Madelaine M. Cleghorn

Madelaine M. Cleghorn advises recipients and subrecipients of federal grants on compliance with federal statutes and regulations. She represents clients throughout audits, investigations, accreditation, and other federal inquiries. Ms. Cleghorn’s experience includes matters under the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance (Uniform Guidance), Davis-Bacon Act, Higher Education Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Ms. Cleghorn delivers tailored training programs to help clients understand and implement statutes and regulations related to federal grants. Her trainings cover critical compliance areas such as procurement standards, cost allowability, internal controls, and subrecipient monitoring. Ms. Cleghorn also provides guidance and instructional sessions on the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and other key aspects of federal grants management, equipping clients with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate complex regulatory environments.

In addition to her regulatory and advisory work, Ms. Cleghorn has significant experience representing clients in litigation, including cases involving the False Claims Act and the Administrative Procedures Act. Ms. Cleghorn also advises clients on special education matters under the IDEA.

Before joining the Firm, Ms. Cleghorn was a senior associate at a D.C.-based law firm specializing in federal grants and education law. She also previously worked in the litigation department of a national law firm, handling a variety of matters including business and commercial litigation, financial industry disputes, and white-collar criminal defense.

During law school, Ms. Cleghorn served as a student advocate in the Georgetown University Health Justice Alliance and interned with the Cook County Office of the Public Defender in the Juvenile Justice Department.