They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Amy Hoang of Seyfarth Shaw

Editor’s Note: Amy Hoang moved from K&L Gates to Seyfarth Shaw in July. Her nomination was submitted prior to that move.

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
For the past several years I’ve represented a veteran-led company, Valor Healthcare, in a series of bid protests at the Government Accountability Office. Our challenges involved the award of contracts to run community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) for the Department of Veterans Affairs, some of which are valued at over $100 million. These protests require a deep understanding of this facet of the health-care industry and the unique requirements of CBOC operations. Additionally, most bid protests are litigated under a protective order, meaning that clients never see the work product submitted by their attorneys. This requires tremendous trust between bid protest attorneys and their clients. I’m proud of the work that Valor does and that they put their trust in me as their advocate.

I represented a large engineering company in an internal investigation and disclosure to the federal government related to the activities of a recently-acquired company. The investigation required a deep dive into the company’s contracts and operations, many interviews of key employees (some of whom were no longer with the company), and voluminous document review and production. I had the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the company’s general counsel throughout the investigation and participate in negotiations with the Department of Justice that ultimately led to settlement and resolution of the matter.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
Find out how you can be helpful. When I started as a first year in the K&L Gates government contracts group, I had no background in this highly complex and specialized area of the law. I took every learning opportunity I could, but in the meantime I looked for needs in our practice group and tried to fill them. I saw that our group leader juggled so many issues at once that he wasted time trying to keep track of moving pieces, so I started drafting a project list that I would send him every morning with upcoming deadlines, as well as copies of relevant emails and documents. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was helpful. Today, I try to do the same thing for my clients by looking for needs and trying to fill them. Sometimes that’s government contracts-related, but often it’s helping them track down the right subject matter expert in a totally unrelated practice area, or connecting them to a non-lawyer consultant, or helping to identify candidates for an open in-house position. By being helpful, I strive to become more than government contracts outside counsel, and instead a valued partner.

How do you define success in your practice?
Government contracts is a unique industry in that a contractor’s adversary is also often their best customer: the federal government. This unique relationship requires a good government contracts attorney to think beyond short term wins. While government contracts law involves a fair amount of litigation which inherently has winners and losers, success in government contracts often means playing the long game: helping clients facilitate long term relationships with procuring agencies and deliver the best value for the taxpayers’ dollars.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?
I am proud of becoming the leader of my practice and building a diverse, majority-female group in a typically male-dominated industry. I came to K&L Gates as a first year associate to help my boss build a D.C.-based government contracts practice from the ground up, and I am incredibly proud of the group we have built. A client once praised our group as having “no disconnects within the team,” and that’s a reputation we pride ourselves on. It is a close-knit practice, and we strive for an inclusive environment where every member of the team feels valued and invested in the group’s success.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?
My greatest mentor is my [former] boss Stu Nibley, though the word “mentor” fails to give adequate credit to the effort Stu has devoted to fostering my success as lawyer. When I came to K&L Gates, I didn’t know I wanted to be a government contracts lawyer, but I did know I wanted to work for Stu. To start with the obvious, Stu taught me everything I know about government contracts law. But more importantly, he taught me how to make a large law firm an enjoyable place to work: to show consideration for everyone on a team from the lead partner to the most junior staff, to respect and encourage time with family outside of the office, and to foster a positive environment where we celebrate individual and collective success. Because of Stu, a big law firm became a place to develop a long-term, rewarding career.

Just for fun, tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.
“Our House” by Crosby Stills Nash & Young (and really, anything by Crosby Stills Nash & Young) is perpetually on my summer playlist, and even more so since my family moved into a house with two cats in the yard.

I have an 18-month-old at home, so “Wheels on the Bus” [“CoComelon” sings a version] is also in heavy rotation.

Amy Hoang led the government contracts and procurement policy practice and headed the D.C. office’s Women in the Profession Committee at K&L Gates. In mid-July, she moved to Seyfarth Shaw. She currently serves as a co-chair of the American Bar Association Public Contract Law Section’s bid protest committee and of its Membership, Diversity, and Outreach Division.