Matthew (Matt) Pausch focuses his practice on federal government contracts, compliance, and suspension and debarment actions. Matt’s extensive experience at the senior decision-making level involving high-dollar, high visibility procurements of supplies and services in the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army gives him a unique perspective into Service, Department and industry priorities. This perspective gives Matt the ability to see “over the horizon” to the second and third level consequences of client business and legal decisions. Matt has prioritized collaboration and cooperation with Department and industry leaders, working to find solutions that resolve issues before they become points of contention and litigation. Finding approaches to resolve issues in a way that minimizes internal and external friction and inefficiency is one of Matt’s strengths. 

 

Prior to joining the Sander Group, Matt served at the Chief Counsel of the Army Material Command’s (AMC) Legal Center at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois from July 2021 until September 2025 (supporting Army Sustainment Command, Joint Munitions Command and Army Contracting Command – Rock Island (ACC-RI)). As Chief Counsel, Matt led a multi-location office of 50+ attorneys and staff in several locations around the Continental U.S. As part of his service in Rock Island, Matt provided guidance on critical procurement and fiscal law issues regarding multi-billion-dollar acquisitions involving strategic Army logistics programs and addressed significant issues on several Army information technology procurements awarded by ACC-RI. 

 

Prior to joining the AMC Legal Center in Rock Island, Matt served as the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) General Counsel from March 2019 to July 2021, where he was responsible for providing legal and business advice for DLA’s worldwide common supply and logistics mission leading a worldwide office of 180+ attorneys and staff. As General Counsel, Matt’s work included leading the effort to resolve ongoing litigation arising out of DLA contractor support to CENTCOM, ultimately resulting in significant savings for the Government, as well as providing key guidance to senior DoD decision-makers on critical Whole of Government procurement efforts supporting the Government-wide COVID-19 response effort. 

 

Matt also served as the Chief Counsel of the AMC Legal Center at Warren, Michigan supporting the Army’s Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), Program Executive Office (PEO) Ground Combat Systems, PEO Combat Support & Combat Service Support, and ACC-Warren from July 2014 until March 2019. During Matt’s tenure with AMC in Warren, he was responsible for the 60+ attorneys and staff supporting successful multi-year procurements for several Army systems, and established an enhanced procurement fraud program that became an AMC and Army model. Throughout his DoD career, Matt acquired deep expertise in Defense procurement, including high dollar source selections, policy determinations and the strategic planning that goes into major Defense logistics programs. 

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Matt also held numerous leadership positions within DLA prior to his assumption of the position in Warren, Michigan, including serving as the Chief Counsel for DLA Disposition Services, as a Program Manager for DLA outsourcing, and other senior positions. 

 

During his 36+ years of service to the Nation, Matt was awarded three Exceptional Civilian Service Awards, two Meritorious Civilian Service Awards and a Superior Civilian Service Awards.  

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Matt received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois (UoI) College of Law in 1986 and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the UofI in 1983. Matt also received his Masters Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S Air Force War College in 2000. Matt previously held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI) Security Clearance.