Washington, DC. Nixon Peabody LLP has hired government contracts and regulatory compliance attorney Cara Wulf, expanding the breadth of services the law firm offers to clients.
Cara, who joins as a partner based in the firm’s Washington, DC office, is a member of Nixon Peabody’s Construction & Real Estate Litigation practice. She has more than 15 years of experience counseling clients on compliance with federal, state, and local public procurement requirements. She also assists in litigation involving bid protests, claims, and other disputes before federal agencies, courts, and the US Government Accountability Office (GAO).
Before shifting to private practice, Cara worked for the US Department of Defense (DOD). Leveraging this government experience, she works with prime and subcontractors to navigate their contract obligations with the government, which includes advising on routine issues of contract drafting, interpretation and administration, and negotiating resolutions to formal and informal contract disputes with the government and/or prime contractors.
“Cara’s extensive government contracts experience, both in the government and in private practice, expands the areas where we service our clients,” said Jeffrey Brenner, leader of Nixon Peabody’s Construction & Real Estate Litigation practice. “Her experience advising clients on federal procurement matters, regulatory compliance, construction contracts with the federal government, Buy America issues, and disputed government contract matters presents an exciting opportunity to grow the firm’s capabilities for our clients across several key industries.”
Cara counsels companies on navigating a variety of domestic preference rules and regulations, including the Buy American Act (BAA), the Trade Agreements Act (TAA), “Buy America” Department of Transportation statutes, and the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act. She also helps clients assess eligibility and compliance with the terms of various programs administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), addressing issues regarding cost allowability, allocability, and reasonableness, and the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and counseling on the intellectual property requirements of the Bayh-Dole Act.
“Cara is an excellent addition to our Washington, DC office and our firm culture, while her practice adds a new dynamic here,” said Sumeet Sharma, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, DC office. “Her deep knowledge in government contracts, federal compliance, and trade matters will immediately create a positive impact across multiple practice areas, both locally and nationally.”
Cara earned her JD from University of Michigan Law School, her MBA from Babson College, and her BA from University of Michigan. She was selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for 2026 in the field of Government Relations.
