Stephanie B.Magnell
Senior Counsel
Government Contracts
smagnell@seyfarth.com
Stephanie leverages her unique experience and insights as a former bid protest hearing officer at the US Government Accountability Office, and as a former US Army trial attorney, to help clients navigate all aspects of government contracts.
More About Stephanie
Stephanie specializes in representing government contractors in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC), and state courts, where a nuanced framing of the bid protest is essential. Stephanie also advises clients in government contract claims and requests for equitable adjustment (REAs), efficiently resolving disputes through negotiation, mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), or litigation at a Board of Contract Appeals or COFC. She also advises government contractors on business matters, such as joint venture formations, and on compliance matters, including security clearances, ethics rules and regulations. With extensive personal and professional ties to the US military, Stephanie especially enjoys supporting veterans in growing their businesses.
Before joining Seyfarth, Stephanie served as a Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Procurement Law and senior bid protest hearing officer at GAO, where she resolved more than 500 bid protests, presided over hearings and conducted ADRs. Stephanie heard challenges to solicitation terms, proposal evaluations, organizational conflicts of interest, Procurement Integrity Act violations, responsibility and competitive range determinations, the conduct of discussions, and numerous classified matters. She drafted decisions interpreting federal contracting laws and regulations including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), US Small Business Administration regulations, Other Transaction Authorities, and the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. In addition to her role as a hearing officer, Stephanie also served as a member of the GAO Contract Appeals Board (CAB), adjudicating appeals of contract claims against legislative branch agencies. Prior to the GAO, Stephanie was a trial attorney for the US Army, Contract and Fiscal Law Division, where she defended the Army in government contract matters, either litigating the issue or resolving it through negotiated settlement, arriving at a cost-effective solution for her client.
Stephanie also has substantial international transactional and financing experience from her practice with a Magic Circle law firm in London and other overseas offices, where she represented clients in a variety of cross-border transactions, including banking, capital markets, securitization, and mergers and acquisitions. Examples of these transactions include negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Prior to law school, Stephanie worked as a business analyst at a Fortune 500 bank and credit card company.
Before joining Seyfarth, Stephanie served as a Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Procurement Law and senior bid protest hearing officer at GAO, where she resolved more than 500 bid protests, presided over hearings and conducted ADRs. Stephanie heard challenges to solicitation terms, proposal evaluations, organizational conflicts of interest, Procurement Integrity Act violations, responsibility and competitive range determinations, the conduct of discussions, and numerous classified matters. She drafted decisions interpreting federal contracting laws and regulations including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), US Small Business Administration regulations, Other Transaction Authorities, and the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. In addition to her role as a hearing officer, Stephanie also served as a member of the GAO Contract Appeals Board (CAB), adjudicating appeals of contract claims against legislative branch agencies. Prior to the GAO, Stephanie was a trial attorney for the US Army, Contract and Fiscal Law Division, where she defended the Army in government contract matters, either litigating the issue or resolving it through negotiated settlement, arriving at a cost-effective solution for her client.
Stephanie also has substantial international transactional and financing experience from her practice with a Magic Circle law firm in London and other overseas offices, where she represented clients in a variety of cross-border transactions, including banking, capital markets, securitization, and mergers and acquisitions. Examples of these transactions include negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Prior to law school, Stephanie worked as a business analyst at a Fortune 500 bank and credit card company.
- JD, University of Virginia School of Law
John M. Olin Law and Economics Scholar
- AB, Harvard University
Economics
- Université de Montpellier III - Paul Valér
Economics, Film Studies
- District of Columbia
- New York
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- US Court of Federal Claims
Related Key Industries
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As a Deputy Assistant General Counsel at GAO, resolved more than 500 bid protests. Responsible for more than 80 published decisions, including sustaining a protest challenging an agency’s use of an “other transaction agreement” (OTA) in a $10 billion transaction; denying a challenge to procurement of cloud-based services for artificial intelligence; sustaining a protest of a procurement of reticles for military weapons scopes; and sustaining a protest of a contract award for commercial satellite services.
-
In private practice, litigated bid protests filed with the agency, at GAO, and at COFC; in the majority of these she has obtained agency corrective action.
-
Trained attorneys and people in all roles of government contracts on government ethics compliance, security compliance, and contract provisions, both in-person and virtually.
-
Advised government contractors on how to proactively engage with the agency while preventing, mitigating, or resolving disputes and preserving the working relationship.
-
Pursued appeals at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and the Postal Service Board of Appeals (PSBCA) after the agency’s failure to pay the contractor in accordance with the terms of the government contract.
-
As a trial attorney for the US Army, served as lead counsel in resolving and defending against numerous Contract Disputes Act (CDA) claims and appeals, including defending a $55 million CDA appeal involving issues of contract, FAR interpretation, and cost accounting standards. Successfully defended the Army in bid protest litigation at GAO, with all litigated protests dismissed or denied.
