Hagens Berman Launches New Whistleblower Website

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Feb 09, 2012, 08:21 ET

SEATTLE, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP today announced the launch of a new website dedicated to the firm's growing whistleblower practice.

The site, which can be found at www.hb-whistleblower.com, offers resources and information for potential whistleblowers, broadly defined to include those who may bring claims under a variety of recently expanded government programs.

"In an era of unbridled corporate greed, people who stand up and point out fraud play an increasingly important role in our civil society," said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman. "We hope that the resources we provide online will encourage more people to step forward and hold organizations accountable when they break the law."

Historically, whistleblower cases have been filed under the federal False Claims Act (FCA). The FCA has a provision known as qui tam that allows private citizens who expose fraud committed against government programs to sue on its behalf. Those who provide valuable information in a qui tam case are entitled to a portion of any funds recovered for the government. Since the law's enactment during the American Civil War, billions of dollars have been recovered for taxpayers from unscrupulous companies that defrauded government programs.

The program's success has spurred more than 20 states to create state-level whistleblower programs. The federal government has also added a number of new programs under the direction of various agencies. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) now pays rewards to individuals who report tax evaders. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), who police the stock and commodities markets, added formal whistleblower programs last year.

"As the government has expanded both protections and rewards for whistleblowers, we too have expanded our practice to help serve them," said Mr. Berman. "Whistleblower cases are very much in line with our mission; earning excellent results for our clients while performing work in the public interest."

Hagens Berman is known as one of the top plaintiffs' firms in the country, having been named to the National Law Journal's Plaintiffs Hot List five of the last six years.

Mr. Berman feels the firm is well-positioned to help whistleblowers under the new programs. "Unlike traditional whistleblower firms, we have taken on securities and financial fraud cases against some of the largest corporations in the world and won," he said. "Also unlike traditional firms, we have the deep bench and resources needed to take these cases to trial, even if the government chooses not to intervene."

The firm offers counsel to whistleblowers under four major federal programs, including programs run by the IRS, the SEC, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the CFTC as well as a number of state programs.

To learn more about Hagens Berman's Whistleblower practice, visit the new website at http://www.hb-whistleblower.com.

About Hagens Berman

Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is one of the most successful plaintiff-only law firms in the nation, with offices in ten cities throughout the United States. Founded in 1993, the firm represents plaintiffs in class actions and multi-state, large-scale litigation that seek to protect the rights of investors, consumers, workers and whistleblowers. More general information about the firm is available at www.hbsslaw.com.

Contact: Mark Firmani, Firmani + Associates Inc., 206.443.9357 or [email protected]

SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP