Maria Panichelli

Partner, McCarter & English, LLP

Maria Panichelli is a partner at the law firm of McCarter & English, and a government contract attorney with a concentration in bid protest litigation, construction and infrastructure-related issues, and small business procurement. Maria helps her contractor clients – both primes and subs, located and working all over the nation as well as abroad – navigate all stages of the federal procurement process. Some of her primary practice areas are: Bid Protest Litigation (asserting and defending bid protests before agencies, the GAO and the COFC); Requests for Equitable Adjustment (aka REAs), Claims, and Claims Appeal Litigation before the Boards of Contract Appeal and COFC (including claims relating to express and constructive contract changes, differing site conditions, defective specifications, all varieties of delay and disruption, suspensions, and terminations); Performance and Compliance Counseling (including FAR compliance, False Claims Act counseling, and Suspension/Debarment); Contract Cost Accounting and Pricing; Buy American and Country of Origin Requirements; Cybersecurity and CMMC; Federal Subcontracting (including the negotiation and drafting of FAR-compliant subcontracts, sub/prime dispute resolution, pass-through claims and liquidating agreements); and Small Business Procurement (including eligibility and certification issues, size/status protests, teaming, JVs and the mentor protégé programs). She also handles Miller Act claims. Maria has substantial experience with ANCs, NHOs, and Tribally Owned concerns, and does a lot of work assisting these clients with the broad array of unique issues that come up in that space. Her clients enjoy practical and shrewd advice, as well as zealous advocacy. Maria’s comprehensive legal counseling allows her clients to successfully navigate the complicated legal requirements related to the government marketplace while still accomplishing their corporate goals.

Maria is a frequent author and lecturer on government contract topics, and an active participant in many GovCon industry groups.