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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"Changes, Claims, and Terminations During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts 101 Seminar 2021
(October 19, 2021).
Speakers: Michelle D. Coleman, Stephen J. McBrady, John Nakoneczny, Skye Mathieson, and Eric Herendeen.
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Speech/Presentation |
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"Executive Order 14042 Agency Class Deviation Guidance, A Side-by-Side Comparison,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(October 8, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Stephen J. McBrady, Kris D. Meade, Nicole Owren-Wiest, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno, Rina M. Gashaw, Amanda H. McDowell
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"GSA Will Insert FAR 52.223-99, Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors in Multiple Award or Federal Supply Schedule Contracts for Products and Services,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(October 6, 2021).
Contacts: Lorraine M. Campos, Adelicia R. Cliffe, Thomas P. Gies, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno, Alexandra Barbee-Garrett, John Nakoneczny
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"Vaccine Mandate Mandatory for Government Contractors: Additional Guidance; More Questions,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(October 6, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno, John Nakoneczny
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"FAR Council Publishes Memo with FAR Clause; DoD and GSA Publish Class Deviations for Implementing Executive Order 14042,"
Government Contracts Bullet Points
(October 1, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno, Laura J. Mitchell Baker, John Nakoneczny
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"COVID Vaccine Mandates – Update on Additional Government Guidance," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(September 27, 2021).
Speakers: Thomas P. Gies, Katie Erno, and Michelle D. Coleman.
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Speech/Presentation |
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"Safer Federal Workforce Task Force Releases Much-Anticipated Vaccine Mandate Guidance for Federal Contractors,"
(September 24, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Kris D. Meade, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno
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Client Alert / Newsletter |
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"COVID-19 Vaccination and Safety Considerations Following Biden Administration’s New Vaccine Mandate Initiatives," Crowell & Moring Webinar
(September 17, 2021).
Speakers: Thomas P. Gies, Katie Erno, Janet Walker, Michelle D. Coleman, and Daniel W. Wolff.
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Speech/Presentation |
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“The Next Sixty Years: Trends and Watch Items in Government Contracting,” 60th Annual National Seminar on Government Contracts
(September 15, 2021).
Speaker: Michelle D. Coleman.
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Speech/Presentation |
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"President Biden Announces Six-Pronged Plan to Combat COVID-19, With Implications for Both the Private and Public Sector,"
Labor & Employment Law Alert - US
(September 10, 2021).
Contacts: Peter Eyre, Thomas P. Gies, Eric Su, Daniel W. Wolff, Michelle D. Coleman, Katie Erno, Christine B. Hawes, Kimberley Johnson
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Client Alert / Newsletter |