Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
BAR ADMISSIONS
Professional Affiliations
Hobbies and Interests
Timeline
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Alexander W. Major

Severna Park

Summary

Nationally recognized attorney and former military intelligence officer with over 20 years of experience in government contracts, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. Accomplished legal scholar and educator, with widely published works and high-profile speaking engagements, including course instruction for George Mason University. Consistently recognized for ability to bridge legal theory and real-world practice to prepare students for the rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape.

Overview

31
31
years of professional experience

Work History

Partner and Co-Leader Government Contracts & Export Controls Group

McCarter & English, LLP
08.2016 - Current
  • Internationally-ranked and recognized attorney in the areas of U.S. Government Contracts, Government Contracts (Cybersecurity), and False Claims Act defense; recognized thought-leader, instructor, and media contributor on cybersecurity policy, regulations and compliance.
  • Cultivated and grew a multi-million dollar, Chambers & Partners, nationally-ranked “Band 1” Government Contracts team in less than five years; expanded the D.C-based office of a newly positioned law firm and fosters ongoing growth.
  • Represent and counsel clients on regulatory compliance under FAR, DFAR, Cost Accounting Standards, and GSA MAS contracts.
  • Won multi‑million-dollar ASBCA payment claim for a major client, halting contract performance and securing damages over $10 million.
  • Supported multibillion-dollar contractors with claims related to shipbuilding, extreme weather, and business reorganization.
  • Managed and litigated False Claims Act defense for a global software provider on GSA pricing issues.
  • Develops curriculum and instructs hundreds of students annually on technology, federal procurement, and compliance matters for Federal Publications Seminars, the Public Contracting Institute, George Mason University, and a variety of corporate training programs.
  • Selected to serve on the U.S. District Court of Maryland’s Criminal Justice Act Panel as court appointed counsel on dozens of federal cases; negotiated dismissals, plea agreements and tried matters for indigent clients.

Major, U.S. Air Force Academy Liaison Officer

United States Air Force Reserve
01.2005 - 08.2016
  • Counseled and assisted Maryland area high school students with admission and applications to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy; perform evaluations of students; promote benefits of U.S. Service Academies.
  • Element leader managing three other officers; served as Unit Congressional Liaison Officer.

Government Contracts Associate

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP
04.2010 - 07.2016
  • Recognized as a Washington, D.C. Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2014, 2015.
  • Represented company on a $100 million+ request for equitable adjustment premised on contractor’s novel changes clause; identified relevant facts, oversaw drafting of cost estimates and changes; decision pending.
  • Investigated company’s financial irregularities and uncovered comptroller embezzled over $1.2 million from small business over course of 5 years; employed in depth auditing and computer forensics.
  • Author and primary editor of 2013 and 2014 editions of Cloud Computing Legal Deskbook (Thomson West).
  • Contributing author for 2012 and 2013 editions of the GSA Schedule Handbook (Thomson West) and the 2013 Global Procurement Review (Law Business Research Ltd., United Kingdom).

Commercial Litigation Associate

Venable, LLP
09.2008 - 03.2010
  • Defended and counseled corporate clients on a variety of commercial disputes including shareholder actions, breach of contract, insurance coverage and fraud matters in State and Federal courts.

Federal Judicial Clerk

The Honorable Paul Grimm, U.S. District Court of Maryland
08.2007 - 08.2008
  • Analyzed, researched, and drafted memoranda, orders and opinions on all pending cases and motions before the court; issues included examining and researching procedural and discovery disputes, search warrants, and settlement matters.
  • Assisted in preparing key electronic discovery decisions, i.e. Victor Stanley, Inc. v. Creative Pipe, Inc., 250 FRD 251 (D.MD 2008), and electronic discovery presentations and papers.