-
Represented clients in a variety of domestic and international corporate transactions, including: negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Related News & Insights
-
Attorney Publication
02/23/2024
Stephanie Magnell and Zachary Jacobson Write on Importance of Contract Terms in Contract Disputes in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
01/30/2024
Stephanie Magnell and Bret Marfut Write on Jurisdictional Challenges in Contract Disputes in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
09/21/2023
Zachary Jacobson and Stephanie Magnell Write on How to Avoid Pleading Errors’ Harsh Effects in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
08/21/2023
Bret Marfut and Stephanie Magnell Write in Law360 on the Impact of Three Recent Decisions Under the Contract Disputes Act
-
GAO Meritorious Service Award, 2019
-
Fort Leavenworth Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, 2010
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: The Terms Matter," Law360 (February 23, 2024)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Jurisdictional Challenges," Law360 (January 30, 2024)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Avoid Pleading Errors' Harsh Effects," Law360 (September 21, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Nonmonetary Claims, Timeliness," Law360 (August 21, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Court of Federal Claims Maintains Jurisdiction Over Other Transaction Agreement," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 9, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Webinar: Raising the Minimum Wage by Presidential Fiat – Implications for Government Contractors of a Pay Bump to $15/hour," Employment Law Lookout Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 12, 2021)
- Speaker, "Partnering for Success: A Cross-Practice Series on Top Legal Considerations for Government Contractors - Part 5: Real Estate Contracting with Governmental Entities," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2023)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance," Federal Publications Seminars’ Training Academy (hybrid in-person/webinar), La Jolla, California (May 2022)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance," Federal Publications Seminars’ Virtual Training Academy (March 2022)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance - Training Academy," Federal Publications Seminars (December 2021)
- Presenter, "Choosing the Best Forum for Filing Your Bid Protest - GAO vs. Court of Federal Claims," Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest (October 2021)
- Presenter, "A Dialogue with GAO about its Protective Order," Bid Protest Committee, ABA Section of Public Contract Law (March 2021)
- Presenter, Bid Protest Update for the U.S. Army Legal Services Agency, Contract and Fiscal Law Division (September 2020)
- Presenter, “Ask GAO,” Bid Protest Committee, ABA Section of Public Contract Law (July 2019)
- Presenter, Bid Protest Presentation for the Intelligence Community Procurement Conference (October 2017)
-
Served on the Supervisory Committee and the Asset-Liability Committee of the United States Senate Federal Credit Union (2015-2021)
-
Involved with organizations that support military veterans running for public office and advocacy organizations for military spouses
Languages
-
French (Advanced)
-
Spanish (Intermediate)
-
German (Beginner)
Stephanie leverages her unique experience and insights as a former bid protest hearing officer at the US Government Accountability Office, and as a former US Army trial attorney, to help clients navigate all aspects of government contracts.
More About Stephanie
Stephanie specializes in representing government contractors in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC), and state courts, where a nuanced framing of the bid protest is essential. Stephanie also advises clients in government contract claims and requests for equitable adjustment (REAs), efficiently resolving disputes through negotiation, mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), or litigation at a Board of Contract Appeals or COFC. She also advises government contractors on business matters, such as joint venture formations, and on compliance matters, including security clearances, ethics rules and regulations. With extensive personal and professional ties to the US military, Stephanie especially enjoys supporting veterans in growing their businesses.
Before joining Seyfarth, Stephanie served as a Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Procurement Law and senior bid protest hearing officer at GAO, where she resolved more than 500 bid protests, presided over hearings and conducted ADRs. Stephanie heard challenges to solicitation terms, proposal evaluations, organizational conflicts of interest, Procurement Integrity Act violations, responsibility and competitive range determinations, the conduct of discussions, and numerous classified matters. She drafted decisions interpreting federal contracting laws and regulations including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), US Small Business Administration regulations, Other Transaction Authorities, and the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. In addition to her role as a hearing officer, Stephanie also served as a member of the GAO Contract Appeals Board (CAB), adjudicating appeals of contract claims against legislative branch agencies. Prior to the GAO, Stephanie was a trial attorney for the US Army, Contract and Fiscal Law Division, where she defended the Army in government contract matters, either litigating the issue or resolving it through negotiated settlement, arriving at a cost-effective solution for her client.
Stephanie also has substantial international transactional and financing experience from her practice with a Magic Circle law firm in London and other overseas offices, where she represented clients in a variety of cross-border transactions, including banking, capital markets, securitization, and mergers and acquisitions. Examples of these transactions include negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Prior to law school, Stephanie worked as a business analyst at a Fortune 500 bank and credit card company.
Before joining Seyfarth, Stephanie served as a Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Procurement Law and senior bid protest hearing officer at GAO, where she resolved more than 500 bid protests, presided over hearings and conducted ADRs. Stephanie heard challenges to solicitation terms, proposal evaluations, organizational conflicts of interest, Procurement Integrity Act violations, responsibility and competitive range determinations, the conduct of discussions, and numerous classified matters. She drafted decisions interpreting federal contracting laws and regulations including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), US Small Business Administration regulations, Other Transaction Authorities, and the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. In addition to her role as a hearing officer, Stephanie also served as a member of the GAO Contract Appeals Board (CAB), adjudicating appeals of contract claims against legislative branch agencies. Prior to the GAO, Stephanie was a trial attorney for the US Army, Contract and Fiscal Law Division, where she defended the Army in government contract matters, either litigating the issue or resolving it through negotiated settlement, arriving at a cost-effective solution for her client.
