Jesse Cardinal
Biography
Jesse Cardinal is an associate in the firm’s Litigation and Government Contracts Practice Groups, focusing on government contracts and white-collar & government investigations. His practice encompasses bid protests at the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), internal investigations, mediations, and claims and disputes before the Boards of Contract Appeals. Jesse supports the Litigation Group in its representation of government contractors in both federal and state court as well as at the agencies themselves. Jesse also assists in False Claims Act (FCA)-related analysis and investigations.
Jesse regularly takes on pro bono cases, including immigration matters.
Prior to joining Haynes Boone, Jesse graduated cum laude from Penn State Law and served as the Managing Editor of Communications for the Journal of Law & International Affairs. In 2021, Jesse graduated summa cum laude from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Communication. He is well-versed in small business issues as well as government contracts and litigation from his time at the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic at Penn State Law and from various positions held in the municipal government seated in Rochester, New York.
Jesse Cardinal is an associate in the firm’s Litigation and Government Contracts Practice Groups, focusing on government contracts and white-collar & government investigations. His practice encompasses bid protests at the Court of Federal Claims (COFC) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), internal investigations, mediations, and claims and disputes before the Boards of Contract Appeals. Jesse supports the Litigation Group in its representation of government contractors in both federal and state court as well as at the agencies themselves. Jesse also assists in False Claims Act (FCA)-related analysis and investigations.
Jesse regularly takes on pro bono cases, including immigration matters.
Prior to joining Haynes Boone, Jesse graduated cum laude from Penn State Law and served as the Managing Editor of Communications for the Journal of Law & International Affairs. In 2021, Jesse graduated summa cum laude from The George Washington University with a B.A. in Political Communication. He is well-versed in small business issues as well as government contracts and litigation from his time at the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic at Penn State Law and from various positions held in the municipal government seated in Rochester, New York.
- American Bar Association, Section of Public Contract Law
- Bid Protest Committee, member
- Procurement Fraud and False Claims Committee, member
- American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution
- ADR Skills Building and Technology Innovations Committee, member
- Mediation Committee, member
- American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
- Haynes and Boone, Pro Bono Committee
- Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR)
- “How 9th Circ. Customs Ruling is Affecting FCA Litigation,” co-author, Law360, August 28, 2025.
- “False Claims Act – 2025 Mid-Year in Review,” contributor, July 28, 2025.
- “GAO Section 885 Response: Enhances Pleading and Loser-Pay Requirements,” co-author, Haynes Boone client alert, July 18, 2025.
- “The False Claims Act Year in Review – Part II,” co-author, Pratt’s Government Contracting Law Report, May 2025.
- “First Circuit Adopts Defendant-Friendly ‘But-For’ Causation Standard for AKS-Based FCA Claims, co-author, Haynes Boone client alert, February 26, 2025.
Education
J.D., Penn State Dickinson School of Law, 2024, cum laude; Managing Editor of Communications, Journal of Law and International Affairs
B.A., George Washington University, 2021, summa cum laude
Admissions
Virginia
Court Admissions
Supreme Court of Virginia
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Issar, Cardinal and Shugrue in Law360: How 9th Circ. Customs Ruling Is Affecting FCA Litigation
August 29, 2025
