Julia Di Vito

Julia Di Vito is a government contracts lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. She represents large and small businesses that are government prime contractors and subcontractors, and assists with nearly all aspects of federal government contracting.

Julia represents government contractors in pre-award and post-award bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and state agencies as well as size protests. Julia drafts requests for equitable adjustment and claims under federal government contracts and leases and litigates appeals of government contracts claims and terminations for default. She also represents clients in connection with suspension and debarment matters. Additionally, she assists clients in submitting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and responding to FOIA requests for a client’s government contracts or other information.

Julia also assists government prime contractors and subcontractors in drafting, reviewing and negotiating government contracts and Other Transaction Authority agreements. Julia also drafts, reviews and negotiates subcontracts and supplier terms and conditions under government prime contracts, Other Transaction Agreements, grants and higher-tier subcontracts, ensuring that appropriate Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) flow-down clauses are included to the benefit of our clients. She drafts, reviews and negotiates teaming agreements and joint venture agreements to help clients put together teams to pursue government contracts.

She advises clients on government contracts compliance obligations, including: restrictions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment; cybersecurity and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program; the Buy American Act, Trade Agreements Act and other domestic content requirements; commercial items procurements and U.S. General Services Administration Multiple Award Schedule contracts; and data rights. Additionally, Julia counsels clients on requirements under the federal and state small business programs, including the Small Business Administration’s Mentor-Protégé Program, the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs and joint ventures. Julia assists government contractors in conducting internal investigations to address government contracts compliance issues or False Claims Act allegations if they arise. She also assists clients in responding to cure notices and negotiating termination for convenience settlements.

Julia performs due diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions when the stock or assets of government contractors are being acquired. As part of this due diligence, when representing the buyer, she reviews the target company’s compliance with its government contracts, identifies any areas of risk or significant liability and assists in the drafting and negotiation of government contracts-related representations and warranties and other key clauses in the purchase agreement and disclosure schedules. When representing the seller, Julia assists with responding to due diligence requests and preparing disclosure schedules. Julia also helps clients with requesting a novation of contracts to a successor-in-interest and other post-acquisition notices.

Prior to joining Foley, Julia worked at a law firm in Washington, D.C. where she gained experience in the areas of bid protests and small business protests, government contract claims and appeals, investigations, government procurement regulations and compliance requirements and litigation.

Education

• Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D., 2011)
  • Editorial staff member, Wake Forest Law Review
• The University of Virginia (B.A., 2008)

Selected Publications and Presentations

• "Government Contracts: Other Transaction Authority," Practical Law (2022)
• "Bid Protests," Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance Procurement Technical Assistance Center (September 14, 2021)
• "Lessors: Prepare For Federal Gov't Holdovers Amid Pandemic," Law360 (August 6, 2021)
• “Everything You Need to Know About Sole Source Contracts," National HUBZone Conference (October 11, 2018)
• “Small Business Affiliation - What it Means for Federal Contractors," Northern Virginia Procurement Technical Assistance Program (March 28, 2018)
• “HUBZone Compliance: Staying Ahead of the Curve," National HUBZone Conference (October 12, 2017)
• “Becoming 8(a) Certified," Veterans Business Outreach Center at Community Business Partnership (September 19, 2016)
• Note: The New Meaning of New Process Steel, L.P. v. NLRB, 46 WAKE FOREST L. REV. 307 (2011)

Recognition

Julia received a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition for Corporate Law (2023). She was also named to the Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers list as a Rising Star in Government Contracts for 2018 to 2022.

Admissions and Professional Memberships

Julia is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. She is a Vice Chair of the Contract Claims & Dispute Resolution Committee of the American Bar Association's Section of Public Contract Law.