Christopher Garcia is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell & Moring, where he is a member of the firm’s Government Contracts Group.
As part of his government contracts practice, Chris conducts internal investigations regarding False Claims Act issues and defends against related government inquiries and investigative demands. Chris also assists clients with technology-related issues, including counseling clients in the areas of patents and data rights, and defending against government challenges to technical data and computer software rights assertions. In addition, Chris performs government contracts due diligence for buyers in transactional matters, representing government contractors in a range of industries. As part of the firm’s State and Local Practice, Chris also counsels clients on state and local procurement issues, including reviewing state and local opportunities, and leading negotiations with government customers regarding contractual terms and conditions. Chris also advises contractors on the federal Freedom of Information Act as well as state-level public records laws. He has counseled contractors in numerous reverse-FOIA actions at the federal and state levels.
From 2019 to 2020, Chris, through a secondment, served as Corporate Counsel to a major cloud computing company. In that capacity, Chris supported the company's public sector team and negotiated cloud services agreements and related professional services engagements with federal, state, local, nonprofit, education, and international public sector customers.
Chris maintains an active pro bono practice and regularly works on matters involving racial discrimination and immigration issues. Most recently, Chris provided on the ground pro bono legal representation to detained immigrants at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA.
Chris earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School, where he graduated cum laude and Order of the Coif. He was also a Sayre Macneil Scholar, a member of the Dean’s List, and elected to serve on the executive board for the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society.
While in law school, Chris worked as an extern for the Honorable Kim M. Wardlaw on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and for the Honorable Peter C. Lewis in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. He also volunteered as a mentor for Loyola’s Young Lawyers program.
Chris earned his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he graduated with honors in political science.
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: California, District of Columbia
Speeches & Presentations
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"Opening the State and Local Door: Identifying Pathways, Partnership, and (Possible) Pitfalls Under the Biden Administration," OOPS 2021, Crowell & Moring's 37th Annual Ounce of Prevention Seminar
(May 14, 2021).
Presenters: David J. Ginsberg, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, and Christopher D. Garcia.
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"Government Contracts IP: Protecting Your Secret Sauce in an Era of Hungry Customers," United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia," OOPS 20/20 - Setting Your Sights
(October 21, 2020).
Presenters: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy Jr., Christopher D. Garcia, and M. Yuan Zhou.
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"Data and Patent Rights When Contracting with the U.S. Government," Government Contracts "101" - Back to Basics Webinar
(September 23, 2020).
Presenters: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy, Jr., Christopher D. Garcia, and M. Yuan Zhou.
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"Data and Patent Rights When Contracting with the U.S. Government," Government Contracts "101" - Back to Basics, McLean, VA
(October 23, 2019).
Moderator: Christopher D. Garcia; Panelists: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy, Jr., and M. Yuan Zhou.
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"A Practicum in Government Contracts Data Rights," Government Contracts Breakfast Series, Arlington, VA
(October 8, 2019).
Panelists: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy, Jr., Nicole Owren-Wiest, Christopher D. Garcia, and M. Yuan Zhou.
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"Intellectual Property in Government Contracts: Trends & Development," Crowell & Moring's Ounce of Prevention Seminar (OOPS) 2019, Washington, DC
(May 7, 2019).
Moderator: M. Yuan Zhou; Speakers: John E. McCarthy, Jr. and Christopher D. Garcia.
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"Open for Business: State and Local Government Contracting Risks & Opportunities," Government Contracts Breakfast Series, Tysons, VA
(March 20, 2019).
Presenters: David Ginsberg, Yuan Zhou, and Christopher Garcia.
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"Intellectual Property in U.S. Government Contracting," Government Contracts Breakfast Series, Tysons, VA
(February 13, 2019).
Presenters: John McCarthy, Jonathan Baker, Christopher Garcia, and Yuan Zhou.
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"Government Contracts IP: Developments and Trends," OOPS 2018, Crowell & Moring's 34th Annual Ounce of Prevention Seminar, Washington, D.C.
(May 18, 2018).
Presenters: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy, Jr., Christopher D. Garcia, and Charles Baek.
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"Risk Management and Mitigation in the Supply Chain and Its Prime Contract," NCMA Workshop & Executive Leadership Training, Los Angeles, CA
(October 19, 2017).
