George W. Ash is a partner and member of the Automotive Industry Team as well as the Privacy, Security & Information Management Practice. He is the chair of the firm’s Government Procurement Practice, which was recognized by Chambers USA (2011) as one of the top practices in the nation. Mr. Ash is former chair of the Government & Public Policy Practice and previously served as chair of the firm’s former Regulated Industries Department.
Mr. Ash’s practice focuses on government procurement law. He counsels clients on the preproposal, proposal, negotiation and performance of the U.S. government prime contracts and subcontracts, and on resolving contract disputes. He also has an extensive background in other types of procurements such as grants, cooperative agreements, CRADAs and other transactions, and assists companies with state and municipal contract issues.
Mr. Ash has successfully litigated bid protests; negotiated contracts and subcontracts; submitted, negotiated and litigated claims; advised clients concerning audits and compliance issues and the preservation of intellectual property rights; and appeared before various Federal Boards of Contract Appeals and Courts.
In recognition of the work of Mr. Ash and key attorneys in Foley's Detroit office, U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers recently ranked this office as a Tier 1 provider of government relations counsel in its 2010 "Best Law Firms" Rankings Report. Mr. Ash leads this area of practice for the firm.
Mr. Ash was named one of the 2011 Leaders in the Law by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, a recognition bestowed upon only 25 attorneys in the state. In addition, he has been recognized as a leader in the field of government relations numerous times over, most recently by DBusiness magazine which listed him in its 2011 list of Top Lawyers in the area of government relations law. Mr. Ash also has been Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system. He was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2008–2013 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of government relations law and was ranked as one of the top government attorneys in the nation in 2007 by Chambers USA. In 2006, Mr. Ash was named in the list of Michigan Super Lawyers.
A retired United States Air Force (USAF) Lieutenant Colonel, Mr. Ash spent his 20 years of active duty as a judge advocate, an associate professor of law at the USAF Academy, serving as assistant general counsel for the SDI (Star Wars) Program and was responsible for international and arms control issues. He also served as an advisor to the strategic arms reductions talks in Geneva with the former USSR.
Mr. Ash authored "Practical Negotiation of Government Contracts," Federal Publications (1996).
Mr. Ash obtained his B.S. from the United States Air Force Academy (1972) where he was named "The Cadet Who Best Exemplifies the Highest Ideals of Loyalty, Integrity and Courage." He earned his J.D. from the University of Denver (1975), where he was elected to the Order of St. Ives. He received an LL.M. in international law from the University of London (1985), and a diploma in Air and Space law from the London Institute of World Affairs (1985).
His professional associations include memberships in the USAF Academy Association of Graduates, American Bar Association (Public Contract Law Section, current Michigan chair), Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Michigan and Iowa Bar Associations, and the Retired Air Force Judge Advocate Association.
He is admitted to practice in Michigan and Iowa.