Partner, Los Angeles
444 South Flower Street
8th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2901

TEL: 213.243.6233
FAX: 213.243.6330
EMAIL: mkavanaugh@mckennalong.com

PROFILE

Mike Kavanaugh has over 30 years of experience as a government contracts litigator and counselor, ranging across the entire life cycle of the contracting process. His clients call upon him to handle major claims arising under highly-advanced weapon systems contracts, including issues of software development and systems engineering, terminations for default and convenience, defense of fraud allegations and construction contract claims both in the United States and Overseas. He has been the legal team leader for complex technical claims related to the AC-130U gunship and the Peace Shield Command, Control and Communications programs. Mike's practice has also dealt with performance problems encountered in the development of software-intensive major systems.

Mike handled one of the largest terminations for default ever attempted by the government. He also litigated an eight-month trial in a federal district court representing a defense contractor accused of fraud under the False Claims Act. The issues were entirely technical in nature, requiring the review of thousands of engineering drawings. As a consequence of this and other document-intensive cases, he is frequently consulted on issues involved in the management of huge cases that can involve millions of pages of documentary and technical evidence.

Mike has also been involved in several large international arbitrations. These disputes involved both claims under energy contracts; as well as, hardware and software development contracts. Mike is also one of the firm’s experts in the area of disaster relief contracting under the Stafford Act.

Mike was a United States Army Judge Advocate prior to becoming a private practitioner, advising contracting officers on a wide range of contract formation and performance issues. He also spent four years at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals, where he served as a hearing examiner, involved in all areas of government contract litigation, including major shipbuilding claims.