Whistleblower Attorney Fees

Learn How Legal Fees Work in Federal Whistleblower Cases

If you are eligible to file a whistleblower complaint with the federal government, it will be important to have an experienced whistleblower lawyer on your side. Filing a whistleblower complaint and working with the federal government to expose fraud or other wrongdoing is a complex process, and most whistleblowers who help the government pursue successful enforcement actions have legal representation.

If you seek legal representation, will you have to pay legal fees?

As we discuss in detail below, our legal team represents whistleblower clients on a contingency-fee basis. This means our clients pay nothing out-of-pocket, and we only recover our attorneys’ fees and costs when our clients whistleblower cases are successful.

We Handle False Claims Act (Qui Tam) and Other Federal Whistleblower Cases on a Contingency Fee Basis

We provide contingency-fee representation for all types of federal whistleblower cases. This includes both (i) qui tam litigation under the False Claims Act (i.e., FCA cases involving government contract fraud and healthcare fraud); and, (ii) whistleblower cases filed directly with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal agencies that operate whistleblower programs.

Here’s what you need to know:

Your initial consultation with a senior attorney at our law firm is completely free. It costs you nothing to sit down with one of our senior attorneys to find out if you are eligible to serve as a federal whistleblower. In fact, even after your initial consultation, we will be more than happy to provide the advice you need to make an informed decision about coming forward free of charge.
We will walk you through our contingency fee agreement before you commit to moving forward. If you decide that you want to come forward and expose the fact that your employer or another company committed fraud or other wrongdoing, we will walk you through our contingency fee agreement before you commit. You are free to engage other legal counsel to review our contingency fee agreement if you would like.
We will also provide our assessment of your potential whistleblower award eligibility. Before you commit to coming forward, we will also provide our assessment of your potential whistleblower award eligibility. While the circumstances of your case will ultimately determine whether you become eligible for an award, we can use our experience to provide an estimate of your potential award amount if your case is successful.
If your case involves any litigation costs, we will cover these costs as they are incurred. If you file a False Claims Act lawsuit and the government declines to intervene, you will have the option to pursue your lawsuit directly. If you choose to do so, our qui tam attorneys will continue to represent you on a contingency-fee basis, and we will advance any litigation costs (i.e., expert witness fees) as they are incurred.
If you receive a whistleblower award, then we become entitled to a fee for our legal services. If your whistleblower case is successful, our legal fees will be calculated as a percentage of the amount you receive from the government. Any litigation expenses we have incurred on your behalf will be deducted from your award as well.

In short, all of this means that:

You will not have to pay a retainer fee.
You will not have to pay hourly rates.
You will not have to pay any fees or expenses out-of-pocket.
We will do everything we can to help you secure a whistleblower award.
If you do not receive a whistleblower award for any reason, you owe us nothing.

Under our contingency-fee agreement, we charge reasonable attorneys fees for the services we provide—but only when our whistleblower clients receive financial compensation for coming forward. When we represent clients in whistleblower retaliation cases, we handle these cases on a contingency-fee basis as well. In some cases, we may be able to recover our attorneys’ fees separately from any damages recovered.

What to Expect When You Choose Our Law Firm for Your Federal Whistleblower Case

Now that you know more about how our legal fees work in whistleblower cases, what else should you know about our law firm? Here is what you can expect when you choose us to handle your federal whistleblower case:

1. We Will Clearly Outline Our Fee Structure Up Front and In Writing

As we already mentioned, we will clearly outline our fee structure up front in a written contingency-fee agreement. If your whistleblower case leads to a successful enforcement action and the issuance of a whistleblower award, our fee will be calculated as a percentage of your recovery.

2. You Will Work Directly with Our Firm’s Partners

Our team is composed entirely of senior-level attorneys who have extensive experience in complex litigation under the False Claims Act and other federal whistleblower statutes. You will work directly with our firm’s senior attorneys throughout your case, from gathering relevant documents and preparing your whistleblower complaint to making decisions about communicating with the government and taking your False Claims Act case to court (if applicable).

3. We Will Provide Custom-Tailored Legal Advice and Legal Representation

At all stages of your federal whistleblower case, our attorneys will provide custom-tailored legal advice and legal representation. You will have direct access to our senior attorneys, and you will be encouraged to contact us immediately any time you have questions, concerns, or additional information to share.

4. We Will Work Directly with Federal Authorities on Your Behalf

As your legal counsel, we will work directly with the relevant federal authorities on your behalf. In a False Claims Act case, this will include working with federal prosecutors at the DOJ and the federal judge overseeing the proceedings. In other federal whistleblower cases, this will include communicating with the senior-level agents overseeing the government’s investigation.

5. We Will Work with the Government to Secure Your Whistleblower Award (if Applicable)

If the defendant in your federal whistleblower case is held liable for civil or criminal penalties, you may become entitled to a percentage of the funds that the government recovers. In certain circumstances, this could be as high as 30% of the government’s recovery. If you become eligible to receive a whistleblower award, our attorneys will work to secure your award on your behalf, and we will argue for a fair award percentage based on the value of your contributions to the government’s case.

FAQs: What Prospective Whistleblowers Should Know About Attorney Fees

How are whistleblower awards and attorney fees calculated in False Claims Act cases?

In False Claims Act cases, whistleblower awards generally range from 15% to 30% of the government’s recovery. While several factors can determine the specific percentage of a whistleblower’s award under the False Claims Act, a key factor is whether the government intervenes.

What if the government intervenes?

If the government intervenes in a False Claims Act case, it will take over the litigation and pursue enforcement action directly in federal court. If the court finds the defendant liable, the whistleblower will generally be entitled to an award ranging from 15% to 25% of the funds the government ultimately recovers.

What if the government decides not to intervene?

If the government decides not to intervene in a False Claims Act case, the whistleblower has the option to continue pursuing the case independently in federal court. Under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, if a whistleblower independently pursues a successful enforcement action, the whistleblower is entitled to between 25% and 30% of the funds recovered on the government’s behalf.

What other factors determine the amount of a federal whistleblower award?

In both False Claims Act and non-False Claims Act cases, the whistleblower’s level of involvement in the government’s investigation is a key factor for determining the whistleblower’s award percentage. When desired, we work with the government on behalf of our whistleblower clients to help maximize their award eligibility. Since our whistleblower attorney fees are calculated as a percentage of our client’s financial recovery, this costs our clients nothing out-of-pocket.

Do I need an attorney to serve as a federal whistleblower?

Strictly speaking, no. As a prospective federal whistleblower, you are not required to hire an attorney to represent you.

With that said, there are several important reasons to seek experienced legal representation. With contingency-fee representation, it costs you nothing out-of-pocket to hire an attorney, and your attorney will have a direct financial incentive to both help you secure a whistleblower award and maximize your award amount. If you would like to know more about what an attorney can do to help, we strongly encourage you to contact us for a free initial consultation today.

Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with a Senior Whistleblower Lawyer Today

Do you have questions about hiring an attorney to help you blow the whistle? If so, we are more than happy to explain everything you would like to know. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our senior whistleblower attorneys, please call 866-320-3959 or contact us online today.