In the summer of 2023, Justice Thomas suggested in a dissenting opinion in U.S. ex rel. Polansky v. Executive Health Resources that Article II of the Constitution might not permit a qui tam relator to sue in the name of the...more
On March 28, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that President Donald Trump likely has the authority to remove National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit...more
President Trump issued more than 70 Executive Orders in the first 30 days of his new administration – nearly twice the amount his closest competitor (President Biden) issued in his first 100 days. These Executive Orders have...more
The Supreme Court’s decision in Wisconsin Bell v. United States ex rel. Todd Heath clarifies what constitutes a “claim” under the federal False Claims Act (FCA). ...more
After several Supreme Court decisions and Executive Orders upended many of the norms governing the relationship between governmental agencies and the constitutional branches, a recent decision by the Federal Deposit Insurance...more
On Feb. 18, 2025, in a case seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Notice of Change in Position indicating that the DOJ will no longer defend in litigation "the...more
Trump Administration continues aggressive use of Executive Orders to assert Article II powers. Latest EO will require one of the most extensive regulatory reviews ever....more
On February 18, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order (EO), entitled, “Restoring Democracy and Accountability in Government,” which asserts greater authority over all federal agencies, including those...more
Justice Kavanaugh issued a concurring opinion in Wisconsin Bell, which Justice Thomas joined, to question again whether the False Claims Act qui tam provision violates Article II of the US Constitution....more
The United States Tax Court skillfully dodged answering the headline question with a holding on standing. The court decided, however, that IRS appeals officers and IRS appeals team managers are not officers of the United...more
On February 9, DOJ filed an emergency motion seeking to dissolve, modify or clarify a temporary restraining order issued by the U.S. SDNY, which prohibited certain political appointees and DOGE members from accessing the...more
On January 27, 2025, President Trump fired National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) Member Gwynne A. Wilcox, marking the first time that a president has ever attempted to remove a Board member prior to the end of...more
Designed for busy in-house counsel and compliance professionals, this newsletter seeks to bring you up to speed on key federal and state False Claims Act (FCA) developments, with links to primary resources. Each quarter, we...more
On January 20, 2025, a new administration took control of the Executive Branch of the federal government, and it has signaled that it will make aggressive use of executive orders....more
President Trump wasted no time sweeping his campaign objectives on immigration into motion. Our Immigration Team breaks down the impact of his Executive Orders on immigration policy, the people who fall under those policies,...more
The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act allow individuals to file suit on behalf of the United States and to receive a share of the resulting financial settlement or judgment. Filing a qui tam case is not just a formal...more
In 2024, federal courts issued a number of important decisions in False Claims Act (FCA) cases that are particularly noteworthy for the health care and life sciences industries. We focus here on decisions that further develop...more
In October of 2024, the United States appealed the federal district court’s judgment in United States ex rel. Zafirov v. Florida Medical Associates, LLC. In that case, the court held that the statute authorizing...more
Whistleblower programs are the gifts that keep giving to enforcement agencies, driving a record number of cases, sanctions and awards across multiple agencies. In this ninth installment of Season's Readings, we revisit some...more
Cybersecurity and national security collided in significant ways in 2024, with governments and private-sector entities grappling with the legal, technical, and policy challenges of a rapidly evolving cyber landscape....more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently facing a growing number of challenges related to the constitutionality of the agency’s structure and operation. One of these challenges was raised by current FTC...more
For over 160 years, the False Claims Act has let people bring claims on behalf of the U.S. government alleging fraud. In exchange, those individuals receive a portion of any recovery. In September, a federal district judge...more
On December 10, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor McFadden, sitting in the District of Columbia, ruled that the job protections afforded NLRB Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) are unconstitutional because they impede the...more
A government contractor challenged a U.S. Department of Labor ("DOL") Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ("OFCCP") enforcement scheme in federal court as violating the United States Constitution. The contractor...more
D.C. Circuit majority opinion that CEQ regulations constitute ultra vires action should be considered dicta if the decision is allowed to stand. On November 12, 2024, the D.C. Circuit, in a split 2-1 decision in Marin...more