Professional Qualifications
Mr. Szanton is a trusted advisor and skilled litigator who handles a wide range of matters, including bid protests, requests for equitable adjustments, contract appeals, terminations, small business issues, prime contractor-subcontractor disputes and cybersecurity matters.
Before joining Rogers Joseph O’Donnell, Mr. Szanton served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps for more than eight years. Among other assignments, Mr. Szanton served as a trial attorney with the Army’s Contract Litigation & Intellectual Property Division. He has litigated 21 Government Accountability Office bid protests in procurements valued at more than $2.9 billion, as well as ten Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA) cases involving more than $87 million of claims. In addition, Mr. Szanton also has extensive experience with bid protests and contract litigation at the Court of Federal Claims.
As an Army judge advocate, Mr. Szanton served as a legal assistance attorney, compliance attorney, military prosecutor, and special assistant U.S. attorney before being selected to join the Army’s contract litigation team. He also deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Armored Division in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
Mr. Szanton earned his J.D. from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Johns Hopkins University. He is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Section of Public Contract Law and previously spoke as a panelist for an ABA Bid Protest Committee session titled, “Second-Bite Protest Strategies and Factors Driving Venue Selection.” Mr. Szanton also holds a Top Secret security clearance.
Outside of the office, Mr. Szanton enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, along with hiking and working out. He serves as president of his neighborhood civic association and is on the board of his synagogue.
Education
J.D., University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law
B.A., Johns Hopkins University
Bar Admissions
Maryland
United States Court of Federal Claims
District of Columbia Bar Admission Pending*
*Mr. Szanton’s practice in the District of Columbia is limited to providing legal services authorized by D.C. App. Rule 49(c) including, specifically, practice before federal government agencies (e.g. GAO, SBA, Boards of Contract Appeals); practice before federal courts (e.g. the U.S. Court of Federal Claims); pro bono legal services; and alternative dispute resolution proceedings including mediations and arbitrations. In accordance with D.C. App. Rule 49(c)(8), to the extent Mr. Szanton provides other legal services in the District of Columbia while his D.C. Bar application is pending, his practice will be supervised by one or more RJO attorneys who are D.C. Bar Members.