Presenters: David B. Robbins, Christopher D. Garcia, and Daniel Wierzba.
Publications
Client Alerts & Newsletters
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"National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021: Need-to-Know Provisions for Government Contractors,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(January 12, 2021).
Contacts: Charles Baek, Jonathan M. Baker, Adelicia R. Cliffe, Stephanie L. Crawford, Peter Eyre, Christopher D. Garcia, Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, Michael G. Gruden, CIPP/G, J. Chris Haile, Olivia Lynch, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Michael E. Samuels
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"Contractors May Include Third-Party Restrictive Markings on Unlimited Rights Data,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(December 23, 2020).
Contacts: Jonathan M. Baker, John E. McCarthy Jr., Nicole Owren-Wiest, M. Yuan Zhou, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Fastest 5 Minutes: Supply Chain Security, Teaming Agreements, Cost Claims (September 11),"
Podcast: Fastest 5 Minutes in Government Contracts
(September 11, 2020).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Introducing the "Government Contracts Classroom","
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(February 20, 2020).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Daniel R. Forman, Christopher D. Garcia
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"DCMA’s Cybersecurity Oversight Takes Shape: Revised CPSR Guidebook Outlines DFARS Safeguarding Clause Audit Standards,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(March 6, 2019).
Contacts: Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Evan D. Wolff, Maida Oringher Lerner, Christopher D. Garcia, Michael G. Gruden, CIPP/G
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"Government Contracts Intellectual Property: Contractors Beware, Stick to Prescribed Technical Data Marking Legends,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(December 21, 2018).
Contacts: Nicole Owren-Wiest, John E. McCarthy Jr., Jonathan M. Baker, M. Yuan Zhou, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Small Biz Get An Extra Two Years for Revenue Lookback,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(December 20, 2018).
Contacts: Amy Laderberg O'Sullivan, Lorraine M. Campos, Olivia Lynch, Christopher D. Garcia
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"DoD Proposes Limitations & Prohibitions on Use of LPTA Source Selection Process,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(December 11, 2018).
Contacts: Adelicia R. Cliffe, Peter Eyre, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Software Development Under Government-Funded Technology Investment Agreements Is Development "Exclusively at Private Expense" Under Data Rights Clauses,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(August 27, 2018).
Contacts: Nicole Owren-Wiest, John E. McCarthy Jr., Jonathan M. Baker, M. Yuan Zhou, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Commercial License Terms May Govern Even Without Contracting Officer Knowledge,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(July 30, 2018).
Contacts: Nicole Owren-Wiest, John E. McCarthy Jr., Jonathan M. Baker, Skye Mathieson, M. Yuan Zhou, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Relying On 'Seismic Shifts In Digital Technology,' Supreme Court Requires Probable Cause For Historical Cellphone-Location Data,"
White Collar Alert
(June 25, 2018).
Contacts: Nimrod Haim Aviad, Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, Rebecca Monck Ricigliano, Paul M. Rosen, Matt Gander, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Another Circuit Weighs in on Border Search Authority Creating Circuit Split,"
White Collar Alert
(May 25, 2018).
Contacts: Kelly T. Currie, Rebecca Monck Ricigliano, Paul M. Rosen, Christopher D. Garcia
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"GSA Finalizes Rule Declaring Certain Commercial Supplier Agreement Terms Unenforceable,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(February 26, 2018).
Contacts: Jonathan M. Baker, Lorraine M. Campos, John E. McCarthy Jr., Nicole Owren-Wiest, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Searches of Electronic Devices at the Border Increase Nearly 60 Percent; DHS Issues Updated Border Search Policy,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(January 8, 2018).
Contacts: Paul M. Rosen, Kelly T. Currie, Christopher D. Garcia
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"Gag Orders on Tech Companies: A Higher Burden on Prosecutors,"
Privacy Law Alert
(November 20, 2017).
Contacts: Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, Paul M. Rosen, Christopher D. Garcia
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"DOJ Asks Supreme Court to Resolve Split Over Its Ability to Compel Foreign Records,"
White Collar Alert
(August 21, 2017).
Contacts: Nimrod Haim Aviad, Paul M. Rosen, Christopher D. Garcia
Firm News & Announcements