Government Experience

  • Department of Defense—U.S. Air Force: Trial Attorney, Air Force Legal Operations Agency, Commercial Litigation Field Support Center (2014-2016); Acquisition Law and Litigation Attorney, Acquisition Law and Litigation Directorate, Air Force Headquarters (2016-2018)

Education

  • Kent State University, B.B.A. (2007)
  • The George Washington University Law School, J.D. (2013)

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia

Michelle D. Coleman

Counsel
mcoleman@crowell.com
+1.202.654.6708

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)


Insights

Speeches & Presentations


Publications


Client Alerts & Newsletters


Press Coverage


Firm News & Announcements

May 13, 2021 The National Black Lawyers Selects Crowell & Moring Lawyers as Top 100 and Top 40 Under 40 Members
January 2, 2020 Crowell & Moring Elects Eight New Partners and Promotes Seven to Senior Counsel and 26 to Counsel Positions
February 22, 2019 Law360 Names Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Group a "Practice Group of the Year" for the Ninth Consecutive Year