WASHINGTON–Former Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals Administrative Judge K. Elizabeth Witwer has joined Covington’s Government Contracts practice as of counsel in Washington.
Jay Carey, co-chair of Covington’s Government Contracts practice, said, “This is a transformative time in the government contracts industry, with heightened government scrutiny, contract terminations, the FAR overhaul, and other regulatory changes on the horizon. Contractors may find themselves in court more frequently as the industry adjusts to the new landscape. Our clients litigating claims against the government will benefit from Elizabeth’s extensive government experience. She has presided over contract disputes at the ASBCA, adjudicated claims and protests at the Government Accountability Office, and litigated cases for the Justice Department before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.”
As an Administrative Judge, Elizabeth was responsible for adjudicating disputes arising under the Contract Disputes Act between contractors and federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, NASA, and the CIA. Prior to serving at the ASBCA, Elizabeth held overlapping positions at GAO as a senior attorney in the Procurement Law Division from 2015 to 2019 and as a member of GAO’s Contract Appeals Board from 2018 to 2019. In these roles, she dual-hatted as adjudicator of bid protests challenging federal procurements and presided over contract disputes between contractors and legislative branch agencies.
Between 2010 and 2015, Elizabeth served as a trial attorney in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, where she defended the U.S. and federal agencies in contract, employment, and constitutional disputes before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Court of Federal Claims. During her active duty in the U.S. Army between 2006 and 2010, Elizabeth served as counsel to the Army’s Legal Services Agency and the 4th Infantry Division on procurement matters and contract litigation, including while deployed to Iraq.
Elizabeth noted, “After observing the complex and often obscure world of government contracts through the lens of the government over the last 15 years, I was eager to join a firm that had exceptional regulatory and litigation expertise. Covington stood out for its preeminent team of litigators, bid protest lawyers, and government contracts practitioners who can advocate for clients across the full lifecycle of government contracting. I am honored to be joining their bench.”
In addition to her legal practice, Elizabeth is a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.
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