George W. Ash

George W. Ash is a retired partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. His practice was focused on government procurement law. Mr. Ash counseled 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 was the chair of the firm’s Government Procurement Practice, which was recognized by Chambers USA (2011, 2012 and 2013) as one of the top practices in the nation. He was former chair of the Government & Public Policy Practice and previously served as chair of the firm’s former Regulated Industries Department. Mr. Ash was a member of the firm’s Automotive Industry Team as well as the Privacy, Security & Information Management Practice.

Mr. Ash has successfully litigated bid protests; negotiated the terms of 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.

Recognition

In recognition of the work of Mr. Ash and key attorneys in Foley's Detroit office, U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers ranked this office as a Tier 1 provider of government relations counsel in its "Best Law Firms" Rankings Report each year from 2010 to 2015. Mr. Ash leads this area of practice for the firm. In addition, Mr. Ash has been recognized as the following:

• Leader in the field of government relations numerous times over, most recently by DBusiness magazine which listed him in its 2015 list of Top Lawyers in the area of government relations law 
• A “Leading Lawyer” in 2014 and 2015 in a survey of his peers by Leading Lawyer™
• Peer Review Rated as AV® Preeminent™, the highest performance rating in Martindale-Hubbell's peer review rating system 
• The Best Lawyers in America® since 2008 in the area of government relations law 
• Detroit’s Lawyer of the Year in government relations for 2014 by The Best Lawyers in America 
• Selected as a member of the Leading Lawyer Advisory Board for 2014 
• 2011 “Leaders in the Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly, a recognition bestowed upon only 25 attorneys in the state 
• Ranked as one of the top government attorneys in the nation in 2007 by Chambers USA 
• Named to the list of Michigan Super Lawyers® in 2006

Affiliations

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.

Publications

Mr. Ash co-authored the practice note, “Government Contracts: Reduced Risk Through Commercial Item Contracting," Practical Law Commercial (2013). He also authored, "Practical Negotiation of Government Contracts," Federal Publications (1996).

Education

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).

Admissions and Professional Memberships

Mr. Ash’s professional associations include memberships in the USAF Academy Association of Graduates, American Bar Association (Public Contract Law Section), Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Michigan and Iowa Bar Associations, and the Retired Air Force Judge Advocate Association.

He is admitted to practice in Iowa (currently inactive) and in Michigan.