Candi Alfred

Candi Alfred is a counsel in Goodwin’s Global Trade practice in Washington, DC. She brings deep expertise in federal government contracting, technology transfers between the federal government and the national labs, issues related to national security, and regulatory matters impacting investors and businesses as they navigate the rapidly evolving and expanding US defense industrial base. 

Candi is a former government executive with more than 20 years of experience advising senior Department of War leaders on complex acquisition, intellectual property and data rights, technology, research and development, and national security matters. Immediately prior to joining Goodwin, Candi served as general counsel of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where she was the principal legal advisor to the agency’s director and oversaw all legal matters related to procurement, cybersecurity, space, intelligence, ethics, litigation, and intellectual property. She has served in several senior leadership roles within the Department of War, which has allowed her to counsel senior military and civilian officials on major defense acquisition programs, legal issues associated with software licensing, supply chain and foreign investment matters, complex contract disputes, and litigation in numerous forums. Candi’s experience includes both operational and strategic legal counseling across some of the federal government’s most sophisticated technology, national security, and defense programs.

Candi earned her Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics and government from College of William and Mary. She is admitted to the New York Bar and has received numerous honors recognizing her contributions to public service, acquisition law, and defense innovation.

Candi began her federal legal career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she advised on civil works programs and served as ethics counselor, labor counselor and Freedom of Information Act officer. She later served as Assistant Division Counsel for the Corps’ Gulf Region Division in Baghdad, advising on fiscal law, contract formation and administration, military construction, operational law and international law.

She went on to join the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel, where she held a series of increasingly senior roles supporting major defense programs and commands. As a program attorney with the Naval Air Systems Command, Candi advised on multiple aviation weapons systems and platforms, including aircraft protection systems, strategic communications aircraft and tactical fighter aircraft. She later served as Supervisory Attorney supporting the Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, followed by service as Deputy Counsel for the Office of Naval Research.

Throughout her career, Candi has represented federal agencies before administrative tribunals and advised on high-stakes matters involving acquisition strategy, compliance, personnel issues and mission-critical programs.