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Morrison Foerster Honored with the Inaugural Outside Counsel Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by Northrop Grumman

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Morrison Foerster was recognized with the inaugural Outside Counsel Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by Northrop Grumman. The award reflects MoFo’s commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. Our lawyers are united in their passion for what they do and their dedication to our clients and communities.



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Morrison Foerster was recognized with the inaugural Outside Counsel Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by Northrop Grumman. The award reflects MoFo’s commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. Our lawyers are united in their passion for what they do and their dedication to our clients and communities.The award was accepted by David Churchill, Natalie Kernisant, and J. Alex Ward on June 17, 2022.

Morrison Foerster Honored with the Inaugural Outside Counsel Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by Northrop Grumman

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Dave is a former Co-Chair of Morrison & Foerster’s Government Contracts and Public Procurement practice. His practice includes litigation of disputes involving the award, performance, and termination of federal contract disputes before the Court of Federal Claims, the agency boards of contract appeals, and the Government Accountability Office. He has an active counseling practice in contract award-related matters and on issues arising during performance of government contracts and subcontracts. He is also frequently called upon to conduct internal company investigations in connection with government inquiries and/or mandatory disclosures of potential fraud.Every year since 2005, Chambers & Partners USA has named Dave one of the country’s leading lawyers in Government Contracts Law. In 2009, he was recognized by Ethisphere magazine on its list of “Attorneys Who Matter” in the Government Contracting category. He was also named one of “Washington’s Top Lawyers” by Washingtonian magazine. Dave is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.Dave has served as chair of the Public Contract Law Section of the American Bar Association and president of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Bar Association. In addition to his legal service, Dave serves as chair of the Governing Council of The Wilderness Society.

David A. Churchill

Senior Of Counsel

Natalie Kernisant is Morrison Foerster’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer.Natalie provides strategic leadership to advance recruiting and retention of diverse talent at the firm, as well as providing client development support in the area of diversity and inclusion. She works closely with the firm’s Diversity Strategy Committee co-chairs Alexis Amezcua, Purvi Patel, and Mark Whitaker, and Women’s Strategy Committee co-chairs Carrie Cohen, Julie Park, and Stacey Sprenkel.Natalie joined Morrison Foerster in November 2013. She was appointed to the newly created role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer in December 2020, having previously served as the firm’s Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion.Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Natalie served as Human Resources Manager for Risk Management within Global Banking and Markets at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Before that, she practiced trademark and copyright law and then served as the Special Projects Manager in the Office of Institutional Policy & Planning at Harvard Medical School overseeing the school’s 2011 accreditation process.In 2021, Natalie was named by Crain’s New York Business to its list of Notable Black Leaders & Executives 2021. The special section recognizes black men and women who have impacted New York City in major ways and sets out to honor their professional, civic, and philanthropic achievements. In 2023, Natalie was recognized as one of Savoy Magazine’s 2023 Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion. She was also selected to Law360’s Diversity & Inclusion Editorial Advisory Board, whose goal is to provide feedback on Law360’s coverage as well as expert insight on how to shape future coverage. Additionally, she was recognized in the Financial Times 2023 North America Innovative Lawyers report as one of seven individual “Change Makers” in the legal industry for her strategic leadership of the firm’s efforts to interrupt unconscious bias and advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In 2024, Natalie was named as a Change Driver in the Annual Diversity Awards of World IP Review (WIPR). The annual Diversity Awards recognize those who have made exceptional contributions to diversity and inclusion in the field of intellectual property.During Natalie’s tenure at MoFo, the firm has received multiple <a href="/culture/diversity#page-section-4" target="_self">diversity and inclusion awards and recognitions</a>.

Natalie Kernisant

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;" class="videoWrapper"><iframe class="sticky-video" title="Meet Alex Ward, Government Contracts Practice Co-Chair" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/TkliwdSlTaQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="1" title="iframe"></iframe></div>J. Alex Ward is co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Government Contracts and Public Procurement group. His practice covers a full range of government contracts matters, including investigations, bid protests, claims, general litigation, corporate transactions, and counseling. Alex strives in all matters is to provide his clients the highest level of efficient and effective representation.Alex represents contractors in internal and external investigations, disclosures to the government, and qui tam litigation, with great success in reducing or eliminating his clients’ exposure through active engagement with the government. His work in this area includes obtaining numerous declinations and dismissals of False Claims Act cases in their earliest stages, sparing his clients the cost, risk, and exposure of litigation.He has also served as lead counsel in dozens of bid protests involving military and civilian agency procurements of a wide range of products and services, including all manner of pre- and post-award protests in the GAO, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and state tribunals, as well as appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and size protest appeals before the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.Alex handles all aspects of the claims process, from the initial assessment and drafting of requests for equitable adjustment through litigation in the Boards of Contract Appeals and the Court of Federal Claims. Alex’s practice also covers the full gamut of other controversies confronting government contractors, including prime-sub, teaming partner, employer-employee, competitor, and indemnification disputes. His litigation work also includes a wide variety of pro bono engagements, in which he has represented both individual and institutional clients in matters ranging from immigration and criminal defense to sustainable procurement and protection of the environment.Prior to joining the firm, Alex served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer and an Assistant to the General Counsel of the Army responsible for civil works and international matters, and as a clerk for judges on the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the D.C. Circuit. He is a member of the Boards of the Morrison & Foerster Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and of Law360’s Government Contracts Editorial Board.

J. Alex Ward

Partner