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Overview

With solid experience in federal and state courts and other tribunals, Trip represents clients in government contracting matters and construction litigation.

Trip represents clients in a wide variety of issues relating to the award and performance of government contracts and construction disputes. His government contract experience includes helping clients pursue bid protests at both the federal and state levels, pursuing claims before the Armed Services and Civilian Boards of Contract Appeals, and advising clients on Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions and other regulatory requirements. Trip’s construction litigation experience involves representing general contractors on large, complex projects before courts and arbitration panels. While he is particularly experienced with the construction, engineering, and healthcare industries, Trip has worked with contractors in areas as diverse as telecommunications, manufacturing, and information technology.

Trip came to the practice of law with interests in both public policy and business and a goal of combining the two. As a student at The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., he interned with the United States Court of Federal Claims and with the General Services Administration, both of which gave him early hands-on experience in the world of government contracts. After graduation, he took a position with a boutique construction law firm before joining Husch Blackwell, where he now divides his practice between government contract work, construction claim disputes, and general commercial litigation.

Thanks to his gift for making order out of chaos, Trip thrives on the complexity of government contracts and construction litigation. Two years in a Baltimore classroom with Teach for America gave him a solid foundation in preparation, thinking on his feet, and organizing complicated facts and theories into a cohesive presentation. He’s known for making sense of complex projects records, crafting compelling narratives, and developing nuanced litigation strategies.

Industry

Services

Education

  • J.D., The George Washington University Law School
    • cum laude
    • Bernard Nordlinger Scholarship
    • Dean’s Fellow and Writing Fellow, Legal Research and Writing Program
    • Public Contract Law Journal
    • Alternative Dispute Resolution Board
  • M.S., Johns Hopkins University
    • Educational Studies
  • B.A., The George Washington University
    • Political Science
    • magna cum laude

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Virginia
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • Virginia Bar Association
  • American Bar Association, Section of Public Contract Law
2023 Pro Bono Champion
Experience

Government Contracts

  • Defended awardee in GAO bid protest seeking to overturn award of $500 million contract for workers' compensation pharmacy benefits management services with the Department of Labor.
  • Counseled large concessionaire in a state-level bid protest challenging the award of a food and retail concessions contract at a major airport. After moving for a preliminary injunction, the state agency announced that it would take voluntary corrective action to address the issues raised in the protest.
  • Represented developer in bid protest challenging the award of a lease for a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Nebraska.
  • Negotiated and converted default termination to termination for convenience in state-level contract for the development and implementation of a transportation IT system.
  • Represented small healthcare supplier in claim for improper termination for convenience relating to the supply of disinfectant wipes for the Defense Logistics Agency.
  • Defended healthcare services awardee in state bid protest for contract to provide Medicaid managed care organization services.
  • Defended engineering firm in its award of a $385-million IDIQ contract for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast involving base operations support services.
  • Advised small battery supplier in termination for convenience proposal to the Department of Veterans Affairs for work and supplies provided at a VA hospital in West Virginia.
  • Represented radio communications systems provider in a state-level bid protest of a contract for microwave radio network upgrade and maintenance services for state police department.
  • Counseled pharmacy benefits manager in state-level bid protest and court action challenging the award of a contract for administrative services in support of health benefits available to state employees.
  • Defended telecommunications provider in its award of a contract with the Library of Congress to provide fiber optic services.
  • As part of larger team, assisted one of the largest U.S. commercial and civil contractors with an emergency design-build contract for new hospital construction intended for COVID-19 patients.
  • Provides detailed legal research and guidance involving complex issues, such as the level of discretion afforded agencies when making responsibility determinations, the viability of Superior Knowledge Doctrine before Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA), the minimum technical requirements needed for lowest price technically acceptable awards, the implications of the Ostensible Contractor Rule in Small Business Administration (SBA) size determinations and the applicability of Status of Forces Agreements to international Miller Act projects.

Construction

  • Advised general contractor on development and resolution of $85 million claim for a paper mill project in South Carolina.
  • Represented construction supplier before the state licensing board to obtain commercial contractor license.
  • Counseled manufacturer in resolution of claims asserted by a general contractor on a project at a wastewater treatment plant in the District of Columbia.
  • Represented general contract in jury trial for $50 million claim involving the construction of a power plant in California.
  • Represented joint venture general contractor in $60 million claim involving a public-private partnership bridges project in Pennsylvania.

Commercial Litigation

  • Represented commercial landlord in litigation against tenant in Virginia state court proceedings.
  • Advised major construction firm on a variety of federal and state Freedom of Information Act issues and litigated FOIA-related action in federal court.
  • Defended construction contractor in a suit by its employee in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for employment discrimination.
  • Counsels clients in settlement discussions and drafts mediation statements and memoranda outlining alternative dispute resolution strategies.
  • Performs all phases of discovery and trial preparation, including drafting substantive motions, and preparing witnesses for deposition and trial.
Outside the Office

Trip, his wife, Katie, and their son, George, love exploring new places all around the world. Favorite destinations include Florida and Maine to visit family, as well as Italy, Spain, and Costa Rica. Thanks to his parents’ passion for sharing the world with their son, George made his first overseas trip to Portugal before his second birthday.

Community Leadership
  • Teach For America, 2011 Corps Member in Baltimore City Public Schools
  • Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout