Todd J. Canni
Partner, BakerHostetler
Los Angeles & Washington, D.C.
A former Department of Defense debarring official who now defends contractors and individuals facing suspension, debarment and related government action.
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Received a notice from an agency? Tell Todd what you are facing. * Required
Chambers USA 2026
“Todd is an absolute force of nature with deep knowledge and experience in all things related to government contracting, related rules and regulations, as well as procedures and policies.”
Overview
Todd co-chairs BakerHostetler’s national Government Contracts team. Contractors bring him the matters that put their business on the line — and the crises they did not see coming.
His work covers the whole life of a federal contract, from award to closeout: bid protests, debarment matters, civil False Claims Act investigations and civil investigative demands, disclosures to the government, complex contract disputes, and stronger ethics and compliance programs.
The Legal 500 describes him as “a heavyweight in crises matters, high-profile bid protests, white collar defenses and fraud allegations,” and Chambers notes that he helps clients “triumph over the Goliaths.”
Facing a proposed debarment or suspension?
A suspension or proposed debarment can shut a company out of federal work — and put a career on hold — long before any final decision. The task is to persuade the suspension and debarment official (SDO) that exclusion is not needed.
That is why it matters to have counsel who has handled these cases many times, who knows the agencies and the officials involved, and who understands what an SDO needs to see before closing a matter.
Todd once ran the U.S. Air Force suspension and debarment program day to day. He knows from the inside how the government builds a debarment case — and what it takes to resolve one.
Whatever arrives on your desk, the goal is the same: answer the government’s concerns, show present responsibility and keep your eligibility for federal work.
The insider’s view
He has sat on the government’s side of the table.
Director, Suspension and Debarment Operations, U.S. Air Force
ABA Suspension and Debarment Committee (2025 to 2028); formerly Vice Chair
Wrote the administrative agreements chapter of the ABA’s Practitioner’s Guide to Suspension & Debarment
Of government contracts and debarment work — on both sides of the table
Having taken part in several dozen administrative agreements that include monitoring, Todd is also well suited to act as an Independent Monitor when an agency administrative agreement requires one.
Precision Metals Corp. v. Department of Defense
2:22-cv-03761-JS-ARL · U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Todd led the federal-court challenge to a DoD debarment as lead trial counsel. He argued the case, won a temporary restraining order and then a ruling that set the debarments aside — keeping the client in business and its workforce employed.
Selected matters
Agencies
Experience before almost every active civilian and defense debarment office.
How Todd helps
When the government pursues more than one remedy.
Suspension and Debarment
Responding to every stage of an exclusion action, through to termination or an administrative agreement.
Independent Monitoring
Monitorships for contractors operating under an agency administrative agreement.
Parallel Proceedings
When prosecutors, civil enforcers, contracting officers and SDOs pursue remedies at the same time.
False Claims Act
Civil investigations, civil investigative demands and defending whistleblower (qui tam) suits.
Bid Protests
Protecting important awards from challenge — and challenging improper awards to competitors.
Ethics and Compliance Programs
Designing and strengthening contractor ethics programs, and handling disclosures to the government.
In litigation, Todd represents contractors at the GAO, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, federal district courts and the Federal Circuit.
Recognition
Recognized nationally for government contracts.
Thought leadership
Writing & speaking
01.26.26
01.20.26
04.18.23
08.18.22
01.14.14
Todd has written or co-written 16 publications on debarment, suspension, the False Claims Act and government contracts for outlets including Law360, Public Contract Law Journal and The Government Contractor. See all on bakerlaw.com
Credentials
Education, admissions and prior positions.
Education
LL.M., Government Procurement Law, George Washington University Law School, 2009, with highest honors
J.D., Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, 2004, magna cum laude; Catholic University Law Review, Associate Editor, Editorial Board
B.A., Hofstra University, 2001
Prior positions
Director, Suspension and Debarment Operations, U.S. Air Force
Law Clerk to The Honorable Edward Damich, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Bar admissions
California · District of Columbia · Maryland
Court admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit · U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit · U.S. Court of Federal Claims · U.S. District Court, Central District of California · U.S. District Court, Southern District of California · U.S. District Court, District of Columbia · U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
Received a notice of proposed debarment, a suspension or a show cause letter?
Talk with Todd about the government’s concerns, demonstrating present responsibility and remaining eligible.