Post on 06-Apr-2017
Lawyer-Whistleblowers, the False Claims Act and
Confidentiality
Kathleen Clark
ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityJune 2, 2016
False Claims Act cases
sound in
fraud
heightened pleading
requirements Fed. R. Civ. Proc. 9(b)
organizational insiders
confidentiality
contract fiduciary
professional rules
Defendants
counterclaimspreemptive suits
disqualification motions
Relators
preemptionpublic interest exception
scope of
exception
documentsnot
relevantto
fraud
may disclose
fraud
lawyer-relators
6 FCA cases
lawyer-relatorssuing
clients
6 losses
for lawyer-relators
2lost on
non-ethics grounds
4lost on
confidentiality
US ex rel Doe v
X CorpE.D. Va. 1994
Virginia Code Prof. Resp.:
only if evidence
clearly establishes fraud
Bury v
Community Hospitals of Central California
CA 2002
California:to prevent crimeslikely to result in
death or subst. bodily injury
US ex rel FLPAv
Quest2nd Cir 2013
NY ex rel Danonv
VanguardNY SCt 2015
New York:reasonably
believes necessaryto prevent
crime
Model Rule 1.6(b)(3)to
prevent / mitigate /rectify
client fraud
lawyer-relatorsuing
non-client
US ex rel Holmesv
Northrop Grumman5th Cir 2016
Mississippi / DC / ModelRules
State variations
crime / fraudnon-monetary crime
prevent / rectify
Lawyer-Whistleblowers, the False Claims Act and
Confidentiality
Kathleen Clark kathleen_clark@mac.com
ABA Center for Professional ResponsibilityJune 1, 2016