Cordatis challenges USAID’s termination of the Payne Fellowship Program

June 20, 2025

A Cordatis team consisting of Josh Schnell and Sam Van Kopp filed a class action complaint in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims challenging USAID’s termination of the Payne Fellowship Program. Established in 2012, the Payne Fellowship Program is is a highly selective recruiting tool that the USAID uses to recruit elite college graduates from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds into the Foreign Service. Click here to read the complaint.

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Cordatis welcomes former US Attorney-Diplomat Muriel Moody Korol as the head of our new Global Operations & Foreign Assistance Practice

Muriel Moody Korol, a former senior attorney and diplomat for the U.S. Agency for International Development, has joined the firm as a Partner to lead our Global Operations & Foreign Assistance practice. Clink the link to learn more about Muriel and our Global Operations & Foreign Assistance practice.

Published on:September 26, 2025

Cordatis files amicus brief on behalf of 13 Members of Congress

Josh Schnell and Sam Van Kopp filed an amicus brief on behalf of 13 Members of Congress (7 Senators and 6 Representatives) in support of the plaintiffs in NJ et al. v. OMB et al. (D. Mass). Plaintiffs are 21 states and the District of Columbia who are challenging the Trump administration’s termination of billions of dollars of grants and other federal financial assistance agreements. Click the link to learn more.

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“Mystery surrounds $1.2 billion Army contract to build huge detention tent camp in Texas desert”

Partner Josh Schnell was quoted in a recent AP article on the Army's award of a $1.2 billion contract to build and operate an immigration detention facility on Fort Bliss. In the article, Josh discusses some of the bid protest issues related to the contract. Click this post for a link to the article.

Cordatis challenges USAID’s termination of the Payne Fellowship Program

Related Resources

Cordatis welcomes former US Attorney-Diplomat Muriel Moody Korol as the head of our new Global Operations & Foreign Assistance Practice

Cordatis files amicus brief on behalf of 13 Members of Congress

“Mystery surrounds $1.2 billion Army contract to build huge detention tent camp in Texas desert”

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