Jack is an accomplished trial lawyer and legal strategist who guides clients through complex challenges, including high-profile and sensitive litigation and government investigations. He focuses his practice on civil litigation, regulatory enforcement, and congressional investigations for clients in the defense, technology, federal contracting, higher and K-12 education, and other business sectors.
Jack has handled a range of complex litigation, investigations, and enforcement matters, including representing clients in congressional investigations. His extensive experience in litigation, investigations, and strategic counseling is particularly deep with respect to defense industry clients and other businesses operating in the federal sector, including emerging companies for which he provides support for continued growth.
One of Jack’s principal practice areas involves conducting internal investigations and providing counseling on matters pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion, assisting several companies to develop and implement initiatives in these areas. Jack was one of five civilian members who served on an independent review panel that investigated the command climate and culture at Fort Hood, as they related to sexual assault, harassment and crime. After releasing their report, Jack and his fellow panel members testified before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Jack also provides particularly valuable counsel to companies through growth, particularly in the government contracting sector, guiding them through legal and regulatory compliance as they transition out of small business status and through graduation from the SBA’s 8(a) Business Development Program into viable competitive enterprises. He also assists companies with the seating and engagement of fiduciary and advisory boards.
As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Jack served five years on active duty in the U.S. Army and continued his service in the Army Reserve while earning his J.D. at Pepperdine University School of Law. He has also served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito after first clerking for Alito at the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Experience
- Successfully represented a public institution of higher learning accused of violating Title IX.
- Represented a former senior government official in responding to a House committee subpoena for documents and testimony.
- Successfully represented a California-based pharmaceutical company in defamation litigation against a major media outlet company.
- Advised a defense contractor in an investigation conducted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control related to export compliance protocols.
- Counseled a defense contractor through graduation from the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program, as it has grown to nearly $100 Million in annual revenues.
- Advised and counseled the Board of Directors of a $2.25 billion defense contractor through transition of corporate ownership.
- Successfully represented a California-based Veteran Service Organization and its Board Members in civil litigation against then-Attorney General Kamala Harris.
- Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Educational Institutions Investigations
- Appeals & Issues
- Media & First Amendment
- Strategic Risk & Crisis Management
- Congressional Investigations
- Law Enforcement Policy and Practice Reviews
- Corporate Governance
- Nonprofit & Tax-Exempt Organizations
- Political Investigations Litigation and Enforcement
- State Attorneys General
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Pepperdine Caruso School of LawJD
magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Editor-in-Chief, Pepperdine Law Review
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United States Military Academy at West PointBS
BSCE, Dean’s List
Board Member, 2023 Board of Directors, Greater Washington Board of Trade
Board Member, Board of Visitors for James Madison University, Virginia Governor Youngkin Administration
Board Member, Board of Governors, National Military Family Association
Member, Advisory Council, American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces
Member, Northern Virginia Technology Counsel
Member, Northern Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Member, International Association of Defense Counsel
- Speaker, "Affirmative Action, Fearless Fund: Impact on Scholarship Funds," 21st Annual Nonprofit Seminar, October 2024
- Speaker, Hot Topics in Higher Education, May 2, 2024
- Speaker, U.S. Supreme Court Preview, October 10, 2023
- Presenter, "Defenses for Corporate DEI Initiatives," Retail Industry Leaders Association, July 24, 2023
- Speaker, U.S. Supreme Court Preview, October 17, 2022
- Speaker, "ESG: Not Just a Responsibility, It’s a Mindset," RILA Retail Law Conference, October 14, 2022
- Speaker, U.S. Supreme Court Preview, October 13, 2021
- Speaker, "A Look Ahead at the 2016-17 Term," U.S. Supreme Court Preview: A Look Ahead at the 2016-17 Term, October 19, 2016
- Speaker, U.S. Supreme Court Preview, McGuireWoods Webinar, October 15, 2015
- Hon. Samuel A. Alito Jr., U.S. Supreme Court, 2008-2009
- Hon. Samuel A. Alito Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2003-2004
- District of Columbia
- Texas
- Virginia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Finalist, “Best Mentor: Law Firm,” The American Lawyer Industry Awards, 2024
Selected as a “Top 100 Lawyer,” The National Black Lawyers, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Author, DoD Issues Final CMMC Framework for Defense Contractors, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 23, 2024
- Author, Federal Court Strikes Down Race- and Ethnicity-Based Programming Criteria, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 27, 2024
- Quoted, Defending Diversity: DEI Practice Groups on the Rise, Washington Lawyer, March/April 2024
- Author, SCOTUS Permits Military Academy to Use Race as a Factor in Student Admissions — for Now, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 9, 2024
- Author, Sovereign Immunity Available in Virginia Human Rights Act Cases, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 4, 2023
- Author, “There are Cops on the Beat”: DOJ’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force Leader Emphasizes Criminal Antitrust as Top Enforcement Priority, Subject to Inquiry, October 2, 2023
- Author, SBA Issues Interim Guidance After Ultima Decision Finds 8(a) Program Violates Equal Protection, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 29, 2023
- Author, Preparing for an Impending Government Shutdown: Legal Hurdles for Federal Contractors, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, September 28, 2023
- Author, OMB Issues Final Guidance for Build America, Buy America Requirements, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, August 18, 2023
- Author, DHS Issues Final Rule Regulating Federal Contractors’ Handling of Controlled Unclassified Information, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, July 19, 2023
- Author, U.S. Department of Education Launches Secret Shoppers Program to Investigate Colleges and Universities, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 16, 2023
- Author, Supreme Court to Revisit De Minimis Cost Test for Religious Accommodations Under Title VII, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 18, 2023
- Quoted, "Double Down on Branding in a Recession," Sales & Marketing Management, August 10, 2022
- Author, Biden Administration Amends “Buy American” Rules to Increase Domestic Content Requirements, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 10, 2022
- Author, Report of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, December 22, 2020