Sam Van Kopp

Sam joins Nichols Liu after a clerkship with the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. He is a 2019 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as a Staff Editor for the Journal of National Security Law and Policy, and a 2010 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Prior to law school, Sam served as a cavalry officer in the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Sam’s practice focuses on government contract claims, bid protests, requests for equitable adjustment, and related litigation before the Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Circuit, and the Boards of Contract Appeals.  Sam also has experience with a range of transactional matters, including: mergers & acquisitions; terminations, contract novation; contract drafting; corporate governance compliance; and Small Business Administration compliance.

Sam also leads Nichols Liu’s Stafford Act Public Assistance grant arbitration practice before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.  Sam clerked at the Civilian Board in 2019-2020, when the Board promulgated new rules of procedure and conducted its first “FEMA Arbitrations” pursuant to these new rules.  Now, Sam assists recipients, county/city/public entity sub-recipients, non-profit sub-recipients, and contractors dispute FEMA decisions on grant funding at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 2019
• United States Military Academy at West Point, B.A., 2010

Bar and Court Admissions

• The Virginia State Bar
• The District of Columbia Bar
• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• The U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
• The Supreme Court of Virginia
• The U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia

• All Contract Disputes Act Litigation Matters
• Bid Protests & Administrative Procedure Act Litigation
• Contract Administration: Terminations; Novations; Subcontracts; Certifications.

• 20+ CFC & GAO Protests
• 16+ Claims & REAs 
• 20+ Contract Counseling Matters 
• 6+ Contract Disputes Act Litigation Matters before CFC, Federal Circuit and BCAs. 
• 3+ Criminal and Civil Internal Investigations
• Seconded for one year with government contracting subsidiary of Fortune 50 company.

• “Arbitrating FEMA Denials of Public Assistance Grant Funding”
• Webinar “Contesting FEMA Public Assistance Grant Decisions at the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals”
• Protecting the citizens on the ground—both in Afghanistan and as a lawyer (September 21, 2023) Authors Sam Van Kopp
• Must an Offeror Notify an Agency of a Key Personnel Change After Proposal Submissions? (February 17, 2022) Co-authors Sam Van Kopp, Robert Nichols, and Andrew Victor
• The Consequence of Failing to Re-certify as a Small Business After Merger in Multiple Award Contracts: Apparently No Consequence (January 25, 2022) Co-authors Sam Van Kopp and Andrew Victor
• Contract Terminations and Cost Settlements for federal contractors in Afghanistan (October 25, 2021) Co-authors: Sam Van Kopp, Alan Chvotkin, Adrian Wigston, and Robert Nichols
• Afghan Refugee Centers – A Note for Families and Friends of Refugees (October 5, 2021) Co-authors: Sam Van Kopp and Alan Chvotkin
• Formalization of Enhanced Debriefings Coming Soon to DOD Procurements (June 18, 2021) Co-authors: Andrew Victor, Sam Van Kopp, and Haaleh Katouzian
• 2020 Year-End Review of Top Health Care False Claims Act Enforcement Cases and Trends (February 2021) Co-authors: Andy Liu, Robert Rhoad, Andrew Victor, and Sam Van Kopp
• Planning For Coronavirus FEMA Public Assistance Program Arbitrations Before The Civilian Board Of Contract Appeals: Guidelines For Local Governments, Tribes, And Private Nonprofit Organizations (August 2020) Co-authors: Robert Nichols, Shiva Hamidinia, and Sam Van Kopp
• The Course of Dealing Doctrine in Government Contracts: The ASBCA Applies Years of Contract Performance to Resolve Ambiguity in Favor of Contractor (July 27, 2020) Co-authors: Andy Liu and Sam Van Kopp