Morgan Verkamp

On March 2, 2012 Jennifer Verkamp spoke at the annual meeting of the Association of Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) as part of a panel on “Whistleblowers, Incentives, and Ethics.”

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Ms. Verkamp spoke about her experience with whistleblowers and the effect of whistleblowing on their lives, as well as on the importance of ethical businesses with strong compliance programs.

June 2, 2011: Rick Morgan radio interview on Ohio False Claims Act

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Ed “Flash” Ferenc spoke at length with Rick Morgan on June 2, 2011 regarding the Ohio False Claims Act bill, now pending before the Ohio Senate. The bill is strongly supported by a number of prominent Senate republicans and Attorney … Continue reading →

June 1, 2011: Jennifer Verkamp prevails for MV Client in First Circuit on Important Kickback issue; Case hailed as “Game Changer;” Spine Hardware company must answer charges

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On June 1, 2011, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit handed down its opinion in U.S. ex rel. Hutcheson v. Blackstone Medical. Jennifer Verkamp argued the case for our client, Susan Hutcheson, following a dismissal in Boston based on the proposition that paying kickbacks to physicians to use Blackstone spinal fusion hardware does not make Medicare claims false. The Court of Appeals rejected Blackstone’s arguments in an opinion which we believe is a landmark of False Claims Act jurisprudence. The case is being called a “game changing ruling for whistleblowers.” Read the opinion here.

Rick Morgan speaks at June 2010 American Health Lawyers Association convention in Seattle

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:14:36 +0000

The AHLA Fraud and Abuse Practice Group Annual Luncheon, held in Seattle on June 30, 2010, will include Rick Morgan among four panelists discussing recent qui tam developments.

Rick Morgan moderates Motions Practice panel at June 2010 ABA National Institute

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The ABA’s Eighth Annual National Institute on the Civil False Claims Act was held Washington, D.C. in early June, 2010. Rick Morgan moderated a lively panel of exceptionally-accomplished counsel from government, the defense bar, and relator’s bar, discussing practical applications … Continue reading →

May 3, 2011: Morgan testifies before Congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting

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On May 3, Rick Morgan testified before the bipartisan congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting in Afghanistan and Iraq, presenting the Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund’s views regarding the importance of encouraging whistleblowers to come forward with knowledge of fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, and protecting them when they do. TAFEF’s testimony is available here, and the Commission’s excellent report, “At what risk? Correcting over-reliance on contractors in contingency operations” is available at this link.

May 3, 2011: Morgan testifies before Congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:20:34 +0000

Morgan, Shary publish Analysis of False Claims Amendments

admin — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:17:02 +0000

Morgan Verkamp lawyers Rick Morgan and Lucia Shary published “FERA THIS! Congress Repairs the False Claims Act to Address Contemporary Fraud and Abuse and Remedy Judicial Activism” in the Spring 2010 edition of Ohio Trial (Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. … Continue reading →

October 31, 2010: Novartis Pays $201 Million to Settle MV Client’s Off-Label Allegations

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September 30, 2010: Multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis settled off-label marketing and kickback allegations brought by Morgan Verkamp clients for a total of $433,000,000, $201,000,000 of which is attributable to our qui tam allegations. Novartis also pled guilty to criminal charges of distrubing misbranded drugs, paying a $185,000,000 fine, and entered into a strong Corporate Integrity Agreement. For more information, here is our Press Release. More information is available on Taxpayers Against Fraud’s website.

October 16, 2010: Morgan Verkamp Client speaks at Grassley Press Conference

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Tina Gonter, who (with her husband Bill) brought a qui tam complaint to stop the installation of defective valves on the Navy’s nuclear submarines, was invited by Senator Charles Grassley, the False Claims Act’s biggest supporter in Congress, to tell her story to the press. While Senator Grassley was running for re-election, he explained that the conference was less a campaign event than an opportunty to permit the press to hear from Tina and two other whistleblowers who made a big difference, Sal Barbera and Jim Alderson.