who is the attorney for the whistleblower?

How to choose the best whistleblower lawyer?

Although it is not a law firm and does not provide legal services, NWC supports high-impact whistleblower cases with communications and policy work. The National Whistleblower Legal Defense and Education Fund serves as the NWC’s attorney in these cases.

What will a whistleblower attorney do?

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto represented an anonymous whistleblower, who on May 17, 2021, received a whistleblower award of almost $13.5 million. The SEC Issues More Than $31 Million in Whistleblower Awards related to this case, which involved securities law violations. Founding partner KKC Stephen M. Kohn commended this whistleblower for his or her ...

Do I need a whistleblower attorney?

Apr 22, 2019 · “We haven’t seen many whistleblower claims involving technology firms. But now we’re seeing more government contracts are going to technology companies. And whenever the government spends large amounts of money on something, fraud and corruption usually appear”. – Eric Havian, Whistleblower Attorney.

What is the role of the whistleblower lawyer?

Apr 22, 2022 · Feldman Legal Group is an established law firm with extensive experience protecting the rights of whistleblower retaliation victims. When you need protection from employer backlash, Feldman Legal Group’s whistleblower retaliation attorneys will fight for justice. Whistleblowing can come at a cost.

Who investigates whistleblower?

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal agency charged with investigating and prosecuting violations of the Whistleblower Protection Act.

Who protects a whistleblower?

The U.S. Department of Labor is an organization of diverse functions that carries out its mission through a number of offices and agencies. Five agencies enforce whistleblower and anti-retaliation laws.

What is the whistleblower law called?

Individual laws, also called acts, are arranged by subject in the United States Code. Regulations are rules made by executive departments and agencies, and are arranged by subject in the Code of Federal Regulations.

How much money do you get for whistleblower?

Whistleblower rewards under the False Claims Act The whistleblower (known as the “relator” in qui tam cases) may receive a reward of 15 percent to 25 percent of what the government recovers, if the government joins the qui tam case.

How do I complain about a whistleblower?

Keep the tone of your written complaint neutral and matter of fact, rather than outraged, threatening or nasty. Briefly but clearly describe the conduct which you believe to be illegal, fraudulent, or a threat to public health and welfare.Mar 18, 2020

Is whistleblower retaliation a crime?

The Prohibited Personnel Practices Act amended United States Code, Title 5: Government Organization and Employees to provide federal employees with whistleblower protection. The law forbids retaliation for whistleblowing.

How long do whistleblower cases take?

Typically, it takes several months for an attorney to pull together and file the complaint, and the government investigation takes around 1-2 years, but can take up to as much as 10 depending on the case. Upon serving the whistleblower complaint, litigation commences.Aug 25, 2020

Does IRS pay you for snitching?

The IRS Whistleblower Office pays monetary awards to eligible individuals whose information is used by the IRS. The award percentage depends on several factors, but generally falls between 15 and 30 percent of the proceeds collected and attributable to the whistleblower's information.

What is the largest award payout to a whistleblower?

Under the CFTC's Whistleblower Program, whistleblowers “are eligible to receive between 10-30% of the monetary sanctions collected.” The Whistleblower Program was created as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, and since its first award in 2014, this $200 million award is the ...Oct 26, 2021

Why did Gross and Pitts sue Trump?

Gross and Pitts claimed in the lawsuit, which was filed in the District of Columbia Superior Court, that the competition from the Trump Hotel was unfair to them and other restaurants in the area because the hotel may attract customers looking for favor with the president.

Where did Mark Zaid go to law school?

Zaid earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Rochester in 1989. He then attended the Albany Law School of Union University and earned his law degree in 1992. Zaid focuses much of his practice on whistleblowers.

Who are Mark Zaid's clients?

2. Mark Zaid’s Clients Have Included FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds.

Does a whistleblower have to have first hand knowledge of an incident to be credible?

In a statement released on September 30, 2019, which can be read here, Zaid explained a whistleblower does not have to have first-hand knowledge of an incident in order to be credible. “In my more than twenty years of representing national security whistleblowers, and fifteen years since the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was ...

Who is the attorney for Khalid Pitts?

Getty Attorney Mark Zaid speaks about husband and wife restaurateur’s Khalid Pitts and Diane Gross’s unfair competition lawsuit, against President Donald Trump on March 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mark Zaid was part of a legal team that filed a civil lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the Trump business in March of 2017.

Who is Mark Zaid?

Mark Zaid is one of the attorneys representing the whistleblower who filed the formal complaint against President Trump, which ultimately led to the opening of impeachment hearings and a Senate trial against the president.

Who was the lawyer for the victims of the Pan Am bombing?

Mark Zaid was part of the legal team that represented the families of victims killed in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. 270 people were killed when the plane was shot down over Lockerbie, Scotland. 189 of the victims were American citizens.

What are the violations of the SEC?

Such violations include manipulation of securities, ponzi schemes, insider trading, abusive naked short selling, money laundering, and other financial manipulation.

How much can a whistleblower get?

Whistleblowers may be eligible for an award when they voluntarily provide the SEC with original, timely, and credible information that leads to a successful enforcement action. Whistleblower awards can range from 10 to 30 percent of the money collected when the monetary sanctions exceed $1 million.

