Catherine O. Shames

Counsel

Overview

Catherine O. Shames is a counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Crowell & Moring, where she is a member of the firmʼs Government Contracts Group.

Catherineʼs government contracts practice focuses on contract claims/disputes under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA), prime-sub disputes, transactional due diligence, mandatory disclosure investigations, and grants compliance. She also routinely contractors with cost allowability issues and responding to DCAA audits.

During law school, Catherine interned for the Honorable Lydia Kay Griggsby at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Catherine also completed several internships with the U.S. Department of Justice. Prior to law school, Catherine was a legal analyst at the nation’s largest military shipbuilding company where she gained valuable government contracts experience.

Career & Education

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    • Randolph-Macon Woman's College, B.A.
    • Duke University, Sanford School of Public Policy, M.P.P.
    • College of William & Mary, Mason School of Business, M.B.A.
    • College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, J.D.
    • Randolph-Macon Woman's College, B.A.
    • Duke University, Sanford School of Public Policy, M.P.P.
    • College of William & Mary, Mason School of Business, M.B.A.
    • College of William & Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, J.D.
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
    • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
    • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

Catherine's Insights

Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.21.25

Contractor Business Systems: Out With the Old, In With the New (Terminology)

On January 17, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a final rule replacing the term “significant deficiency” in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) with the term “material weakness” for use in reviews of contractor business systems.  Effective immediately, a material weakness is defined as “a deficiency or combination of deficiencies in the internal control over information in contractor business systems, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of such information will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis.  A reasonable possibility exists when the likelihood of an event occurring is probable or more than remote but less than likely.” ...

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Catherine's Insights

Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.21.25

Contractor Business Systems: Out With the Old, In With the New (Terminology)

On January 17, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a final rule replacing the term “significant deficiency” in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) with the term “material weakness” for use in reviews of contractor business systems.  Effective immediately, a material weakness is defined as “a deficiency or combination of deficiencies in the internal control over information in contractor business systems, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of such information will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis.  A reasonable possibility exists when the likelihood of an event occurring is probable or more than remote but less than likely.” ...