Crowell & Moring Launches Government Contracts Legal Forum Blog

Washington, D.C. - May 12, 2010: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce the Government Contracts Legal Forum, a blog offering in-depth insight and commentary on legal issues facing the government contracts industry. The firm's Government Contracts Group attorneys, noted as some of the foremost leaders in their field by clients and peers, will blog on issues ranging from cost accounting and the False Claims Act to public-private partnerships and General Services Administration (GSA) schedule contracting.

"Government contractors are fulfilling their missions at a time when the stakes couldn't be higher and the and scrutiny has never been more intense. I'm proud that the Government Contracts Legal Forum will discuss the critical issues affecting contractors in real time and raise questions on the wide range of matters that surface as the industry grows to serve the government more effectively," said George D. Ruttinger, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Group.

The Government Contracts Legal Forum will follow breaking news issues including:

• Investigations and potential litigation arising from projects funded by the American Recovery and Re-Investment Act;
• How contractors are navigating the unprecedented FAPIIS and self-disclosure rules that may impact their ability to secure new contracts;
• Repercussions of the "insourcing" movement and how contracting officers are determining which jobs are inherently governmental and where there is flexibility;
• How organizational conflicts of interest are becoming an increasingly important factor in procurement as new proposed rules force the industry to think carefully about its business development strategy;
• Use of the False Claims Act by competitors to allege noncompliance with the Trade Agreements Act and other contract requirements, which is providing an effective way for contractors to police and perhaps eliminate the competition;
• How the Cost Accounting Standards Board proposes to harmonize the cost rules applicable to government contractors with the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

Visit the Government Contracts Legal Forum at www.governmentcontractslegalforum.com.

With a 40-year history and more than 50 lawyers who are bar and industry leaders, Crowell & Moring LLP's Government Contracts law practice is recognized by Chambers USA as a foremost leader in the nation. The group's lawyers are both counselors and litigators, continuously advising clients on the range of issues that result from doing business with the government. They have litigated many of the most significant government contract cases before administrative agencies, state and federal trial courts, and courts of appeal.

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with more than 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, DC, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, Anchorage, London, and Brussels.