Cate Baskin advises government contractors and other companies on government contracts, national security, and international trade matters, including export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), customs and import compliance, and reviews involving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). She counsels clients on Small Business Administration (SBA) programs and compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and has experience with a wide range of federal contracts, grants, and other funding arrangements. Cate also coordinates national security and trade–related due diligence and risk assessments in connection with large-scale M&A transactions.

Cate maintains an active pro bono practice focused on representing incarcerated individuals in post-conviction proceedings and advancing environmental justice initiatives.

During law school, Cate externed at Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, working on government transparency issues, and at the Corporate Accountability Lab, developing legal strategies to address transnational supply chain and human rights concerns. She also served as communications lead for the Northwestern chapter of the American Constitution Society. Before law school, Cate worked as a public relations and social impact strategist for corporations and non-profits.

Education

  • Northwestern Pritzker School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2022)
    • DePaul University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2017)
      • Public Relations and Advertising, minor in Psychology

    Bar Admission

    • Illinois

    Court Admissions

    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association, Public Contract Law Section
    • American Bar Association, International Law Section
      • Export Controls and Sanctions Committee
      • National Security Committee
    • American Bar Association, Civil Rights and Social Justice Section

    Recognition

    • Lowden-Wigmore Prize for best-written publication, Northwestern Journal of Human Rights
    Publications
    All Publications
    The New Rules of Federal Contracting: Redefining DEI Compliance
    Key Takeaways Federal contractors and subcontractors should assess whether their existing DEI policies and initiatives include any race- or ethnicity-based disparate treatment that could constitute a violation under EO 14398 and the new FAR 52.222-90 clause. Effective April 24, 2026, all new federal contracts must include a clause prohibiting "racially discriminatory DEI activities," with existing contracts required to be modified by July 24, 2026. Non-compliance carries serious consequences, including contract cancellation, termination or suspension, debarment and potential liability under the False Claims Act. Contractors should map flowdowns across their supply chain to ensure subcontractor compliance and prepare for forthcoming agency information collection requests related to FAR 52.222-90. On March 26, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14398, titled Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors,
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    New GSA Guidance on Protecting CUI in Contractor Systems, Plus a Look Ahead at Pending FAR Changes
    Key Takeaways: GSA released detailed procedural guidance for protecting CUI in nonfederal systems, and a proposed FAR rule would further standardize CUI handling, documentation and incident reporting across federal contracts. Together, these developments signal a shift toward uniform federal expectations for protecting CUI, driven by government priorities to standardize documentation, incident reporting timelines and contractor accountability across all agencies. Contractors should proactively review their CUI management practices, assess readiness against GSA’s phased implementation roadmap and begin aligning incident-response procedures with anticipated FAR changes. For many contractors, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) has been a moving target, identified through markings and agency-specific practices, with cybersecurity and reporting expectations that can look different from one procurement to the next. The newest CUI development is the U.S. General Services
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