How much was Chepurko's case worth in 2020?

In April 2020, Chepurko obtained a $69.6 million judgment on behalf of the United States under the False Claims Act. His claim to obtain a whistleblower award from the Government is still pending. In 2018, CBS TV profiled his case in their show Whistleblower. Learn More.

Can whistleblowers file anonymous cases?

Under the Dodd-Frank Act, whistleblowers can file anonymous cases, and everything about their case, including who they sued, remains secret. Our SEC whistleblower law firm has prevailed in significant cases, including one of the largest SEC awards granted to date.

Can a whistleblower be terminated?

Under the SEC whistleblower program, It is illegal for employers to terminate, demote, discriminate or harass a whistleblower for engaging in a protective activity, such as reporting fraud. SEC whistleblowers may assist the SEC in any investigation or proceeding based on the information submitted in the claim.

Do whistleblowers pay attorney fees?

Many whistleblower law firms and attorneys work for a “contingency” fee. The client does not have to pay any advance attorney fees. If the whistleblower loses his or her case, they do not owe the attorney any money. A typical contingency fee for a whistleblower attorney is between 30-40% of the amount awarded.

How much is the whistleblower award 2020?

On October 22, 2020, the SEC issued the largest whistleblower award in the program’s history of $114 million. In addition, according to the SEC’s 2020 Agency Report, the SEC recognized a $255 million contingent liability for potential whistleblower awards to be paid in FY 2021.

How many whistleblowers were denied by the SEC?

According to the SEC's order determining the whistleblower awards, three whistleblowers applied for awards related to the enforcement action. The SEC denied two of the whistleblowers' applications because they did not provide "original information," and issued the full $20 million award to one whistleblower.

How many tips did the SEC receive in 2020?

According to the SEC Whistleblower Office’s 2020 Annual Report to Congress, the office received more than 6,900 tips in the fiscal year. This is the highest number of tips the office has received in one year.

How much did the SEC award to whistleblowers in 2015?

In FY 2016, the SEC issued $57 million in awards to whistleblowers.

How much money has the SEC awarded to whistleblowers?

Since 2012, the SEC has issued nearly $1 billion in awards to whistleblowers, which includes awards to our clients totaling millions of dollars. The top SEC whistleblower attorneys can provide critical guidance to whistleblowers throughout this process to increase the likelihood that they not only obtain, but maximize, their awards.

How much was the SEC award in 2021?

$50 million. April 15, 2021. On April 15, 2021, the SEC announced a $50 million award to joint whistleblowers.

Can a whistleblower be anonymous?

If represented by an attorney, a whistleblower may submit a tip anonymously to the SEC. In certain circumstances, a whistleblower may remain anonymous, even to the SEC, until an award determination. However, even at the time of a reward, a whistleblower’s identity is not made available to the public.

What is the penalty for whistleblowers in Washington DC?

Whistleblowers who present original information leading to sanctions against a violator of the Washington DC False Claims Act, may file a qui tam lawsuit to receive protection and a possible reward. Successful whistleblowers who bring a qui tam suit may receive a portion of the government’s recovery, which is between 15% and 30%.

What are whistleblower laws?

Federal and District of Columbia whistleblower protection laws allow employees to stop, report, or testify about an employer’s illegal, unhealthy, or unethical actions that violate public policies – without risking retaliation. Our Washington DC whistleblower lawyers have won cases, which set precedents preventing companies from using settlement agreements as a way to persuade an employee from reporting fraud to government regulators. Our attorneys have advocated for key reforms protecting federal employees to be included in the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and have recommended provisions that strengthened protections for corporate employees to incorporate into the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Why is whistleblowing important?

Whistleblowers perform a vital public service by having the courage to report fraud and misconduct. Whistleblowers assume a considerable risk and need aggressive and highly skilled whistleblower attorneys. As some of the most experienced whistleblower attorneys in the world,

What is a false claim in the District of Columbia?

All claims covered under the federal False Claims Act that concern monies spent (or owed) to the District of Columbia; Fraud committed in obtaining contracts from the District of Columbia, or the willful failure to perform work under D .C. government contracts;

Who won the Qui Tam award?

The whistleblower ’s original information demonstrated that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority had illegally awarded a 14 million dollar contract to Metaformers Inc. The governmental authorities and the whistleblower prevailed in the lawsuit, and the whistleblower obtained his qui tam award.

Is whistleblower law side practice?

Whistleblower law is not just side practice. It’s what we do. The Washington DC whistleblower attorneys at Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto provide leading representation under the Securities and Exchange Act, Commodities Futures Trading Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act as well as the Washington DC False Claims Act.

What does a whistleblower attorney do?

A whistleblower attorney usually performs an initial review of a case for free. Once the attorney decides to take the case, you can retain the attorney on a contingency basis. This arrangement means that you will pay the attorney only if the case is successful and you receive a reward from the government. An attorney who works on a contingency basis pays all expenses needed to represent you. These expenses include the costs of hiring expert witnesses, traveling, and completing documentation. They are also entitled to seek reimbursement of these expenses from the defendant if the case is successful.

What is the FCA in qui tam?

The FCA provides that whistleblowers may be eligible to recover legal costs from the defendant in addition to the reward itself. These expenses can include attorney fees and other costs associated with trying the case.