Attorney Robert S. Gardner is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and earned his law degree with honors in 1981 from the University of Texas School of Law. In addition, he holds a Masters of Law in Government Procurement Law from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. His practice emphasizes government contracts, administrative and regulatory law, as well as business and commercial law. In addition to his traditional legal practice, Mr. Gardner is experienced in government relation and election law matters. He has appeared in a wide range of matters before judicial, administrative, executive, and legislative bodies at the federal, state, and local levels of government. Mr. Gardner has successfully litigated election challenges and ballot access issues before the Colorado Courts and recently appeared before the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of parties challenging the new state legislative districts.

In his government contracts practice, Mr. Gardner has represented clients in a wide range of legal issues related to government contracting and construction, including multimillion dollar R & D and construction claims, bid protests before the General Accounting Office and various federal agencies, labor standards matters before the Department of Labor, and procurement fraud and defective pricing issues before the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice. He frequently counsels clients on proposal submissions and certifications, contract compliance, liens and claims, cost accounting standards, data rights, export licensing, and government socioeconomic program issues such as labor standards, affirmative action, and drug free workplace programs.

In the area of claims, disputes, and litigation, Mr. Gardner has litigated claims before the various agency boards of contract appeals and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and has represented both prime and subcontractors in the federal and state courts. He has also has briefed and argued procurement law issues before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and has represented clients and served as an arbitrator in various arbitration proceedings.

Mr. Gardner has served as general counsel of $65M facilities management and services contractor with government and commercial projects. As corporate counsel, he advised corporate officers and managers on all corporate legal matters including government and commercial contracts, technology licensing, labor and employment, regulatory compliance, corporate transactions, and management of outside counsel. He also directed the corporate government relations program, including Congressional and federal executive branch relations and advocacy. He is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer in both the legal and practical aspects of campaigns and elections

Prior to entering private practice in 1989, Mr. Gardner was an Air Force judge advocate assigned to the United States Air Force Academy law faculty where he taught procurement and business law. He has taught the National Contract Management Association’s annual education seminar for contracting professionals and has been a frequent guest speaker on government contracts, construction law, and other legal issues. He has been engaged in the practice of law both with the Government and in the private sector for over twenty years.