Gibson Dunn Adds Leading Government Contracts Lawyer in DC

21 January 2006

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is pleased to announce that Karen Manos has joined the firm's Washington, D.C. office as a partner. Manos, who formerly led the government contracts practice at Howrey LLP, is a nationally recognized authority in the areas of government contract costs, pricing and cost accounting controversies.

"Karen is a real star in the government contracts bar, and her particular focus on government contract costs and cost accounting issues will complement our Government and Commercial Contracts Practice," said Gibson Dunn Managing Partner Ken Doran. "In addition, she is an experienced civil litigator who brings added capacity to our DC litigation resources."

"Karen is one of two or three lawyers to whom major aerospace and defense contractors turn when they face problems with costs and compliance issues, one of the most complicated areas of government contracts," said Joseph West, Co-Chair of the firm's Government and Commercial Contracts Practice Group. "We are absolutely delighted to bring her on board."

Bob Metzger, who is the Los Angeles-based Co-Chair of the Group, commented, "Karen adds to the 'critical mass' our firm can apply in experienced, expert resources to advise our public contractor clients on challenging regulatory matters and to represent them in compliance matters, disputes and litigation."

"I am excited about joining Gibson Dunn. It is a world-class firm with a core group of very well-respected government contracts attorneys, and I look forward to helping grow the government contracts practice," said Manos. "In addition, Gibson Dunn's well-coordinated practice groups and international reach provide an ideal platform for my practice, which focuses on high-stakes, complex government contracts litigation."

The addition of Manos is the firm's latest step in strengthening the firm's bi-coastal government contracts capability. In 2004, Joseph West joined Gibson Dunn's Washington, D.C. office from Arnold & Porter, where he headed the government contracts practice. Both Manos and West were named as two of the top 12 federal procurement lawyers in the D.C. area by the "Legal Times" in 2004.

About Karen Manos

Manos has experience in a broad range of government contract issues, including civil and criminal fraud investigations and litigation, bid protests, False Claims Act suits, defective pricing, cost allowability, Cost Accounting Standards, executive compensation and corporate compliance programs.

Manos is the author of the definitive two-volume work, "Government Contract Costs & Pricing," published by Thomson-West in 2004. She writes and lectures frequently on government contracts issues, and her articles have appeared in "Public Contract Law Journal," "The Government Contractor" and "Federal Contracts Report," among other publications. She is an adjunct professor for government contracts at George Mason University School of Law.

Manos is a Council Member of Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association and is Chair of the Contract Finance Committee of the National Defense Industrial Association.

Prior to her 11-year tenure with Howrey LLP, Manos served as a Judge Advocate with the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 1995.

Manos graduated first in her class from Duke Law School in 1986 and was Note Editor of the "Duke Law Journal." She received her bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy graduating in the top 2 percent of her class in 1981.

About Gibson Dunn's Government and Commercial Contracts Practice

Gibson Dunn's Government and Commercial Contracts Practice Group applies substantive expertise, project experience and litigation skills to serve public sector and high technology clients. With a reputation for successfully helping clients to navigate through complex legal issues, the firm has been retained for many "first impression" and enterprise-critical matters. Our attorneys, located in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, regularly handle engagements throughout the country.

The Group assists public contractors in compliance matters and internal investigations in response to civil and criminal investigations and in defense against actions brought under the False Claims Act. The group also engages in complex litigation for public contractor clients in federal and state courts.

On the transactional side, the Group advises information technology and telecommunications companies on state and local contracting matters and on intellectual property considerations in government contracting. In addition, the group provides advice and guidance to clients on a world-wide basis that are purchasing and selling companies that perform federal, state and local government contracts, assisting these clients with the special issues arising when a government contractor is acquired or sold. The group also has extensive experience in dealing with all types of issues involving schedule contracts awarded by the General Services Administration.

Recent clients include Aurora Capital; BMC Software; Cadence Design Systems; Computer Sciences Corporation; Deloitte Consulting LLP; Deloitte & Touche LLP; Express Services, Inc.; GKN North America; Hawthorne & York International, Ltd.; ITT; Lockheed Martin; MCI; Mellon Bank; Northrop Grumman; SBC; Sprint; Supersonic Aerospace International, LLC; and Ticketmaster.

About the Firm

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is a leading international law firm. Consistently ranking among the world's top law firms in industry surveys and major publications, Gibson Dunn is distinctively positioned in today's global marketplace with 800 lawyers and 13 offices, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, Paris, Munich, Brussels, Orange County, Century City, Dallas and Denver. For more information, please visit gibsondunn.com.

Source: prnewswire

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