Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. People
  3. Adrianne L. Goins
Adrianne L. Goins
Adrianne L. Goins
Counsel — International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration and Export Controls & Economic Sanctions
E: agoins@velaw.com T: +1.202.639.6533
VCard BIO PDF
Counsel — International Dispute Resolution & Arbitration and Export Controls & Economic Sanctions

Adrianne L. Goins

Adrianne L. Goins
Washington
T: +1.202.639.6533
F: +1.202.879.8833

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, DC 20037

E: agoins@velaw.com
VCard BIO PDF
Adrianne L. Goins

Adrianne Goins resolves disputes for clients. Her practice focuses on international commercial arbitration and government contracts disputes. Adrianne advises clients on national security matters including U.S. economic sanctions.

Adrianne is experienced in all phases of dispute resolution, from case assessment and discovery, to motions practice, trial preparation, mediation, and hearings before arbitration and administrative panels. She has represented prime government contractors and subcontractors, energy companies, and other major commercial concerns in disputes involving services, teaming agreements, transportation, construction, and other projects in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

With experience inside Washington’s policy-making community, Adrianne is a trusted advisor on major legislative and policy developments including the Paycheck Protection Program and other measures related to the coronavirus pandemic. She has served as a special assistant to high-level Defense officials, as a member of the staff for a U.S. Senator, and as a national security analyst at the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Research Service.

Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

  • Represented European shipbuilder and U.S. subsidiaries in disputes with major defense contractor under teaming agreement, including disputes related to international and U.S. procurement opportunities; managed injunction action involving litigation and arbitration under AAA Commercial Arbitration Rules

  • Represented major subcontractor seeking compensation for out-of-scope work from prime government contractor in arbitration under Society of Maritime Arbitrators rules

  • Represented leading alternative energy company in arbitration under AAA Construction Industry Arbitration Rules against terminated construction contractor

  • Represented international energy company in UNCITRAL arbitration arising from LNG joint venture with claims of breach of contract, self-dealing, fiduciary duties, and derivative claims arising under the laws of multiple countries

  • Defended four limited partners and former officers of international real estate hedge fund against the fund’s claims for post-termination capital contributions; won on merits, with fund required to pay 80 percent of limited partners’ legal fees

  • Litigated contract dispute with the Defense Logistics Agency on behalf of government contractor at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals; won remand on key liability issue on appeal

  • Represented large European energy company in defense of qui tam claims related to valuation of gas produced from U.S. leases  

  • Won summary judgment for large European energy company defending against qui tam claims of fraud in transportation of oil from offshore U.S. leases

  • Represented satellite-launch company in arbitration brought by satellite owner to recover payment for delayed launch 

  • Represented U.S. energy company in $1.5 billion arbitration against South American state-owned energy company arising out of a power plant project 

  • Represented consortium of energy companies against group of contractors building large facility in South America, with claims for $340 million in additional costs and over 100 days in extensions, disputes about suspension, force majeure, and access to documents on shared systems

  • Represented South American national energy company in $6 million IT contract dispute with U.S. company, with related state-to-state proceedings based on political risk insurance 

  • Represented chemical company in consolidated, multi-jurisdictional arbitration concerning change orders and delays in construction of two turn-key projects in Europe and South America with value of $150 million; claims governed by laws of several countries

  • Mediated claim for defective work under engineering contract for specialty pier owner 

  • Mediated claim for damage to industrial transformers delivered under wartime procurement contract for international logistics company 

  • As sole arbitrator, managing disputes in government contracts and financial sectors

  • Prepared voluntary self-disclosure and license request to OFAC for large, international storage company; represented company before OFAC in favorable resolution of issues

  • Advise companies based in Europe, Latin America and Middle East on compliance with U.S. sanctions against Venezuela

  • Conducted internal investigations and prepared voluntary disclosures under U.S. sanctions, export control and anti-boycott regulations; represented companies before government agencies

  • Represented a large U.S. environmental and engineering services firm before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in connection with the firm’s acquisition by a Netherlands-based global energy infrastructure firm; CFIUS cleared merger after a national security investigation

  • Advised Japanese company on compliance with OFAC sanctions in connection with LNG projects in U.S. and India

