Sheppard Mullin Addresses Unmet Needs for Companies That Do Business Directly or Indirectly With the Federal Government

Companies that do business (both directly and indirectly) with the U.S. Federal Government (collectively the “government business industry”) face unique and complex issues. While some aspects of doing business with the Federal Government are similar to typical business-to-business interactions, the rules, regulations and processes that the Federal Government has in place can make doing business in this arena particularly challenging and potentially risky.

Historically, law firms have looked at clients who work with the Federal Government by specific industry sector (e.g., aerospace & defense, healthcare, IT, etc.). Sheppard Mullin takes a holistic approach to supporting these clients (both companies that focus primarily on selling to the Federal Government and those whose sales to the Federal Government are a small portion of their overall portfolio as well as those who sell to the Federal Government indirectly through other channels). By combining years of on-the-ground experience in working with the government with practical, effective tools to help clients — no matter their industry sector — Sheppard Mullin can successfully address the issues and complexities faced by the Government Business Industry.

“With direct and indirect annual spend up to $2 trillion, the Federal Government is one of the largest consumers in the world, essentially touching the majority of our clients,” said Zac Turke, a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate Practice Group and head of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisition team. “In talking to our clients who work directly with the government (and even those who may not realize they do until they acquire a company who contracts with the government) and analyzing the trends in this sector, we saw an opportunity to form a new group to help these businesses deal more effectively with the Federal Government and other members of the supply chain.”

Sheppard Mullin’s new Government Business Group (GBG), led by Los Angeles partner Zac Turke and Washington, D.C. partner Townsend Bourne, is much broader than the firm’s premier Government Contracts practice, as the GBG focuses on all commercial businesses that currently have or have interest in doing business with the Federal Government – either directly or indirectly through a contractor or reseller. Members of the Government Business Industry provide, among other things, IT services and hardware, cloud computing, software products and SaaS, food and beverage, furniture, healthcare, electronics, office products, hardware, automobiles, and services of every kind.

“While traditional members of the Government Business Industry are well versed in the challenges that the federal rules impose, many commercial businesses are not so attuned to dealing with the complex issues flowing from the Federal Government’s mammoth supply chain. That’s where the GBG can help navigate these issues and also guide businesses down a path that minimizes liability and maximizes opportunities,” said Townsend Bourne, a partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Government Contracts, Investigations and International Trade Practice Group and leader of the firm’s Aerospace, Defense & Government Services Team.

Sheppard Mullin attorneys have decades of experience working in the Aerospace & Defense and Government Contracts industries and so are ideally positioned to provide advice and counsel to companies doing business with the Federal Government. The firm has more than 70 experienced practitioners across 13 offices working in corporate, labor, antitrust, government contracts, technology, international trade, intellectual property, tax, bankruptcy, employee benefits, environmental and regulatory law who know government business and its issues, and who can successfully serve clients in a variety of ways.

Bourne added, “While there are many beneficial opportunities in working with the Federal Government, there are also many intricacies that companies need to be aware of. Non-traditional contractors frequently make costly mistakes that can be avoided with advanced planning and thoughtful guidance. Given our long history serving clients who count the Federal Government among their top customers, we are ideally suited to help companies successfully – and profitably – work with the government.”

About Sheppard Mullin’s Government Business Group

Sheppard Mullin’s Government Business Group (GBG) provides tailored, thoughtful guidance to companies that are in business directly or indirectly with the Federal Government. The group of companies is made up of countless manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers, resellers, and service providers of all shapes and sizes. With decades of experience guiding hundreds of large and small businesses through their interactions with the Federal Government, the Sheppard Mullin GBG can help both commercial businesses and aerospace and defense companies deal with the many novel and complex regulatory and legal issues that come with working with the Federal Government.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full-service Global 50 firm with more than 1,000 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, industry-leading companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high-stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include almost half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

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