Top-Rated False Claims Act Qui Tam Attorneys

False Claims Act Qui Tam Whistleblower Lawyers: Guide for False Claims Act Relators/Whistleblowers

The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act have been enormously effective in enlisting private citizens to combat fraud against the government.  Qui tam whistleblowers, also known as relators, have enabled the government to recover more than $30 billion.  In fiscal year 2017 alone, qui tam actions brought by whistleblowers resulted in $3.4 billion in settlements and judgments, and the government paid $392 million in whistleblower awards to False Claims Act whistleblowers.

Described by the National Law Journal as a “leading whistleblower attorney,” founding Principal Jason Zuckerman has established precedent under a wide range of whistleblower protection laws and obtained substantial compensation for his clients and recoveries for the government in whistleblower rewards and whistleblower retaliation cases.  Three of the matters he has worked on are featured in Tom Mueller’s seminal book about whistleblowing Crisis of Conscience: Whistleblowing in an Age of Fraud and Dan Maldea’s Corruption in U.S. Higher Education: The Stories of Whistleblowers.  False Claims Act qui tam cases he has worked on in conjunction with other attorneys have resulted in recoveries in excess of $100 million, and he has secured settlements in eight SOX whistleblower retaliation matters above $1 million.

Call our False Claims Act whistleblower lawyers today at 202-262-8959 to find out if you might be eligible for a False Claims Act whistleblower award.  We represent whistleblowers nationwide. Recently Washingtonian magazine named two of our attorneys top whistleblower lawyers.  

Click here to read reviews from clients that we have represented in whistleblower rewards and whistleblower retaliation matters.

To learn about False Claims Act whistleblower protection, see our FCA whistleblower retaliation FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions About False Claims Act Qui Tam Whistleblower Law

A qui tam whistleblower can be eligible for a large recovery.  But there are many pitfalls and obstacles to proving liability, and there are unique rules and procedures that govern qui tam whistleblower cases.  Therefore, it is critical to retain an experienced False Claims Act whistleblower lawyer to maximize your recovery.  This FAQ provides an overview of some of the key aspects of False Claims Act claims.

• What is a qui tam whistleblower lawsuit?
• What types of false claims are prohibited by the False Claims Act?
• What is the first-to-file bar in False Claims Act qui tam cases?
• What is the requirement to file a False Claims Act qui tam action under seal?
• Are False Claims Act whistleblowers protected against retaliation?
• What is a reverse false claim?
• What is the statute of limitations for a False Claims Act qui tam action?
• What is the public disclosure bar in the False Claims Act?
• What is the original source exception to the public disclosure bar?
• What is materiality under the False Claims Act?
• What is “Scienter” Under the False Claims Act?
• Is a Violation of the Anti-Kickback Law Also a Violation of the False Claims Act?
• Does the False Claims Act Prohibit Bid-Rigging?
• Does the False Claims Act Prohibit Fraudulent Inducement of a Contract?
• Can a violation of Good Manufacturing Practices give rise to False Claims Act Liability?
• Is there a heightened pleading requirement for False Claims Act qui tam cases?
• Does the False Claims Act authorize treble damages?
• Must a False Claims Act qui tam relator have firsthand knowledge of all aspects of the fraud?

Whistleblower Retaliation Laws Protecting Employees of Federal Contractors and Grantees

Courageous whistleblowers that come forward to report fraud deserve robust protection against retaliation.  Below is a list of common questions about key aspects of the anti-retaliation provisions of the False Claims Act and the Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act.

• How does the NDAA whistleblower retaliation law protect whistleblowers at federal contractors and grantees?
• Must a NDAA Whistleblower Retaliation Plaintiff Prove a Subjective Belief of a Violation?
• What whistleblowing is protected under the False Claims Act anti-retaliation provision?
• Does the False Claims Act protect whistleblowers against retaliation?
• Is whistleblowing in the course of performing job duties protected under the False Claims Act?
• Is False Claims Act Whistleblower Protection Limited to Disclosures About the Whistleblower’s Employer?
• Does the participation of a supervisor with knowledge of protected whistleblowing in the decision to take an adverse personnel action prove knowledge under the False Claims Act whistleblower protection provision?
• Can a False Claims Act whistleblower retaliation plaintiff obtain double back pay (two times lost wages and benefits)?
• Are employees whose jobs require investigating fraud against the government required to meet a higher pleading standard?
• Are “duty speech” disclosures protected under the False Claims Act?
• What protections are available to federal contractor whistleblowers under the NDAA whistleblower protection law?
• Can False Claims Act whistleblowers use confidential documents to report fraud to the government?
• What is the purpose of the False Claims Act whistleblower protection provision?
• Does the False Claims Act protect a whistleblower who refuses to violate the Act?

• What laws prohibit defense contractors from retaliating against whistleblowers?