Credentials

  • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1999 (Articles Review Board, Virginia Law Review)
  • London School of Economics and Political Science, M.A. International History, 1989
  • Davidson College, B.A. magna cum laude with honors, 1988 (Phi Beta Kappa)
  • Associate, Shearman & Sterling LLP, Washington, DC, Frankfurt and Mannheim, Germany, 2001–2005
  • Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, Office of the Secretary of the Army, Department of the Army, 1993–1996
  • Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, 1993–1995
  • Research Assistant and Project Manager, The Brookings Institution, Foreign Policy Studies Program, 1990–1993
  • Research Analyst, Congressional Research Service, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division, 1990
  • Director of Legislative Research, Office of Senator Terry Sanford, United States Senate, 1990
  • Work recognized in Law360 feature, “Top Gov’t Contracts Cases of 2017: Mid-Year Report”, July 2017
  • GlobalArbitration Review, GAR 100, 2009
  • The President’s Volunteer Service Award, “MLK Drum Major for Service,” 2012
  • Department of the Army, Superior Civilian Service Award, 1996
  • Arbitrator: AAA Commercial Panel; AAA Specialty Panel on Aviation, Aerospace & National Security
  • Member: Government & ADR Task Force, International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (“CPR”)
  • Vice Chair: Contract Claims & Disputes Resolution Committee, ABA Section of Public Contract Law, 2019-2020
  • Arbitrator: Virginia State Bar Fee Dispute Resolution Program
  • Member: Virginia State Bar, International Practice Section
  • Member: Women in Defense, National Defense Industrial Association
  • Member: Military Spouse JD Network
  • Virginia
  • District of Columbia
  • “OFAC Sanctions and Corporate Compliance:  Practical Tips and Strategies to Avoid Risks and Pitfalls,” panelist on webinar sponsored by The Knowledge Group, February 5, 2020
  • “Prime-Subcontractor Disputes:  How to Avoid Them, and How to Resolve Them,” moderator and panelist, panel sponsored by the ABA Section of Public Contract Law, Committees on Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution and Subcontracting, Teaming, and Strategic Alliances, December 2019
  • Guest Lecturer: “Procedural Issues and Discovery in International Arbitration” at Penn State Law, The Pennsylvania State University, October 2019
  • Guest Lecturer: “International Arbitration” at Questrom School of Business, Boston University, September 2019 and January 2020
  • “Tips for Effective ADR of Prime-Sub Disputes” presented perspective of counsel for subcontractors on panel sponsored by the ABA Section of Public Contract Law, Contract Claims and Disputes Resolution Committee, September 2017
  • “What Does the Evidence Say?,” moderator and speaker for panel on challenges in gathering evidence internationally for ABA Section of International Law Spring Meeting, April 2017
  • “As Virginia Companies Conduct Business Abroad, Arbitration Clauses Ensure They Can Collect When Legal Disputes Occur,” Virginia Lawyer, February 2017
  • MSJDN Member Profile: Adrianne Goins, Military Spouse J.D. Network, October 21, 2016
  • “Arbitration of Energy Disputes in Africa,” Transnational Dispute Management, Vol. 13, issue 4, October 2016 (co-author)
  • “From Judgment Day to Payday in International Disputes,” Law360, April 13, 2016 (author)
  • “U.S. Commerce Department Issues New Energy Sector Sanctions for Russia,” V&E Export Controls and Economic Sanctions E-Communication, August 8, 2014 (co-author)
  • “Foreign Investment – CFIUS Practice in 2012,” ABA Year in Review, Volume 47, Spring 2013 (co-author)
  • “Arctic Region: Boundaries, Resources and the Promise of Co-operation,” Oil, Gas & Energy Law Intelligence,Special Issue, Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2012 (editor)
  • “New York Courts Make It Easier to Seize Assets to Satisfy an Award,” IBA Arbitration News, Vol 16 No 2, September 2011
  • “U.S. Imposes Sanctions for Supplying Refined Petroleum Products to Iran,” V&E Export Controls and Economic Sanctions E-communication, May 26, 2011
  • “International Arbitration: New York Makes It Easier to Attach Assets to Satisfy Foreign Arbitration Awards,” V&E International Dispute Resolution E-communication, March 17, 2011 (co-author)
  • “Companies Must Reexamine Links with Libya as Sanctions Are Imposed on Qadhafi Regime,” V&E Export Controls and Economic Sanctions E-communication, March 1, 2011 (co-author)
  • “The U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Class Arbitration, But Muddies Other Waters in the Process,” Litigation News, Winter 2011 (co-author)
  • “Trends in National Security Review: A More Active CFIUS,” V&E CFIUS and National Security E-communication, January 14, 2011
  • “CFIUS Review: What Foreign Acquisitions Pose National Security Concerns?,” 44 The International Lawyer 540 (Special Issue on International Legal Developments in Review: 2009), Spring 2010
  • “False Claims Act: Certain General Releases Are Enforceable,” V&E False Claims Act Update E-communication, April 12, 2010 (co-author)
  • “New American Investment Rules Do Not Increase Hostility Towards Chinese Investments,” China Dealmaker, February 2009
  • “News and Analysis on International Public Procurement and Export Controls,” International Government Contractor, November 2008 (co-author)
  • “National Security Review of Foreign Direct Investments: The Central Role of Mitigation Agreements,” International Government Contractor, April 2008 (co-author)
  • “Latin America: arbitration overview,” Global Arbitration Review: The Arbitration Review of the Americas 2007, November 2006 (co-author)

News & Insights

CLE Event
Navigating Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
CLE Credit
Managing the Modern Workplace
Contractors that Saved the Federal Government Money by Offshoring Work Could be Second-Guessed
August 4, 2020
Insight
ICC Arbitration Case Statistics Show Positive Trends in Global Reach, Diversity and Efficiency

V&E International Dispute Resolution Update

July 22, 2020
Coronavirus: Preparation & Response
The Paycheck Protection Program and Bankruptcy
July 16, 2020