Overview

Eric Crusius is a Tysons attorney who focuses his practice on a wide range of government contract (GovCon) matters, including bid protests, claims and disputes, compliance issues and sub-prime issues.

Mr. Crusius has extensive experience in government contract litigation, including successfully prosecuting and intervening in numerous bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC), U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), boards of contract appeals and other federal agencies. He counsels clients regarding the Service Contract Act (SCA) and other labor issues, domestic preferences, export controls, cybersecurity, subcontracting and teaming agreements, and compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other agency regulatory requirements such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS). Mr. Crusius also represents contractors in investigations, suspension and debarment proceedings, and in federal and state courts. He also supports the firm's corporate practice and performs due diligence and compliance reviews for acquisitions and sales of entities and business units in the defense and civilian space.

Sample representations include:

  • Represented a multinational Fortune 100 manufacturer with respect to issues connected with the Defense Production Act (DPA) compliance under Titles I and III
  • Guided breach response plans for defense contractors following cybersecurity attacks and obtained favorable investigative outcomes following breach disclosures to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
  • After trial, obtained a successful verdict that challenged a finding by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that a security contractor violated the SCA avoiding substantial fines and a potential debarment
  • Successfully removed a company from the suspension and debarment list following a criminal conviction of the company and its founder after guiding the company through a significant compliance plan
  • Guided mandatory disclosures for clients resulting in no further inquiries or actions by the federal government
  • Counsels contractors with unique and emerging compliance issues connected with the American Rescue Plan Act, the Chinese technology ban and supply chain compliance, autonomous transportation, offensive and defensive cybersecurity weapons, helium shortages and others

Mr. Crusius also draws on his previous experience representing internet-based companies across the globe and focuses on cybersecurity issues particular to government contractors, including counseling contractors regarding cybersecurity compliance obligations, specialized breach response requirements required by various federal agencies (including the DOD), and certifications such as the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). He is an industry thought leader with respect to these issues having appeared on Government Matters, Federal News Network and featured at conferences to provide insight to the greater contractor community.

In addition, Mr. Crusius is well-versed in developing strategies for and managing all stages of complex multimillion-dollar litigations from commencement through trial.

Mr. Crusius' recent representative litigation matters include:

  • Obtained a $3.3 million verdict in a complex government contracts trial against L-3 Communications
  • Won jury trial, including punitive damages, on behalf of a government contractor in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in a case involving the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
  • Won an appeal in Ohio's Ninth District Court of Appeals overturning the summary judgment decision by the trial court
  • Successfully prosecuted numerous bid protests at the GAO and the USCFC, including a successful challenge of an approximately $190 million award on two separate protest grounds and a successful challenge of corrective action taken by the agency and prior adverse GAO decision
  • In another protest decision at the USCFC, obtained a finding that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acted unlawfully when structuring a $4 billion program for the sourcing and distribution of medical supplies for VA medical facilities
  • Obtained a significant settlement for a government contractor against the client's former heads of business development and operation started a competing business
  • In a matter alleging numerous business torts connected with false allegations that the client was selling counterfeit goods, obtained a substantial settlement during jury selection

Credentials

Education
  • Hofstra University School of Law, J.D.
  • Hofstra University, B.A., Social Science, with honors
Bar Admissions/Licenses
  • New York
  • Virginia
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Memberships
  • American Bar Association, Section of Public Contract Law, Conference Director, Virtual Speaker Series; Employment Safety & Labor Committee, Co-Chair; Legislative and Regulatory Coordinating Committee, Co-Chair
  • Law360, Government Contracts Editorial Advisory Board, 2018-2019
  • National Contract Management Association, NOVA Chapter, President, 2017-2018
  • American Bar Association
  • Professional Services Council
  • Small and Emerging Contractor Advisory Forum, Programs Committee
  • Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
  • Conscience, Hofstra University School of Law Newspaper, Editor-in-Chief
Honors & Awards
  • Who's Who Legal: Government Contracts, 2024
  • Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020
  • Top Author, Government Contracts Industry, JD Supra Reader's Choice Awards, 2018
  • Rising Star, Virginia Super Lawyers magazine, 2012-2015
  • Rising Star, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers magazine, Government Contracts, 2013-2015
  • Hofstra University School of Law, Dean's Scholarship

