$762 Million Amgen (E.D.N.Y. 2012)
$128 Million NetApp (D.D.C. 2009)
$120 Million Omnicare (N.D. Ohio 2013)
$91 Million Medline (N.D. Ill. 2011)
$23.5 Million Medtronic (D. Minn. 2011)
$11.3 Million Smith & Nephew (W.D. Tenn. 2014)
$11 Million Office Depot (California State Court, 2014)
$5.1 Million Meridian (M.D. Tenn. 2014)
$4.4 Million Medtronic (D. Minn. 2015)
$4.1 Million Pathway Genomics (S.D. Cal. 2015)
Our exceptional team of qui tam lawyers will work tirelessly to prosecute a whistleblower case to a successful recovery. In the past six years, our qui tam lawyers have successfully prosecuted a dozen whistleblower cases and have filed more than a dozen other cases that the Government is currently investigating under seal.
Our whistleblower lawyers are committed to recovering taxpayer funds and helping the federal government, state governments, and whistleblowers from all walks of life.
Our whistleblower lawyers have successfully prosecuted cases across a wide spectrum of fraud, including:
" We retained Mr. McKnight to represent us in a qui tam matter against one of our competitors that we suspected was violating the federal government contracting guidelines and certifications. The efficiency with which our claim was filed, heard and settled exceeded our expectations and we wouldn’t hesitate to utilize his expertise if the need ever arose again. Malcolm Wilson, Perry & Wilson, Inc.
" I can attest to Vince McKnight’s skills as a lawyer after a particularly difficult situation in my workplace arose. Who am I going to call when facing trouble? I’m calling Vince and his firm. Period. " Denise Slaughter, Client from Washington, DC
" We retained Vince McKnight several years ago in a qui tam matter against a company that was illegally selling lamps and furniture to the U.S. government. He explained the process and was personally available and attentive throughout the course of the action. We had a successful outcome, which was important to our company, and to other companies, like mine, that followed the government contract guidelines. " Louis M Scutellaro, President at Mario Industries
" Unwavering and dedicated to achieving the best results for his clients, Vince McKnight has broad experience in representing companies and individuals. He skillfully moved the parties to a resolution in a highly sensitive matter to my satisfaction. As a practicing attorney, I appreciated his counsel, quick action and thoroughness. " Angela Ciccolo, Esq.
" When it comes to qui tam it would be hard to find a more dedicated team than the one led by Ross Brooks at Sanford Heisler Sharp. They worked tirelessly to ensure my claim was filed swiftly and effectively. It was clear in his interactions with the justice department that Ross Brooks was well respected, experienced, and had a good working relationship with them. Years later, I remain in contact with both David Sanford and Ross Brooks, and continue to appreciate their consistent efforts to exceed all professional expectations. I highly recommend Ross Brooks and the Sanford Heisler Sharp qui tam team. " Angie Silva, Whistleblower client
" During my entire 30-year corporate career, I can say unequivocally that Grant Morris is the most talented and gifted lawyer with whom I have ever worked. The result was extraordinary. " Sam Cox, Qui Tam Relator and Former Director at Smith & Nephew
" Even among the nation’s top tier class action and plaintiffs law firms, Sanford Heisler Sharp stands out in its record of success. Led by David Sanford and Jeremy Heisler, this Firm has proven again and again it has the necessary talent, experience, intelligence, creativity, and resources to represent workers and whistleblowers successfully against even the country’s largest employers. " Lorene Schaefer, Esq., President of WinWinResolve.com and Former GC of GE Transportation
A private citizen who has material information about a person or an organization defrauding a governmental entity can file a lawsuit against this person or organization under the False Claims Act. The private citizen filing this kind of lawsuit is commonly named a relator or whistleblower, and the lawsuit is often called a qui tam lawsuit or qui tam action.
The False Claims Act provides financial incentives to whistleblowers. A whistleblower can receive between 15 and 30 percent of the overall recovery of a qui tam lawsuit. This amount can be millions of dollars.
A whistleblower lawyer (or, a qui tam lawyer) is a legal professional who specializes in representing a private citizen in a lawsuit filed against an individual or organization that has defrauded a governmental entity.
Qui tam is a shorthand for “qui tam pro domino rege quam pro si ipso in hac parte sequitur,” a Latin phrase that means “[he] who sues on behalf of the king as well as for himself.” Qui tam provisions originated in England during the Middle Ages and led to the development of our country’s False Claims Act.
The False Claims Act was enacted in 1863. It was spearheaded by President Abraham Lincoln’s administration during the American Civil War to protect the government and Union Army from some suppliers’ fraudulent practices. After being weakened by amendments in 1943, the False Claims Act in 1986 again became a powerful tool to combat fraud against the government.
Since 1986, our whistleblower lawyers have successfully prosecuted numerous cases and recovered hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