Experienced Washington DC False Claims Act Qui Tam Whistleblower Attorneys Representing Whistleblowers Nationwide

The experienced whistleblower attorneys at leading whistleblower law firm Zuckerman Law have substantial experience representing whistleblowers disclosing fraud and other wrongdoing at government contractors and grantees.  To schedule a confidential consultation, click here or call us at 202-262-8959.

Our experience includes:

• Representing whistleblowers in NDAA retaliation claims before the Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice Offices of Inspectors General.
• Litigating False Claims Act retaliation cases.
• Representing qui tam relators in False Claims Act cases.
• Representing whistleblowers disclosing fraud on the government in Congressional investigations.
• Training judges, senior Office of Inspector General officials, and federal law enforcement about whistleblower protections.

In addition, we have substantial experience representing whistleblowers under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) and enforcing the WPA, the law that the NDAA whistleblower provisions are based upon.  Two of the attorneys on our team served in senior positions at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel overseeing investigations of whistleblower retaliation claims and whistleblower disclosures.

• Eric Bachman served as Deputy Special Counsel, Litigation and Legal Affairs, OSC, where he spearheaded an initiative to combat whistleblower retaliation at the Department of Veterans Affairs.  During Bachman’s tenure at OSC, the number of favorable actions for whistleblowers increased by over 50% agency-wide.
• Jason Zuckerman served as Senior Legal Advisor to the Special Counsel at OSC, where he worked on implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and several high-profile investigations, including a matter resulting in the removal of an Inspector General.

Before hiring a lawyer for a high-stakes whistleblower case, assess the lawyer’s reputation, prior experience representing whistleblowers, knowledge of whistleblower laws and prior results.  And consider the experience of other whistleblowers working with that attorney.  See our client testimonials by clicking here.

• U.S. News and Best Lawyers® have named Zuckerman Law a Tier 1 firm in Litigation – Labor and Employment in the Washington DC metropolitan area.
• Both Eric Bachman and Jason Zuckerman served on the Department of Labor’s Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee, which makes recommendations to the Secretary of Labor to improve OSHA’s administration of federal whistleblower protections.
• Firm Principal Jason Zuckerman was recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a “Top Whistleblower Lawyer” in 2015, 2009, and 2007 selected by his peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America® in the category of employment law (2011-2017), and selected by his peers to be listed in SuperLawyers (2012 and 2015-2017) in the category of labor and employment law.  He is rated 10 out of 10 by Avvo, based largely on client reviews, and rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell based on peer reviews.
• Eric Bachman, Chair of the Firm’s Discrimination Practice, has substantial experience litigating precedent-setting individual and class action discrimination cases.  His wins include a $100 million settlement in a disparate impact Title VII class action and a $16 million class action settlement against a major grocery chain.  Having served as Special Litigation Counsel in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice and as lead or co-counsel in numerous jury trials, Bachman is trial-tested and ready to fight for you to obtain the relief that you deserve.
• The firm has published extensively on whistleblower rights and protections, and speaks nationwide at seminars and continuing legal education conferences.  We blog about new developments under whistleblower retaliation and rewards laws at the Whistleblower Protection Blog.
• The firm is routinely quoted in the media about whistleblower rights and protections.

Zuckerman Law has written extensively about whistleblower protections for employees of government contractors and grantees, including the following articles and blog posts:

• Whistleblower Protections Under the National Defense Authorization Act.
• Boosting Contractor Employee Whistleblower Protections, Law 360 (December 2016)
• New Tools to Combat Whistleblower Retaliation, Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund Quarterly Review, Vol. 57 (October 2010)
• GAO Report Calls for Improvements in Government Contractor Whistleblower Protections
• False Claims Act Retaliation Decision Underscores Broad Scope of FCA Whistleblower Protection
• NDAA Provides Robust Whistleblower Protection
• FAR Amendment Bars Agencies from Subsidizing Whistleblower Retaliation
• NDAA Contractor Whistleblower Protection Law Highly Effective in Rooting Out Fraud
• Congress Enacts Anti-Gag Provision in Cromnibus Spending Bill
• Whistleblower Lawyer Jason Zuckerman Will Speak About False Claims Act Litigation at Taxpayers Against Fraud Conference
• Whistleblower Protections Under the Whistleblower Protection Act, Practical Law (October 2016)
• Whistleblower Lawyer Jason Zuckerman Quoted in National Law Journal
• Whistleblower Lawyer Jason Zuckerman Quoted About Federal Employee Whistleblower Rights
• Washington Post Quotes Whistleblower Attorney Jason Zuckerman About Chilling Effect of Insider Threat Program
• How to foster a more ethical culture
• Whistleblower Lawyer Jason Zuckerman Quoted About MacLean Whistleblower Protection Act Case
• Trump Questionnaire Raises Concerns About Retaliation Against Energy Department Staff
• CFPB official wants to silence a whistleblower before he can talk to Congress

Whistleblower Bounties

Whistleblower Protections for Employees of Federal Contractors and Grantees

Whistleblower Protections Under the National Defense Authorization Act (w-008-5821)