Liza Craig

Liza Craig is a partner in Goodwin’s Global Trade practice in Washington, D.C. where she leads the firm’s Government Contracts and Grants Team. She provides advice on Merger & Acquisition matters involving U.S. federal government prime and subcontractors across all industry sectors and counsels her clients on all aspects of the procurement process, including the proposal preparation and submission process, the resolution of dispute related to awards, administration, and termination of government contracts, and on matters related to contract compliance. Liza provides creative, knowledgeable, and practical advice designed to successfully advance and achieve her clients’ business goals and objectives.

Liza has significant experience advising on matters of national security, complex defense sector weapon systems procurements, on highly technical IT procurements, and on procurements (both large and small) of supplies and services. This experience includes substantial bid protest work before the Government Accountability Office. She also has experience advising on non-traditional procurement instruments such as Other Transaction Authority agreements and on counseling clients on matters associated with federal and state grant funds and on Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) and Work For Private Parties Agreements (WFPPs). Liza has focused extensively on matters involving statutory and regulatory compliance with the Competition in Contracting Act, the Procurement Integrity Act, and the Trade Secrets Act. She has also provided counsel on cybersecurity compliance, IT certification and FedRAMP authorization, Artificial Intelligence procurement and use, and technical data rights.

Liza is an avid contributor to the legal and professional communities; she routinely speaks at conferences, publishes articles, contributes content to legal textbooks, and serves as an adjunct professor at two law schools in the Washington D.C. area, where she instructs students at the J.D. and LL.M. levels. Previously, she served as outside general counsel for the Greater Washington Urban League and was a member of its Board of Directors. Liza also was a member of the board of the non-profit organization, Children of Uganda.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Liza was a partner at Reed Smith and a member of the firm’s Global Regulatory Enforcement Group. Previously, she held numerous positions as a senior associate counsel within the Department of the Navy Office of the General Counsel (Navy OGC), where she worked for more than 15 years. Liza’s final position with Navy OGC before transitioning to private practice was Civilian Counsel to the Chief of Naval Operations.

Liza has been recognized by Legal 500 US for her work in CFIUS and Customs, Export Controls, and Economic Sanctions. Liza received the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the 31st Chief of Naval Operations.

• Speaker, “Flowdowns, Data Rights Assertions, Export Controls: A Quick Run Through of the Basics,” NSIN Propel Hawaii, April 2023
• Speaker, “Sensitive Data and Supply Chain Security,” PLI's Investing, Trading and Doing Deals in a Dynamic World 2023: Navigating Persistent Risk, February 2023
• Speaker, “CMMC – Practical Solutions to Managing and Securing CUI Data, Perspectives of a Foreign Defense Contractor,” Ankura Webinar, November 2022
• Podcast, “Government Contracts Coffee Break,” 2020-2022
• Author, “Why Mentoring Matters: Reed Smith’s Liza Craig,” April 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Dismisses Post-Award Protest Because Protester Is Not an Interested Party,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Law Blog, July 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Sustains Post-Award Protest Challenging the Navy’s Unreasonable Interpretation of Its Own Solicitation Criteria,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Law Blog, July 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Sustains Pre-Award Protest Challenging a Solicitation as Unduly Restrictive,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Law Blog, June 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Dismisses Pre-Award Bid Protest as Untimely,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Blog, June 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Sustains Protest Where Agency Fails to Establish a Competitive Range and Engages in Unequal Discussions Only With the Awardee,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Blog, May 2022
• Co-Author, “GAO Determines Protester Is Not an Interested Party and Also Filed an Untimely Protest,” Global Regulatory Enforcement Blog, April 2022
• Speaker, “Avoid Incumbent Pitfalls and Disruption: Advice for Government Contractors to Win Re-competes,” Reed Smith, June 2022
• Speaker, “Driving Diversity in Law & Leadership: Washington D.C.,” Reed Smith, June 2022
• Speaker, “‘Let’s Talk’ CLE Series Session 1: Let’s talk bias busting and microaggressions,” Reed Smith, May 2022
• Speaker, “Global Disputes in 2021 – A Renewed Perspective,” Reed Smith, October 2021