Chris is an associate in Dorsey’s Government Solutions and Investigations Practice Group. In his practice, Chris represents clients in government contract disputes, government enforcement actions, qui tam actions under the False Claims Act, corporate investigations, fraud and securities litigation, and other commercial disputes.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced recently that settlements and judgments under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq. (FCA) totaled approximately $2.7 billion in FY 2023 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023). DOJ and whistleblowers were party to 543 settlements and judgments, a record high, and a fifty-percent increase from the 351 settlements and judgments obtained in FY 2022. ...
The United States Supreme Court recently granted review of a decision from the Third Circuit that affirmed the dismissal of an FCA case at the government’s request. Polansky v. Exec. Health Res., 17 F.4th 376, 393 (3d Cir. 2021); Polansky v. Exec. Health Res., 21-1052 (June 21, 2022). Polansky resisted the government’s request to dismiss his case, arguing that the government had no authority to...
On Friday, May 13, 2022, the Department of Justice announced that it reached a settlement with Hensel Phelps Construction Company (“Hensel Phelps”) over allegations that the company had, in violation of the False Claims Act, circumvented subcontract set-asides for service-disabled veteran owned small businesses (“SDVOSB”). The case concerned a multi-million dollar prime contract awarded in 2011 to Hensel Phelps by the General Services Administration to...
On June 28, 2021, the United States Supreme Court denied review of a Seventh Circuit decision affirming the Department of Justice (“DOJ”)-requested dismissal of a False Claims Act (“FCA”) suit alleging a drug kickback scheme. Cimznhca LLC v. United States, No. 20-1138, 2021 U.S. LEXIS 3404 (June 28, 2021). As a result, the circuit split regarding the standard that applies to a Government’s motion to...
As the public health and economic responses to COVID-19 dominate the headlines and traditional government enforcement actions slow, anticipate a significant increase in government enforcement actions, internal investigations related to corporate fraud, and qui tam (whistleblower) actions in the coming months. The CARES Act contains appropriations for tens of millions of dollars for agency inspector general enforcement. Leaders in federal law enforcement are telling us...
