Rogers Joseph O'Donnell

RJO is proud to be one of over 500 law firms around the country that have signed an amicus brief supporting Perkins Coie’s challenge to the executive order issued against it. Lawyers play a critical role in the administration of justice and must be free to represent clients without fear of retribution by the government. For more: https://lnkd.in/g-nrYZSM

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RJO is pleased to announce that Jules Szanton has joined the firm as an associate in our Government Contracts Practice Group. Before joining RJO, Jules served in the United States JAG Corps for more than eight years. As a member of the Army’s contract litigation team, Jules represented the Army in 21 Government Accountability Office bid protests for procurements valued at more than $2.9 billion, litigated ten ASBCA appeals involving more than $87 million in claims, and served as agency counsel in several Court of Federal Claims cases involving Army procurements. Jules brings deep experience with bid protests and contract appeals, extensive trial experience, and a strong background in government contract law. Welcome to the firm, Jules! Learn more about Jules on our website: https://lnkd.in/g9mxEjnv

Conference season is officially ramping up: this week, RJO associates Whitney Miner and Crystal Yu attended the American Conference Institute’s Cosmetics & Personal Care Products Conference in New York City. Shareholder Emily Murphy attended virtually. Earlier in the week, Whitney also attended the Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI)’s Food and Dietary Supplement Safety and Regulation Conference. We had a wonderful time at the events!

RJO Government Contracts Practice Group members Aaron Silberman and Stephen Bacon will attend the American Bar Association’s Public Contract Law Section’s 31st Annual Federal Procurement Institute and Midyear Council Meeting on April 2-4, in Annapolis, Maryland.  This year’s panels will address a variety of emerging issues in the government contracts space, including procurement policy and priorities under the new administration, post-award debriefings, legal ethics for government contracts attorneys and more. FPI also will include multiple networking opportunities, including an evening reception, “No-Host” dinners and the Women's Networking Luncheon. If you see Aaron or Steve at the event, make sure to say hello! To learn more about the meeting, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/dYB8BFpd

On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to extend the compliance date for the Food Traceability Rule by 30 months, pushing the deadline from Jan. 20, 2026, to July 20, 2028. In a press release, the FDA stated that the extension will ensure that food businesses have sufficient time to adapt their technology systems and record-keeping practices to meet the traceability standards. A critical component of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the Food Traceability Rule (FSMA 204) sets forth the specific requirements for recordkeeping and reporting in connection with food traceability with the goal of enhancing the FDA’s ability to track and trace food products in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak. The FDA’s announcement must be finalized via a proposed rule in the Federal Register to become official. Companies that fall within Rule 204 reporting requirements will now have an additional 30 months to come into compliance with the regulation. For more information or assistance with navigating FSMA 204 compliance, please do not hesitate to contact your primary RJO attorney. You can also reach out to the Retail Trade practice co-chair shareholder Alecia Cotton (acotton@rjo.com), shareholder Jon-Erik Magnus (jmagnus@rjo.com) or Ruby Zapien (rzapien@rjo.com). To learn more about this important alert, please read the full article on our website: https://lnkd.in/gmajuPHQ

FINAL CALL– Please join members of the RJO Government Contracts Practice Group TODAY at 1 p.m. Eastern for an informative and practical webinar on the rights and responsibilities of contractors when the government terminates contracts and grants. The session will provide crucial information and tools for government contractors to use in determining their next steps when receiving stop work orders and terminations, including: •Types of terminations, key terminology, applicable regulations and relevant contract provisions •What to do when you receive a stop work order •Steps to take to protect your rights and maximize your recovery •Legal recourse available for contractors •Actions for subcontractors when their prime contractor is terminated Register here: https://lnkd.in/gh3Pj8qE

ICYMI – Please join members of the RJO Government Contracts Practice Group on March 25 at 1 p.m. Eastern for an informative and practical webinar on the rights and responsibilities of contractors when the government terminates contracts and grants. The session will provide crucial information and tools for government contractors to use in determining their next steps when receiving stop work orders and terminations, including: •Types of terminations, key terminology, applicable regulations and relevant contract provisions •What to do when you get a stop work order •Steps to take to protect your rights and maximize your recovery •Legal recourse available for contractors •Actions for subcontractors when their prime contractor is terminated Register here: https://lnkd.in/gh3Pj8qE

In recent bid protest decisions, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) both underscored the longstanding policy that offerors must maintain their System for Award Management (SAM) registration between the time of offer submission and contract award. Failure to maintain that registration in compliance with FAR 52.204-7 (b)(1) has led to many government contractors seeing proposals eliminated. To offer clarity, the FAR Council moved late last year to issue an Interim Rule removing the continuous registration requirement. According to the rule, offerors are now required to be registered in SAM when submitting an offer or quotation and at the time of the award, but not during the entire pre-award period. In his monthly National Contract Management Association (NCMA) column, “FAR Council Clarifies SAM Registration Rule,” RJO shareholder Stephen Bacon explains the rule and its implications for offerors. He also discusses several protests, such as TLS Joint Venture, LLC and Hanford Tank Disposition Alliance LLC v. United States, that led to the change. Read the full article on our website: https://lnkd.in/gT2vQc5P 

RJO Construction practice group co-chair and Government Contracts practice group member Aaron Silberman will present on the federal and California False Claims Acts at the County Counsels’ Association of California Spring Public Works & Contracts section meeting on March 20 in San Diego, California. His presentation, “Counties and the Federal and California False Claims Acts” will address a summary of the False Claims Act, what role counties play in the FCA and the differences between the federal and California FCAs. He will also discuss how the acts are enforced. Participants may be eligible for 1 hour of MCLE credit. https://lnkd.in/gVJ9iTF9