DavidRobbins

Chambers USA 2026 has recognized Jenner & Block’s Washington, DC office as a hub of legal excellence, with 29 individual lawyers ranked across 16 key practice areas.

Key Takeaways

I. Overview

On April 3, the President issued a new executive order about college sports, Urgent National Action to Save College Sports (“College Sports EO,” “the Order,” or “EO”) (Apr. 3, 2026), and an accompanying Fact Sheet. 

Attention government contractors and subcontractors, a new Executive Order (EO) demands your immediate attention. Titled Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors, the order, issued March 26, directs federal agencies to begin inserting a new clause prohibiting what the EO terms “racially discriminatory DEI activities” into contracts within 30 days. The EO’s text reaches more broadly than prior purported DEI preclusion efforts. Here is what you need to know.

Jenner & Block successfully defended its client Jet Logistics Inc. against a termination for default issued by the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), preserving the company's Air Ambulance Blanket Purchase Agreement and its ability to continue providing critical transportation services to severely ill and injured servicemembers.

The Administration’s 2026 AI Action Plan foreshadowed broad efforts to bring Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities to government. Now, the General Services Administration (GSA), which leverages government-wide purchasing power, is proposing a new, required clause, GSAR 552.239-7001, Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems, in all solicitations and contracts in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities are either (a) provided to the government or (b) used by the contractor

The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced proposed updates to certification requirements for federal grantees on the System for Award Management (SAM, available at sam.gov), the GSA-run, official US Government system for, among other things, recipients of federal funding to make representations and certifications about their organizations. These proposed changes, published in a Federal Register notice on January 28, 2026, would impact all entities receiving federal financial a

On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (No. 24-1287) and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc. (No. 25-250), holding 6-3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not grant the President authority to impose tariffs. The same day, President Trump issued an Executive Order rescinding IEEPA tariffs and directing agency heads to “terminate the collection” of those tariffs “as soon as practicable.”

Partners Rachel Alpert, Noah Bleicher, and David Robbins will speak on panels at Pub K's Annual Review on February 10 and 11.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Fraud Section released its 2025 Year-in-Review (YIR) last week, revealing an expanded enforcement blueprint that suggests heightened regulatory risk and more aggressive corporate enforcement ahead. In light of these changes, companies – especially those in the Section’s identified priorities for enforcement – should prepare for increased parallel enforcement and criminal liability by proactively strengthening their compliance programs to identify and address issue

Purpose: The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) seeks industry feedback from operators currently operating in, investing in, or intending to operate or invest in the civil Indian space markets. This feedback will inform OSC’s continued participation in the Commercial Space Sub-Working Group (CSSwG), a subgroup of the US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG). The CSJWG, established in 2005, provides a bi-lateral framework for “structured collaboration, to address challenges promptly, and to p

In the waning hours of 2025, news broke that the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) had sent Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to investigate and potentially bring actions against federal contractors, grant recipients, and other entities receiving federal funds for maintaining so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs. Reporting notes that DOJ issued CIDs pursuant to its False Claims Act (“FCA”) authority (31 U.S.C. § 3729-3733) to companies across a variety of sectors of the US

The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program, aimed to help socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners access federal contracting opportunities, has been under increased scrutiny since an investigation by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed a significant bribery scheme involving more than half a billion dollars. Citing that investigation, in June 2025, the SBA Administrator directed the SBA’s Office of General Contracting and B

Partner David Robbins co-authored an article for Law360 analyzing federal suspension and debarment activity during fiscal year 2025, marking the 10th anniversary of his annual study tracking government enforcement trends in this area.

On November 10, 2025, the Secretary of War released three memoranda and an acquisition reform strategy directing systemic reform across the defense acquisition landscape. The overarching theme of these reform initiatives is moving with urgency, prioritizing the integration of innovative capabilities, and accelerating a preference for commercial contracting.

The Administration’s dramatic cutbacks to federal funding have changed the landscape and presented new and unprecedented challenges for funding recipients across a range of industries.

Chambers USA 2025 has recognized Jenner & Block’s Washington, DC office as a hub of legal excellence, with 27 individual lawyers ranked across 16 key practice areas. 

On May 19, 2025, United States Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche circulated a memo to the Department, announcing the establishment of the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, an effort aimed at leveraging the civil False Claims Act (FCA) and its qui tam provisions, which authorize whistleblowers to bring federal civil rights enforcement against entities who “defraud the United States by taking its money while knowingly violating civil rights laws.” This multi-component initiative, co-led by the Fra