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Litigating NY False Claims Act Cases - Online Video Replay

1:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

There will be two 10-minute refreshment breaks during this Online Video Replay, at approximately 2:50 and 4:05 p.m.

4.0 MCLE Credits: 3.0 Professional Practice; 1.0 Ethics

Originally recorded on November 19, 2012

Co-Sponsors: Commercial and Federal Litigation Section and its NYSBA Civil Prosecution Committee; Committee on Continuing Legal Education

The New York State False Claims Act is a powerful weapon in the State’s fight against fraud on the government.  This statute, one of the most robust of its kind in the country, empowers the Attorney General, local governments and private individuals to bring a civil lawsuit - on behalf of the government - against any person or entity that defrauds the government.  The consequences are significant: defendants are potentially liable for three times the financial loss from the fraud as well as civil penalties.  Private citizens who bring successful qui tam actions under New York’s False Claims Act can receive up to 30% of the recovery, in addition to their attorney’s fees and expenses.  Notably, New York’s statute applies to not only Medicaid and other types of fraud where government dollars are involved, but also to tax fraud, which the Federal False Claims Act and many state false claims acts specifically exclude.  The New York False Claims Act adopts a fundamentally different approach to fighting tax fraud than the one found in the federal IRS Whistleblower program.  

Attorneys of all experience levels will benefit from this program.  Program viewers will learn about:

•  The history of the New York State False Claims Act, its specific provisions and recent amendments;

•  The New York State Attorney General’s Office Taxpayer Protection Bureau and how it, along with New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, use the New York False  Claims Act to combat fraud in all areas involving government dollars, including:  taxes, construction programs, labor issues, school programs, pension funds, securities, and the environment, among others;

•  How to effectively defend a client in a False Claims Act case in New York State; and

•  Best practices and ethical considerations when pursuing and defending cases under the New York False Claims Act.

Participants in the program include key government attorneys involved in investigating and pursuing these cases, as well as experienced private sector practitioners who represent whistleblower plaintiffs and corporate defendants. 

Program Agenda Topics

There will be two 10-minute refreshment breaks during this Online Video Replay, at approximately 2:50 and 4:05 p.m.

                                    •  Statutory framework
                                    •  Qui tam provisions
                                    •  Procedural regulations
                                    •  Drafting a False Claims Act Complaint

                                     Speakers:      
                                     Gregory M. Krakower, Senior Advisor & Counselor to the Attorney General, Office of the New York Attorney General
                                     Neil V. Getnick, Managing Partner, Getnick & Getnick LLP, New York, New York                                  

Medicaid Fraud Control Unit

                                    •  What is Medicaid Fraud
                                    •  Applicable statutes and regulations
                                    •  Examples of Medicaid Fraud cases pursued under the False Claims Act
                                    •  The work of the NAMFCU

                                     Speakers:                  
                                     Jay S. Speers, Special Assistant Attorney General, New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
                                     Marie D. Spencer, Special Assistant Attorney General, New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit

Taxpayer Protection Bureau

                                    •  Tax provisions of the New York State False Claims Act
                                    •  Role of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
                                    •  New areas of application for the New York False Claims Act
                                    •  Interplay with other state and federal whistleblower statutes                   

                                     Speaker:                  
                                     Randall M. Fox, Bureau Chief, Taxpayer Protection Bureau, Office of the New York Attorney General

Perspectives of a Whistleblower Counsel

                                    • Public/Private Partnerships
                                    • Deciding when to bring a case
                                    • Whistleblower Client considerations

                                     Speakers:                  
                                     Neil V. Getnick, Managing Partner, Getnick & Getnick LLP, New York, New York
                                     David A. Koenigsberg, Partner, Menz Bonner Komar & Koenigsberg LLP, New York, New York   

Defending a False Claims Act Case

                                    • What to do when your client thinks it has a whistleblower
                                    • Interacting with the Government
                                    • Interacting with plaintiff’s counsel
                                    • Negotiating settlements
                                    • How to avoid whistleblower suits

                                     Speakers:                  
                                     Robin L. Baker, Counsel, WilmerHale, New York, New York
                                     Stephen A. Warnke, Partner, Ropes & Gray LLP, New York, New York

Ethical Considerations

                                    •  Gathering information and evidence
                                    •  Negotiating settlements
                                    •  Government considerations                           

                                    Speakers:                                     
                                    Hon. Margaret J. Finerty, Partner, Getnick & Getnick LLP, New York, New York
                                    David A. Koenigsberg, Partner, Menz Bonner Komar & Koenigsberg LLP, New York, New York   
                                    Robin L. Baker, Counsel, WilmerHale, New York, New York
                                    Nicholas Suplina, Assistant Attorney General, Taxpayer Protection Bureau, Office of the New York Attorney General  
                                    Stephen A. Warnke, Partner, Ropes & Gray LLP, New York, New York

The last day to pre-register online was January 15, 2013.

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Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities:
NYSBA welcomes participation by individuals with disabilities. NYSBA is committed to complying with all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations. To request auxiliary aids or services or if you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact Cindy O'Brien at 800-582-2452 or cobrien@nysba.org.