Biography

Mr. Featherstun is a partner in Seyfarth Shaw’s San Francisco office and is the chair of that office’s litigation practice. For more than 25 years his practice has focused on commercial litigation with an emphasis on government contract law. As a result, he has extensive trial and claims preparation experience. He has tried cases in a variety of forums including federal courts, state courts, boards of contract appeals, state administrative bodies and private arbitrations.

Mr. Featherstun was a member of a team that represented Lockheed Martin IMS in a dispute with the state of California concerning the termination of the Statewide Automated Child Support Systems contract. This program was a federally mandated and funded project to develop a single statewide computer system to collect child support payments. The amount in dispute was over $200 million. After the case was tried, the judge awarded Lockheed $58.8 million and denied the state’s request for $147 million.

In another case, which involved the development of a new transport aircraft by McDonnell Douglas for the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Featherstun helped to prepare and litigate over 40 claims totaling $1 billion for McDonnell Douglas.

In addition to litigation, Mr. Featherstun has supported clients in complex contract transactions. From July of 2002 until April of 2005, he helped Advanced Interactive Systems, Inc. of Seattle, Washington negotiate, perform and close out a six month $105 million contract to train Transportation Security Administration baggage handlers in the use of explosive detection equipment at U.S. airports. 

During his career, Mr. Featherstun has represented telecommunications contractors, computer contractors, aerospace contractors, construction contractors, service contractors and environmental remediation contractors in counseling, major litigation, claim preparation, bid protests, False Claim Act cases, white collar criminal investigations, and negotiation of contract terms and conditions for federal, state and local procurements.

From 1979 to 1982, he was with the Office of the General Counsel, Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C. He served as an Assistant to the General Counsel from 1979-1980. In 1980 he transferred to the Litigation Division where he tried cases before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. In 1982, Mr. Featherstun joined the firm of Pettit & Martin in San Francisco, California as an associate in the Government Contracts Department. He was made partner in 1987 and remained there until March of 1995 when the firm closed.

Mr. Featherstun is a frequent lecturer for various organizations including Federal Publications (Concentrated Course, Year-In-Review) and the National Contract Management Association. He has served on several committees of the Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association, including Chairman of the Region Division, Vice-Chairman of the Subcontracts Committee, and Chair of the Northern California Section of the Region Division. In 1999 Mr. Featherstun was elected to the voting council of the section. In August of 2007, he was elected to the position of Secretary of the Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Education

J.D., Case Western Reserve University (1979)

International Moot Court Team, Moot Court Board

B.A., Columbia College (1975)

Admissions

• California
• District of Columbia (inactive)
• Various federal courts