Locke Bell

Locke Bell represents and advises clients selling to government customers in commercial and government industries alike.  In addition to litigating bid protests, claims and other disputes before federal and state courts, administrative appeals boards, and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), he regularly counsels government contractors on the various practical and legal issues they face, with a particular focus on protecting and licensing intellectual property and navigating nontraditional acquisition arrangements, such as other transaction agreements (OTs or OTAs).

Locke represents clients in:

• Bid protests, including successfully arguing at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for reversal of a more than $175 million contract award by the United States Transportation Command, overcoming an adverse decision by the GAO.
• Claims, including preparing and litigating requests for equitable adjustments, termination settlements, adverse past performance evaluations, and other Contract Disputes Act claims.
• Safeguarding intellectual property, including technical data and computer software, developed under federal and state government contracts, OTAs, CRADAs, and in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
• Litigating data rights challenges and trade secrets disputes, including reverse Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) claims.
• Negotiating commercial and noncommercial licensing agreements, subcontracts, and teaming agreements.
• Negotiating nontraditional acquisition instruments, including OTs or OTAs and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs).
• Selling commercial software and other products to government customers through the General Services Administration’s Federal Supply Schedules, and other similar governmentwide acquisition vehicles for commercial items.
• Mergers and acquisitions, including performing due diligence and negotiating the purchase of government contracting concerns or related assets.

Locke has taught seminars on many subjects, including data rights, patenting inventions under the Bayh Dole Act, licensing commercial software to government customers, and has been a guest lecturer at The George Washington University Law School on OTAs and related legal issues. Locke is also involved in the American Bar Association, where he serves as Co-Chair for the Intellectual Property Committee of the Section of Public Contract Law.

Locke holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Virginia, where he received a B.S. with high honors.  While in law school, he worked at the U.S Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner specializing in the mechanical arts. He earned his J.D. with honors from the George Washington University Law School, where he received the Patricia A. Tobin Government Contracts Award for excellence in the area of government contracts law. Locke went on to clerk for Judge Mary Ellen Coster Williams at the Court of Federal Claims.