At Equal Justice Solutions, our whistleblower attorneys represent truth-tellers who expose financial fraud, government waste, and corporate misconduct. Whether you’re reporting illegal Medicaid billing under the False Claims Act, tax fraud to the IRS, or securities violations to the SEC—we have your back. We’ve seen retaliation. We’ve helped clients navigate sealed complaints, subpoenas, and multi-year investigations.
We’re not tourists. This is our ministry.
A whistleblower is someone who exposes illegal or unethical conduct—typically inside a company or institution—with the intent to stop wrongdoing and protect the public interest. At Equal Justice Solutions, we focus on high-stakes, legally protected whistleblowing that affects:
The False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733) is the government’s primary weapon against fraud involving federal funds. Whistleblowers who report False Claims Act violations may be eligible for **substantial awards**—ranging from 15% to 30% of the amount the government recovers.
FCA cases are often brought as *qui tam* suits, meaning the whistleblower (called the relator) sues on behalf of the government. The Department of Justice can choose to intervene—or not. The case may stay sealed for months or years.
Typical FCA violations include:
Even silence can be a fraud—under the FCA, knowingly failing to return overpayments or hiding noncompliance may trigger liability. In Universal Health Services, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Escobar, 579 U.S. 176 (2016), the Supreme Court held that omissions and half-truths can be actionable under the FCA when they are material to the government’s payment decision. The Court affirmed that implied false certification, including silence about noncompliance, may constitute fraud when specific representations are made and those representations are misleading by omission.
Any experienced whistleblower attorney will tell you: timing is everything.
Under the First-to-File Rule of the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3730(b)(5)), only the first whistleblower to file a qui tam action is eligible to proceed and recover a share of the government’s recovery. If someone else files—even one day earlier—you may be completely barred, even if they learned the information from you. Courts strictly enforce this bar. United States ex rel. Wood v. Allergan, Inc., 899 F.3d 163 (2d Cir. 2018).
There is also a Statute of Limitations under the FCA: you must file within six years of the violation or within three years of when the government knew or should have known about the fraud—but never more than ten years from the violation. See Cochise Consultancy, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Hunt, 587 U.S. ___, 139 S. Ct. 1507 (2019)
If you’re even considering filing, speak to a whistleblower lawyer now. Delay could cost you everything.
To build a whistleblower claim under the FCA, you need:
or knowingly causing one to be submitted. This includes schemes like overbilling, ghost billing, or falsely certifying compliance with contract requirements.
either actual knowledge, reckless disregard, or deliberate ignorance. In other words, you don’t need to prove intent to defraud; willful blindness or gross negligence is enough.
the falsehood must be significant enough to influence the government’s decision to pay. As clarified in Escobar, not every mistake or regulatory slip-up qualifies. “Garden-variety” errors or minor noncompliance generally won’t trigger FCA liability. But systematic deception, knowing misuse of public funds, or flagrant misrepresentations will.
To build a whistleblower claim under the FCA, you need:
Additionally, the FCA reaches:
In short: the FCA doesn’t punish honest mistakes. But if you’re looking at serious mismanagement, reckless cover-ups, or deliberate fraud—you’re likely in FCA territory.
In addition to the False Claims Act, the federal government offers powerful reward and protection programs through the IRS and SEC.
Across the country, whistleblowers have helped recover billions in taxpayer dollars—and in some cases, received life-changing awards. These examples show what’s possible when truth-tellers come forward with courage and legal backing:
To be clear, these cases are outliers. However, they illustrate that rewards to whistleblowers who follow the correct procedures can be substantial, and potentially life-changing.
Whether your case is under the FCA, IRS, or SEC, federal law protects whistleblowers from retaliation, including:
You may be entitled to:
At Equal Justice Solutions, we structure our fees to reflect our mission—and your reality.
We take nearly all FCA matters on a complete contingency basis. You pay nothing unless we win.
These are typically handled through either a full contingency model, or a hybrid structure (a flat fee for investigative or strategic services, followed by contingency for recovery). We’ll advise you honestly based on the facts.
We also evaluate every case for state and local whistleblower laws, many of which offer parallel protections and additional recovery opportunities—but are often overlooked by generalist firms.
This process is not DIY. False Claims Act and whistleblower matters are some of the most procedurally unusual and legally complex cases in federal practice. Filing under seal is required; claims must be materially specific; and even a well-intentioned misstep can tank a case before it’s heard.
Common mistakes include:
an error that often leads to automatic dismissal
triggering the public disclosure bar, as seen in United States ex rel. Schindler Elevator Corp. v. United States ex rel. Kirk, 563 U.S. 401 (2011), where documents obtained through FOIA were deemed public disclosures that barred suit
potentially resulting in sanctions, as the Supreme Court acknowledged in State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. United States ex rel. Rigsby, 580 U.S. 39 (2016). Though the Court declined to mandate dismissal in that case, it affirmed that violations of the seal may have serious consequences
many attorneys simply aren’t trained in FCA, IRS, or SEC procedure, and make critical errors
We also evaluate every case for state and local whistleblower laws, many of which offer parallel protections and additional recovery opportunities—but are often overlooked by generalist firms.
For example, in People v. Sprint Communications, Inc., the New York Attorney General secured a $330 million recovery under the state’s False Claims Act based on allegations that Sprint knowingly failed to collect and remit state taxes on certain wireless services. The case shows how state laws can open powerful avenues for recovery and accountability.
Don’t blow the whistle because you’re angry.
Blow it because you can’t live with the lie.
If you’ve already spoken up and they came for you—you’re exactly why we exist.
In addition to our multi-lawyer team, we proudly partner with the nationwide law firm Wade Kilpela Slade to ensure False Claims Act cases are staffed with the depth they demand. Typically, FCA matters are supported by a team of three to four attorneys, combining trial-readiness, federal expertise, and mission alignment.
Ready to talk to a whistleblower lawyer who understands the risk, the calling, and the system?
Equal Justice Solutions is a faith-based public interest law firm serving the seriously harmed, whistleblowers, and business facing real legal and moral challenges.
Conshohocken address:
1950 Butler Pike, #134
Conshohocken, PA 19428
Wilmington address:
1007 N Market Street
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Wilmington, DE 19801
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