King & Spalding today announced that Rick Vacura and Steve Cave have joined the firm as partners in its Special Matters and Government Investigations team.

Vacura and Cave are government contracts lawyers representing clients selling products and services to federal, state and local government customers. Their focus includes conducting internal investigations, mergers and acquisitions, procurement and IP counseling, and litigation. They are joining from Morrison & Foerster, and McKinsey & Company, respectively. Vacura and Cave will be resident in Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia, joining Lawrence Yanowitch, Thomas Knox, Charles Katz, and Jeremy Schropp, corporate partners who also joined the firm from Morrison & Foerster in October of last year. Vacura will head the firm's Government Contracts practice area.

"Rick and Steve have extensive law firm and in-house experience, which allows them to navigate complex government contracts regulations, particularly as they counsel our highly- acquisitive defense and technology-focused clients," said Wick Sollers, head of the firm's Government Matters practice group, of which the Special Matters and Government Investigations team is a part. "They are a superb team who worked together in private practice for many years, and their knowledge and insight will strengthen our national security, False Claims Act, government investigations and CFIUS teams."

"Government contracts expertise is a perfect complement to our leading regulatory, litigation and corporate offerings in Washington, D.C.," said Mark Jensen, managing partner of the D.C. office. "Rick and Steve have an international reputation in the Aerospace, Defense & Government Services industry, and their impressive market presence and breadth of knowledge will benefit all our clients with government contracts regardless of subject matter. We are delighted to add them to the growing roster of talent who have recently joined the firm in D.C. and Northern Virginia to serve clients on our multi-national platform."

Rick Vacura

Vacura founded, and is former chair of, Morrison & Foerster's Government Contracts & Public Procurement practice. He has litigated cases involving major weapons, communications and space systems, software development, prime/subcontract disputes, bid protests, procurement fraud, FOIA actions, and the Federal Tort Claims Act. Vacura also counsels clients—startups to major public companies—on due diligence reviews for domestic and foreign acquisitions, drafting and negotiating teaming and joint venture and technical data and nondisclosure agreements, export control, national security matters, and standard domestic and international solicitations and contract/subcontract terms and conditions. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas, his JD from William Mitchell College of Law and his LLM in Government Procurement from The George Washington University Law School.

Steve Cave

Cave, formerly associate general counsel and vice president of legal at McKinsey & Company, led its North America public sector legal team and operations, managing relationships with outside and internal counsel, internal investigations, and the team's legal work. Prior to McKinsey, he was at Morrison & Foerster, handling internal investigations, mergers and acquisitions, and representing government contractors on a variety of matters associated with government contracts. Cave received his bachelor's degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University and his JD from George Mason School of Law.

"King & Spalding's lawyers have a great reputation for working incredibly hard for their clients and working well with each other," Vacura said. "This sense of collaboration and opportunity to be fellow partners with other K&S lawyers was a unique opportunity we just could not pass up. We are excited to get started."

About King & Spalding

Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with over 1,100 lawyers in 21 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com.