Nirlip K. Syan (916) 446-4254 x117 nks@bkslawfirm.com
OverviewNirlip Syan joined BKS Law Firm in July 2025. Nirlip is a seasoned government attorney with over two decades of experience advising on high-stakes public law matters. She brings to the firm a wealth of knowledge in construction, procurement, contracts, real estate, and administrative law, having spent twenty years as an Assistant Regional Counsel for the Pacific Rim Region of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), where she provided strategic legal guidance across the full spectrum of agency operations. Nirlip has provided counsel on major and complex federal construction projects, including muti-phase land ports of entries and federal buildings and courthouses. She has guided clients through establishing novel public-private partnerships, property acquisition and disposal, property management, fiscal law, procurement, employment, ethics, internal investigations, and FOIA compliance. She has experience providing guidance and representation in claims and disputes at the agency level, at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), and through alternative dispute resolution processes. She has also practiced before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Prior to her federal service, she practiced public contract litigation representing municipalities in litigation involving public construction contracts. She began her legal career clerking for a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Northern District of California. Nirlip has completed extensive executive and legal training, including the Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government Fellowship and the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. Her depth of experience, leadership background, and pragmatic legal approach make her a valued advisor to clients navigating regulatory complexity, government matters, and high-risk disputes.Practice AreasPublic Works Contracts ProcurementMajor Construction Delivery Contract Claims and DisputesReal Estate EasementsLicenses / PermitsPublic / Private PartnershipsGroups and AssociationsAlameda County Bar Association, MemberPartnership for Public Service, Senior FellowEducationNirlip received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. She received her J.D. from the University of California Law San Francisco.Publications and PresentationsPresentation: Source Selection Basics (2014, 2017)Presentation: Source Selection and Bid Protests (2017)Presentation: Source Selection Evaluation Boards, A Practical Guide (2018)Presentation: Practical Considerations for Property Interests (2018)Presentation: FOIA 101, Freedom of Information Act Basics (2019)Presentation: Source Selection Evaluation Factors (Best Practices in Establishing and Evaluating Factors During Source Selection) (2021)Presentation: The Procurement Integrity Act and Non-Disclosure Agreements (2023)