Legal Counsel - US Government Contracts (Maritime)
Washington · Ashville, OH (Arsenal 1) · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · Reston, VA (NOVA-01) · Washington, DC (DC-01) · USD 220,000-292,000 · 5+ years experience · Full-time · Hybrid · Posted Oct 8, 2026
At a glance
- Experience
- 5+ years experience
- Employment
- Full-time
- Workplace
- Hybrid
- Location
- Washington · Ashville, OH (Arsenal 1) · Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00) · Reston, VA (NOVA-01) · Washington, DC (DC-01)
- Salary
- USD 220,000-292,000 · Base salary
About the role
- The Legal Counsel, Maritime will support the Maritime Division on a transformational shipyard program, operating at the intersection of government contracts law and corporate transactions. This role involves managing complex government contracting relationships, corporate formation, and large-scale financing for a multi-billion dollar shipyard contract.
Responsibilities
- Execute complex government contracts, including FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 15 contracts
- Manage compliance and risk across multiple CLIN structures and document accepted risks
- Build relationships with procurement office representatives at Government agencies and prime contractor legal/contracts teams
- Support corporate formation and governance
- Negotiate IP license agreements and intercompany Services Agreements
- Coordinate financing transactions
- Serve as a key legal advisor on the Maritime Division's most strategic transaction
- Coordinate with external counsel on specialized matters while maintaining primary ownership
Requirements
- 5+ years of combined experience in government contracts law and corporate/transactional law
- Deep understanding of FAR/DFARS, contract vehicles, UCAs and definitization, FAR Part 12 vs. Part 15, flow-down requirements, and data rights
- Demonstrated experience with entity formation, operating agreements, equity structures, IP licensing, or M&A transactions
- Experience negotiating complex agreements with sophisticated counterparties
- Strong project management skills with the ability to own multiple parallel workstreams
- Licensed to practice law in D.C. (or willing to obtain admission)
Preferred qualifications
- In-house experience at a shipbuilder, particularly involving large-scale programs, joint ventures, or corporate restructurings
- Familiarity with the unique legal and regulatory environment of U.S. maritime and shipbuilding industries
- Jones Act experience
- Experience with complex financing transactions, credit agreements, or real estate/lease transactions
- An entrepreneurial mindset with comfort in ambiguity and building processes from scratch
Benefits
- Competitive salary range of $220,000—$292,000 USD
- Highly competitive equity grants
- Comprehensive, competitive benefits package
Workplace
- Role is located in Washington D.C.
- This is a unique hybrid role requiring both government contracts expertise and corporate legal experience.
Skills
- FAR
- DFARS
- Government Contracting
- IP Licensing
- M&A
- Financing Transactions
