catherine O. Shames
Overview
Catherine O. Shames is a counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell & Moring, where she is a member of the firmʼs Government Contracts Group.
Career & Education
- College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, J.D.
- College of William & Mary, Mason School of Business, M.B.A.
- Duke University, Sanford School of Public Policy, M.P.P.
- Randolph-Macon Woman's College, B.A.
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Catherine's Insights
Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.09.25
DCAA Announces Reorganization Plans
On April 7, 2025, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) announced agency reorganization plans aimed at reducing the number of field offices and centralizing audit operations. DCAA plans to close 40 smaller audit suboffices around the country, many staffed with fewer than 10 personnel, to reduce the costs of associated leases. The agency will also consolidate the existing Region Audit Directorates for the Eastern, Central and Western Regions and four Corporate Audit Directorates (CADs), located proximate to large contractors, into three new Directorates—Land, Sea, and Air. The audit offices of the CADs will be merged into the new Directorate that most closely aligns with a contractor’s product. DCAA’s announcement states that the organizational restructuring will be completed by September 30, 2025. The full text of the announcement is available here.
Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.21.25
Contractor Business Systems: Out With the Old, In With the New (Terminology)
Speaking Engagement | 01.09.25
"What Will the New Year Bring for Government Contracts?" Crowell & Moring, 2025.
Client Alert | 22 min read | 01.07.25
The FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act: Key Provisions Government Contractors Should Know
Insights
Catherine's Insights
Client Alert | 1 min read | 04.09.25
DCAA Announces Reorganization Plans
On April 7, 2025, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) announced agency reorganization plans aimed at reducing the number of field offices and centralizing audit operations. DCAA plans to close 40 smaller audit suboffices around the country, many staffed with fewer than 10 personnel, to reduce the costs of associated leases. The agency will also consolidate the existing Region Audit Directorates for the Eastern, Central and Western Regions and four Corporate Audit Directorates (CADs), located proximate to large contractors, into three new Directorates—Land, Sea, and Air. The audit offices of the CADs will be merged into the new Directorate that most closely aligns with a contractor’s product. DCAA’s announcement states that the organizational restructuring will be completed by September 30, 2025. The full text of the announcement is available here.
Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.21.25
Contractor Business Systems: Out With the Old, In With the New (Terminology)
Speaking Engagement | 01.09.25
"What Will the New Year Bring for Government Contracts?" Crowell & Moring, 2025.
Client Alert | 22 min read | 01.07.25
The FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act: Key Provisions Government Contractors Should Know
