Megan Chester

Associate

Megan Chester is an associate and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Megan is based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, where she is a member of the Government Solutions Practice.

Megan advises both large and small businesses on regulatory issues before the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). She represents motor vehicle manufacturers and major parts suppliers on NHTSA regulatory compliance issues, including advising on Federal motor vehicle safety standards, recalls, and compliance obligations under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, TREAD Act, and implementing regulations.  Megan further represents manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and other businesses under investigation by the FTC and CPSC and advises those businesses on regulatory compliance programs.

Megan also advises both large and small businesses on nearly all aspects of federal, state, and local government contracting, including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating government contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements, and advises clients on government contracts compliance obligations. She assists government contractors in conducting internal compliance investigations and advises large and small businesses on government investigations.

Megan regularly performs due diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions involving government contractors and subcontractors. She represents government contractors in bid protests before the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and state agencies, and drafts requests for equitable adjustment and claims under federal government contracts.

Prior to joining Foley, Megan served as an attorney advisor at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Office of the Chief Counsel, Procurement and Fiscal Law Division, where she acted as the lead procurement attorney on over $10 billion of disaster response contracting actions, including a $3.4 billion solicitation and its resulting contracts for COVID-19 Pandemic Response, successfully defended the government in appeals before the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and bid protests before the Government Accountability Office, and advised the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer on the resolution of pre-award and post-award agency level protests, Contract Disputes Act claims, and requests for equitable adjustment. Previously, Megan also served as an attorney advisor at FEMA’s Federal Insurance & Mitigation Law Division.

Publications and Presentations

15 April 2024 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

What Food & Beverage Companies Need to Know About the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Food and beverage companies may be surprised to learn that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not the exclusive regulatory authority over the safety of foods and beverages.
21 March 2024 Deals and Wins

Foley Represents DISA Global Solutions in Acquisition of CastleBranch Screening and Compliance Business

Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to DISA Global Solutions, a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity, in its acquisition of the screening and compliance services of CastleBranch Inc.
08 March 2024 Deals and Wins

Foley Represents Novacap in Strategic Partnership with INdigital

Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal advisor to Novacap, one of North America’s leading private equity firms, in its definitive agreement to acquire Communications Venture Corporation, Inc., doing business as INdigital.
06 February 2024 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Proposed Consumer Advocacy and Protection Act Could Remove the Cap on Civil Penalties the Consumer Product Safety Commission Can Impose

On January 25, 2024, Representative Jan Schakowsky and Senator Peter Welch introduced legislation to bolster the enforcement tools available to the Consumer Product Safety Commission for deterring violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act.
18 October 2023 Honors and Awards

Foley Receives LIFT Insight Pathfinder Award for Impact as a Service Provider

17 October 2023 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

CPSC Signals its Regulatory Interest in PFAS

On September 20, 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a Federal Register Notice and Request for Information1 asking for public comment about the use and presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in “consumer products” under its jurisdiction (the “Request for Information”).