Michelle D. Coleman is a counsel in the Government Contracts Group in Crowell & Moring’s Washington, D.C. office. Michelle advises clients from diverse industries in connection with contract disputes and other government contract matters, including Contract Disputes Act (CDA) claims and requests for equitable adjustments, fiscal law questions, prime-sub disputes, and bid protests.
Prior to working at Crowell & Moring, Michelle served as an attorney in the Air Force’s Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate, where she provided acquisition and litigation risk advice on procurements valued over $14 billion on major Air Force procurements. She also served as a trial attorney in the Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Commercial Law and Litigation Directorate. As a trial attorney, Michelle litigated complex contract disputes before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO). As an Air Force litigator, Michelle litigated a broad range of issues before the ASBCA, including: organizational conflicts of interest; small business issues; price realism analysis; past performance; NAICS code issues; technical acceptability; nonmanufacturing rule, brand name, or equal issues; construction claims; commercial items; terminations; assignment of claims; reprocurement; limitation of funds; release; differing site conditions; setoffs/withholding; and evidentiary issues. Among the construction cases, Michelle litigated a $28 million Air Force design-build construction claim involving complex differing site conditions and delay issues, and she also litigated and won a claim for alleged defective specifications, undisclosed information, constructive interpretation, and technical impossibility for a contract for the design and construction of an Air Force dynamic break test stand.
Before her Air Force career, Michelle was employed by a defense contractor, where she gained valuable government contract experience in her roles as a business analyst and a subcontracts administrator. Michelle’s government and contractor experience gives her the unique ability to take both parties’ perspectives into consideration when providing advice on government contract issues.
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: District of Columbia, Virginia, U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Professional Memberships
- Board of Directors, Board of Contract Appeals Bar Association (2018-2019)
- Program Chair, ABA Introduction to Government Contracts Course (September 6-7, 2017 and September 17-18, 2018)
- Co-Chair, 2018 ABA Federal Procurement Institute (FPI) (March 14-17, 2018)
- Co-Chair, ABA Section of Public Contract Law Federal, State, and Local Government Attorneys Committee (August 2016 – 2018)
- Vice Chair, ABA Section of Public Contract Law Young Lawyers Committee (August 2015 – August 2017)
- Vice Chair, ABA Section of Public Contract Law Contract Claims and Dispute Resolution Committee (August 2016 – 2018)
- Vice Chair, ABA Section of Public Contract Law Bid Protest Committee (August 2016 – July 2017)
- ABA Strategic Alliances, Teaming and Subcontracting Committee Co-Author, Guide to Fixed-Price Supply Subcontract Terms and Conditions (5th Edition)
Recent Highlights, News & Knowledge
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"Time is Money: Contractor’s Claims for Payment Dismissed,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(May 10, 2021).
Contacts: Stephen J. McBrady, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, John Nakoneczny, Catherine O. Shames
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Advancing America’s Dominance in AI: The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act’s AI Developments,"
The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law
(May 6, 2021).
Authors: Jonathan M. Baker, Adelicia R. Cliffe, Kate M. Growley, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, and Michelle D. Coleman.
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Publication |
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"Show Me the Money? When a Sum Approximate Counts as a Sum Certain,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(March 22, 2021).
Contacts: Stephen J. McBrady, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, Skye Mathieson, Catherine O. Shames
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"CARES Act Section 3610 Relief Extended Until September 30, 2021,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(March 18, 2021).
Contacts: J. Chris Haile, Stephen J. McBrady, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, Skye Mathieson
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Not So Fast: An REA that Does Not Seek a Final Decision Is Not a CDA Claim,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(March 8, 2021).
Contacts: Stephen J. McBrady, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, John Nakoneczny
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Show Me The Money (Or GFE): FAR 52.245-1 Required Contracting Officer To Consider Equitable Adjustment For Missing Equipment,"
Westlaw Today
(March 1, 2021).
Authors: Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, Skye Mathieson, and John Nakoneczny.
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Publication |
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"New Year, New Administration, New Focus on Infrastructure in Government Contracts," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(February 16, 2021).
Presenters: David J. Ginsberg, Stephen J. McBrady, Eric M. Ransom, Michelle D. Coleman, and John Nakoneczny.
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Speech/Presentation |
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"Biden Administration Issues New Masking Mandate,"
Administrative Law Alert
(January 22, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Michelle D. Coleman, Abigail (Abi) Stokes
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Advancing America’s Dominance in AI: The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act’s AI Developments,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(January 14, 2021).
Contacts: Jonathan M. Baker, Adelicia R. Cliffe, Kate M. Growley, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, Michelle D. Coleman
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Show Me The Money (Or GFE): FAR 52.245-1 Required Contracting Officer to Consider Equitable Adjustment for Missing Equipment,"
(January 12, 2021).
Contacts: Stephen J. McBrady, Charles Baek, Michelle D. Coleman, Skye Mathieson, Matthew D. Lewis, John Nakoneczny
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Client Alert / Newsletter |