Multimedia

Regulatory Phishing Podcast Episode ft Kelsey Hayes
Podcast - Discussing a DOJ Lawsuit Under the Civil-Fraud Initiative
Sound Waves
What Contractors Need to Know, Now That the CMMC Rule Is Finalized
Sound Waves
The Contractor Cybersecurity Locomotive Picks Up Steam
Regulatory Phishing Podcast - Cybersecurity Roundup: Analyzing New and Proposed Rules for Contractors
Podcast - Cybersecurity Roundup: Analyzing New and Proposed Rules for Contractors
Sound Waves
A Big Defense Cybersecurity Requirement for Contractors Moves Closer to Reality
Podcast: Cybersecurity Provisions in the FY24 NDAA
Podcast: Cybersecurity Provisions in the FY24 NDAA
Webinar Thumbnail
Impact of the CMMC Proposed Rule on Government Contractors
CUI STILL
Cybersecurity and CUI in Government Contracts: What's New and What's Next?
Podcast - The Role of Managed Service Providers with Stuart Itkin
Podcast - The Role of Managed Service Providers with Stuart Itkin
Ep.7Regulatory _Phishing_Still
Podcast - The When, Where, Why and How of CMMC with Fernando Machado
The State of Contractor Cybersecurity with Katie Arrington
Podcast - The State of Contractor Cybersecurity with Katie Arrington
RP Ep. 5 Still
Podcast - Navigating the TikTok Ban: Implications for Government Contractors
How Contractors Can Manage the Imminent Government Shutdown
How Contractors Can Manage the Imminent Government Shutdown
RP - The Impact of Cybersecurity Compliance on Corporate Transactions Still
Podcast - The Impact of Cybersecurity Compliance on Corporate Transactions
Sound Waves
Nothing From the Government Comes Without Gobs of Documentation
Still
Podcast - What Do the Newly Released CMMC 2.1 Documents Mean?
Regulatory Phishing Ep. 2 Still
Podcast - Third-Party Assessments and NIST SP 800-171
Regulatory Phishing Ep. 1 Still
Podcast - Overview of Cybersecurity in Government Contracts
Sound Waves
An Update on a Contractor Cybersecurity Rule VA Imposed This Year
Government Contracts and Cybersecurity Compliance Still
Government Contracts and Cybersecurity Compliance
Eric Crusius Government Matters Still
Working to Protect Sensitive Cyber Information
GocCon Giants Podcast Still
Administration and Regulation Changes in Government Contracting
Sound Waves
Changes Coming to CMMC; The Cryptocurrency Threat Landscape; Getting Ready for a CR
Media_Key_Risks_Federal_Contracting_Insights_SEC_Filings_Still
Key Risks in Federal Contracting: Insights from SEC Filings
Podcast: NDAA FY22 Cybersecurity Provisions and Acquisition Reform
Podcast: FY22 NDAA Cybersecurity Provisions and Acquisition Reform
GovConStill
Government Contracting and Cybersecurity
Eric Crusius Government Matters Still
Update Makes Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Simpler for Defense Contractors, Attorney Says
Sound Waves
What CMMC 2.0 Means For Defense Contractors and Accelerating Zero Trust at the State Dept.
Government Contractor Vaccine Mandate: Updates and Additional Considerations
Government Contractor Vaccine Mandate: Updates and Additional Considerations
Questions Answered: Government Contractor Vaccine Mandate
Sound Waves
Contractors Say, When They Roll up Their Sleeves to Help the Government, This Isn't What They Had in Mind
Eric Crusius Government Matters Still
Former Top Agency Official Advises Federal Contractors to Get Ahead of Vaccine Mandate
Eric Crusius Interview Government Matters
Minimum Wage Increase Could Boost Federal Contractor Employee Retention, says Government Contract Lawyer
Eric Crusius Government Matters Interview
Contractors Should Prepare Now For Anticipated Cybersecurity Regulations
Eric Crusius Government Matters Interview
How Government Contractors Can Prepare for Minimum Wage Executive Order
Eric Crusius, Partner at Holland & Knight, is interviewed on Government Matters
Using the Defense Production Act for Vaccine Distribution

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News