This September, The Anti-Fraud Coalition (TAF) 24th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. updated whistleblower attorneys on key developments in whistleblower laws and programs. Getnick Law attorneys Neil Getnick, Lesley Ann Skillen, and Margaret Finerty, spoke at the conference on topics addressing issues affecting whistleblowers; the fundamentals of False Claims Act cases; and the IRS Whistleblower Program, including Getnick Law’s recent representation of the lead whistleblower in a groundbreaking $263 million tax fraud recovery against an individual taxpayer.
Neil moderated a panel of former whistleblowers, all of whom were veterans, who told their stories of finding the courage to blow the whistle on their companies’ wrongdoing and navigating their False Claims Act qui tam cases with the help of their attorneys. During the panel, Neil commended the whistleblowers for their commitment to combatting fraud and service to the United States.
Lesley spoke on a panel providing practice pointers for False Claims Act attorneys, including selecting and preparing a case for filing and supporting the government during its investigation. Lesley addressed how to navigate thorny issues that can arise during qui tam cases, such as receiving potentially privileged documents from prospective whistleblowers.
Margaret spoke on a panel discussing developments in the IRS Whistleblower Program, which highlighted the IRS Whistleblower Office’s recent $263 million tax fraud recovery from an individual taxpayer. Getnick Law represented one of three whistleblowers who reported the fraud and shared in a maximum 30% award. Margaret addressed how the whistleblowers were able to overcome obstacles that often impede the resolution of cases with multiple whistleblowers, as well as the Office’s invaluable support throughout the process. Margaret emphasized that she views the recovery as a harbinger of the future for the Program.
TAF is a public interest non-profit dedicated to fighting fraud against the government by incentivizing integrity. Getnick Law attorneys have long participated in the TAF Annual Conference and are significantly involved in the organization. Neil Getnick served as the organization’s Chair from 2005-2021 and is currently a member of its President’s Council and Chair of its Regulatory Committee. Margaret Finerty is a member of TAF’s IRS Whistleblower Committee. Lesley Ann Skillen is a member of TAF’s Member Education and Communications Committees and served on its Subcommittee on COVID-19 Pharmaceutical Fraud. Courtney Finerty-Stelzner is the Chair of the TAF’s Young Lawyer Division Board and a member of TAF’s Government Relations and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Committees.
Learn more about Getnick Law’s whistleblower practice.
