Gordon Griffin

Gordon N. Griffin is a government contracts attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office, where he focuses on federal leases and other real estate transactions involving the federal government. Mr. Griffin represents building owners, real estate developers, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and asset managers nationwide in all aspects of U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and other government agency lease procurement and negotiation, lease administration and litigation of government lease disputes. Mr. Griffin is a board member of the Federal Real Property Association and co-author of the Federal Government Real Estate Leasing guide published by LexisNexis, now in its seventh and final edition.

Mr. Griffin assists clients at all stages of government real estate transactions, including:

Lease Procurement: Mr. Griffin counsels real estate clients through the federal procurement process, including the review of Requests for Leasing Proposals (RLPs), negotiation of lease terms and, when necessary, bid protests of overly restrictive or unfair RLP provisions at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Lease Administration: Mr. Griffin assists clients in federal lease administration. The federal government has the unique right to make unilateral changes to lease terms, and Mr. Griffin counsels clients through making requests for equitable adjustments stemming from government changes. He also regularly assists clients in submitting and negotiating payment of property tax invoices.

Disputes: Mr. Griffin also advises clients in the federal claims process, which is required before parties can enter into litigation against the U.S. government. When the claims process fails to yield a favorable result, Mr. Griffin litigates federal lease disputes under the Contract Disputes Act (CDA) at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, as well as at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) and Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA).

Leasebacks/Ground Leases/Enhanced Use Leases: Mr. Griffin represents real estate clients through the negotiation and execution of long-term ground leases by NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Mr. Griffin works with developers and property to negotiate commercially viable terms and conditions for inclusion in leases made by these agencies in support of development of infrastructure, energy facilities, and military housing.

Military Housing: Mr. Griffin represents real estate clients through the negotiation and execution of long-term ground leases under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI). Mr. Griffin works with developers and property managers to provide long-term family housing and short-term transient housing (or "hoteling") on military bases around the world.

Purchase and Sale Agreements/Novations: Mr. Griffin counsels real estate clients – both buyers and sellers – through the drafting and finalization of purchase and sale agreements for properties with government tenants. He also counsels clients through the federal novation process, which is required for the U.S. government to recognize a successor in interest to a federal lease after the purchase or sale of a property with federal tenants.

Mr. Griffin also works with government contractors, and he regularly counsels clients on Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) compliance. He represents clients in bid protests at GAO and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and litigates on behalf of clients at the various Boards of Contract Appeals. He counsels clients on all aspects of the government contracting programs offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), as well as teaming agreements, data rights and intellectual property in government contracts. He also assists in corporate mergers and acquisitions of government contractors, and representation and warranty insurance assessments of transactions involving government contractors. 

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Griffin spent several years at a large international law firm where he focused on government contracts. He also clerked for the Honorable James Baker at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Griffin spent 11 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a fighter pilot flying F/A-18 "Hornets" and deploying to the Al Anbar province for one year in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mr. Griffin remains active in the military and veterans communities, with a pro bono practice centered on representing veterans at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Within the firm, Mr. Griffin serves as executive chair of the firm's Veterans Group.

Mr. Griffin also serves on the board of the Truman Center for National Policy, a nonpartisan think tank committed to advancing timely, principled and innovative solutions to complex national security challenges.