- March 28, 2024
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A call from the Department of Justice is a frightening scenario for many business leaders. Former U.S. Middle District Attorney Brian Albritton is applying his years of experience dealing with the False Claims Act to prevent that from happening with a new blog.
Albritton, a partner in the Tampa office of Phelps Dunbar LLP, launched the blog False Claims Act & Qui Tam Law to highlight litigation trends involving the False Claims Act and discuss high profile cases. Albritton says the blog is a resource for lawyers working in the field, but can also help business leaders protect themselves from costly violations of the law.
The law is aimed at preventing unlawful billing to the government, which means Tampa Bay's defense contractors must be vigilant. “It's a powerful tool for the government,” Albritton explains, “and a very intimidating one for businesses that work with the government.”
Albritton has noticed a number of cases that involve businesses that were unaware they were liable for accounting errors. Harsh penalties include being forbidden from further work with the government.
And plaintiff lawyers looking for whistleblowers, who can be awarded a percentage of recovered damages, create an incentive to report the slightest billing violation.
Albritton says even companies that do minimal work with the government should regularly check for updates to the False Claims Act and encourage employees to report possible inaccuracies internally first.
“It can take time to do the research,” Albritton warns, “but the consequences of a violation are devastating.”