Stephanie also has substantial international transactional and financing experience from her practice with a Magic Circle law firm in London and other overseas offices, where she represented clients in a variety of cross-border transactions, including banking, capital markets, securitization, and mergers and acquisitions. Examples of these transactions include negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Prior to law school, Stephanie worked as a business analyst at a Fortune 500 bank and credit card company.
- JD, University of Virginia School of Law
John M. Olin Law and Economics Scholar
- AB, Harvard University
Economics
- Université de Montpellier III - Paul Valér
Economics, Film Studies
- District of Columbia
- New York
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- US Court of Federal Claims
Related Key Industries
-
As a Deputy Assistant General Counsel at GAO, resolved more than 500 bid protests. Responsible for more than 80 published decisions, including sustaining a protest challenging an agency’s use of an “other transaction agreement” (OTA) in a $10 billion transaction; denying a challenge to procurement of cloud-based services for artificial intelligence; sustaining a protest of a procurement of reticles for military weapons scopes; and sustaining a protest of a contract award for commercial satellite services.
-
In private practice, litigated bid protests filed with the agency, at GAO, and at COFC; in the majority of these she has obtained agency corrective action.
-
Trained attorneys and people in all roles of government contracts on government ethics compliance, security compliance, and contract provisions, both in-person and virtually.
-
Advised government contractors on how to proactively engage with the agency while preventing, mitigating, or resolving disputes and preserving the working relationship.
-
Pursued appeals at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and the Postal Service Board of Appeals (PSBCA) after the agency’s failure to pay the contractor in accordance with the terms of the government contract.
-
As a trial attorney for the US Army, served as lead counsel in resolving and defending against numerous Contract Disputes Act (CDA) claims and appeals, including defending a $55 million CDA appeal involving issues of contract, FAR interpretation, and cost accounting standards. Successfully defended the Army in bid protest litigation at GAO, with all litigated protests dismissed or denied.
-
Represented clients in a variety of domestic and international corporate transactions, including: negotiating agreements for a €3 billion loan refinancing, a $5 billion bond issuance for bridge loan take-down, and a $220 million Argentine bond issuance repurchase and redemption.
Related News & Insights
-
Attorney Publication
02/23/2024
Stephanie Magnell and Zachary Jacobson Write on Importance of Contract Terms in Contract Disputes in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
01/30/2024
Stephanie Magnell and Bret Marfut Write on Jurisdictional Challenges in Contract Disputes in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
09/21/2023
Zachary Jacobson and Stephanie Magnell Write on How to Avoid Pleading Errors’ Harsh Effects in Law360
-
Attorney Publication
08/21/2023
Bret Marfut and Stephanie Magnell Write in Law360 on the Impact of Three Recent Decisions Under the Contract Disputes Act
-
GAO Meritorious Service Award, 2019
-
Fort Leavenworth Commander’s Award for Civilian Service, 2010
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: The Terms Matter," Law360 (February 23, 2024)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Jurisdictional Challenges," Law360 (January 30, 2024)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Avoid Pleading Errors' Harsh Effects," Law360 (September 21, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Contract Disputes Recap: Nonmonetary Claims, Timeliness," Law360 (August 21, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Court of Federal Claims Maintains Jurisdiction Over Other Transaction Agreement," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 9, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Webinar: Raising the Minimum Wage by Presidential Fiat – Implications for Government Contractors of a Pay Bump to $15/hour," Employment Law Lookout Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 12, 2021)
- Speaker, "Partnering for Success: A Cross-Practice Series on Top Legal Considerations for Government Contractors - Part 5: Real Estate Contracting with Governmental Entities," Webinar, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 12, 2023)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance," Federal Publications Seminars’ Training Academy (hybrid in-person/webinar), La Jolla, California (May 2022)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance," Federal Publications Seminars’ Virtual Training Academy (March 2022)
- Presenter, "Government Contracts Compliance - Training Academy," Federal Publications Seminars (December 2021)
- Presenter, "Choosing the Best Forum for Filing Your Bid Protest - GAO vs. Court of Federal Claims," Navigating Federal Government Contracts Northwest (October 2021)
- Presenter, "A Dialogue with GAO about its Protective Order," Bid Protest Committee, ABA Section of Public Contract Law (March 2021)
- Presenter, Bid Protest Update for the U.S. Army Legal Services Agency, Contract and Fiscal Law Division (September 2020)
- Presenter, “Ask GAO,” Bid Protest Committee, ABA Section of Public Contract Law (July 2019)
- Presenter, Bid Protest Presentation for the Intelligence Community Procurement Conference (October 2017)
-
Served on the Supervisory Committee and the Asset-Liability Committee of the United States Senate Federal Credit Union (2015-2021)
-
Involved with organizations that support military veterans running for public office and advocacy organizations for military spouses
Languages
-
French (Advanced)
-
Spanish (Intermediate)
-
German (Beginner)