Womble Bond Dickinson has hired a trio of US government contract lawyers from Wilmer & Lee to expand its corporate and securities group.

The new arrivals include Richard Raleigh, Christopher Lockwood and Jerome Gabig, with all three joining as partners in the firm’s newly created Huntsville, Alabama office – its 30th worldwide and 23rd in the US. The trio bring with them experience in government contracts procurement and litigation, advising clients on bid protests, size issues, contract disputes and regulatory matters.

Jamie Francis, head of the firm’s corporate and securities group and government contracts team, said: “This team brings a wealth of knowledge and decades of experience that will immediately strengthen and facilitate further growth of our government contracts practice, including in Washington DC, Northern Virginia, Nashville and other markets. Their insight will benefit all our clients providing goods and services to the federal government.”

Raleigh joins after just over 22 years at Wilmer & Lee, where he was a shareholder and most recently co-chair of its government contracts practice. Prior to that he was a judge advocate in the US Army. Lockwood spent more than 13 years at Wilmer & Lee, having joined straight out of the University of Georgia School of Law. Gabig was also previously a judge advocate in the US Air Force. That military experience gave Gabig and Raleigh unique insights into complex government contracts regulations.

Raleigh said: “We have long-standing relationships with our clients whose needs continue to increase in complexity and volume, and it was clear that Womble is equally committed to client service. The firm’s global platform and full-service, cross-practice resources will benefit our clients significantly.” 

Womble has also hired litigator Michael Clark from Baker Donelson to strengthen its business litigation practice and white-collar defence, investigations and regulatory enforcement team in Houston. Clark joins as senior counsel, bringing with him more than four decades of experience across government and private practice.

Joe Whitley, head of the firm’s white-collar defence, investigations and regulatory enforcement team, said: “Michael brings us his unique talent and skillset in the effective representation and defence of all types of healthcare providers in criminal and civil matters where fraud is alleged to include hospitals, clinics, physicians, labs, assisted living facilities, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists and billing companies.”