Karen O'Brien
Karen O'Brien is a Senior Vice President, leading Jefferson's National Security and Civil Service division, as well as serving as Jefferson's General Counsel.
She is a government contracts attorney and recognized expert on procurement law. Leveraging her procurement expertise, Karen provides high-level acquisition assessment reviews, strategic assessments, and acquisition assistance to numerous federal agencies.
Before joining Jefferson, Karen was Of Counsel to a small firm where she practiced government contract law, including contract administration matters, claims, disputes and bid protests. Prior to that, she managed the Government Contracts publications program of the George Washington University Law School.
Karen began her career as a procurement law attorney in the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps. While in the Army she served as the legal advisor to the Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting and the Head of Contracting Activity in Southwest Asia. She also served as a staff attorney for the DoD Advisory Panel on Streamlining and Codifying the Acquisition Process (Section 800 Panel).
Karen is an author on key texts in the field of government contracting, including The Government Contracts Reference Book and Competitive Negotiation: The Source Selection Process (CCH Publishing). Karen received a Juris Doctor from the Vermont Law School and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Niagara University.