Partners John Prairie and J. Ryan Frazee join Mayer Brown to lead Government Contracts practice in Washington DC

WASHINGTON DC – Mayer Brown announced that John Prairie and J. Ryan Frazee have joined the Washington DC office as partners in the firm’s Government Contracts practice. John, who will serve as leader of Mayer Brown’s Government Contracts practice, and Ryan both bring extensive experience in government contracts litigation, investigations, and regulatory compliance. John and Ryan join from Wiley Rein.

"John and Ryan’s arrival allows us to provide the full spectrum of government contracts experience to our clients, including support for white collar, investigations, and transactional matters,” said Michael Olsen, leader of Mayer Brown’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice. “Their understanding of complex litigation, M&A advisory, and regulatory due diligence will be invaluable as we continue to expand our offerings to multinational corporations and leading technology companies.”

John brings more than 20 years of experience in government contracts law, representing clients in bid protests, contract claims, False Claims Act litigation, as well as government investigations and suspension and debarment proceedings. He regularly assists both large multinational contractors and emerging defense technology firms with the unique regulatory requirements of federal contracts. John’s practice also includes representing clients before the US Government Accountability Office, the US Court of Federal Claims, and the US Small Business Administration’s Office of Hearings and Appeals. He is highly experienced in SBA set-aside programs, the SBA’s Mentor-Protégé Program, and non-traditional federal funding mechanisms such as Other Transaction Agreements and Small Business Innovation Research awards.

"The firm’s global platform and collaborative culture provide a tremendous opportunity to serve clients across industries and geographies at the highest level,” said John. “I am particularly excited to work alongside Mayer Brown’s market-leading practices in litigation, M&A, regulatory, and investigations, to help sophisticated clients navigate the full range of opportunities and challenges in the government contracting space.”

Ryan represents government contractors and subcontractors on a broad range of legal issues, drawing on experience across virtually every area impacting companies that do business with the US government. He has particular experience litigating large, complex contract disputes before the US Court of Federal Claims and Boards of Contract Appeals, responding to False Claims Act investigations, and handling bid protests. Ryan has successfully litigated dozens of high-stakes disputes, including successfully defending against multi-billion dollar government claims and obtaining nine-figure judgments for clients. He also advises clients on emerging trends in federal contracting, such as regulatory changes, increased focus on cybersecurity and supply chain resilience, and the evolving use of artificial intelligence in government procurement.  

“I am thrilled to join Mayer Brown’s Government Contracts practice and to work with such a talented team,” said Ryan. “The firm’s reputation for excellence and its commitment to client service make it an ideal place to further develop my practice and help clients address their most complex government contracts challenges.”

“The addition of John and Ryan reflects Mayer Brown’s ongoing commitment to expanding its government contracts, defense, and regulatory practices to better serve clients in Washington DC and globally," said Andrew Olmem, the managing partner of Mayer Brown's Washington DC office. “We are excited to welcome John and Ryan, whose national reputations and broad experience in government contracts litigation, investigations, and compliance are a natural fit for our DC office and its focus on helping clients address Washington-related issues.”

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