Litigation Associate

Arnold and Porter, LLP
03.2005 - 08.2007
  • Assisted with class-action defense of a Fortune 25 client against Plaintiffs’ novel design defect and RICO theories in multi-state and multi-district, complex civil litigation.
  • Provided USA PATRIOT Act compliance counseling in order to calm United Kingdom’s privacy concerns following the award to client’s international subsidiary of a U.K. national security contract.
  • Summer Associate (2004)

Judicial Intern

The Honorable H.F. Gierke
09.2004 - 12.2004
  • Analyzed military justice appellate records, military and federal case law, and military procedural and evidentiary rules in order to write bench memoranda for the Chief Judge on criminal cases before the highest court of military justice.
  • Discussed procedural and legal issues to be presented to the Court in daily conference with His Honor.

Intelliegence Officer

U.S. Air Force Active Duty
07.1994 - 07.2004
  • Captain/Major, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), JCS/J2, Pentagon August 2001 - May 2004
  • Captain, National Security Agency (NSA), Ft. Meade, Maryland August 1998 - August 2001
  • 1LT/Captain, Thirteenth Air Force, Andersen AFB, Guam April 1997 - August 1998
  • 2LT/1Lt, Ninth Air Force, Shaw AFB, South Carolina March 1995 - April 1997

Education

Juris Doctor -

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, COLUMBUS SCHOOL OF LAW
Washington, D.C.
01.2005

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NATIONAL CRYPTOLOGIC SCHOOL
Ft. Meade, Maryland
01.2001

Bachelor of Science - Business Mgmt.

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, MT
07-1993

Skills

  • Experienced in interdisciplinary collaboration across law, technology, and compliance to address complex legal and regulatory challenges
  • Skilled at simplifying complex legal and technical concepts for diverse audiences, fostering both conceptual understanding and practical application
  • Committed to producing interdisciplinary scholarship that integrates legal theory, policy analysis, and practical solutions for the legal profession
  • Regular media contributor and subject-matter expert, providing authoritative commentary on cybersecurity, government contracting, and related legal issues
  • Adept at translating legal scholarship into actionable frameworks that bridge academic theory with real-world practice in both teaching and research
  • Proficient in curriculum development and instruction in Government Contracts, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity Law, and Regulatory Compliance

Accomplishments

  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer – 2023, 2025
  • The Best Lawyers in America – Qui Tam Law, Washington, DC, 2025
  • Chambers USA – Government Contracts (Cybersecurity), Nationwide, Band 1 (2023–2025)
  • Chambers USA – Government Contracts, Nationwide, Band 4, (2021–2025)
  • Washington, DC Rising Star – Super Lawyers, Government Contracts, 2014–2015

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Maryland
  • Washington, D.C.
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • Anne Arundel County Bar Association
  • Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA)
  • Advisory/Editorial board member: Law360, Aerospace & Defense; The Government Contractor

Hobbies and Interests

Screenwriting – writer/director of “Random Natural Occurrence” Audience Award and Top Screenplay winner at the 2010 Duke City Shoot Out Film Festival, SCUBA Diving – NAUI Divemaster; PADI Assistant Instructor, Stand-up comedy, Distance Running, Extreme Cooking

Timeline

Partner and Co-Leader Government Contracts & Export Controls Group

McCarter & English, LLP
08.2016 - Current

Government Contracts Associate

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP
04.2010 - 07.2016

Commercial Litigation Associate

Venable, LLP
09.2008 - 03.2010

Federal Judicial Clerk

The Honorable Paul Grimm, U.S. District Court of Maryland
08.2007 - 08.2008

Litigation Associate

Arnold and Porter, LLP
03.2005 - 08.2007

Major, U.S. Air Force Academy Liaison Officer

United States Air Force Reserve
01.2005 - 08.2016

Judicial Intern

The Honorable H.F. Gierke
09.2004 - 12.2004

Intelliegence Officer

U.S. Air Force Active Duty
07.1994 - 07.2004

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NATIONAL CRYPTOLOGIC SCHOOL

Juris Doctor -

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, COLUMBUS SCHOOL OF LAW

Bachelor of Science - Business Mgmt.

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY

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