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For more than a decade, Jennifer M. Verkamp has represented whistleblowers and has developed a highly-respected practice working with trial attorneys in the Department of Justice, Assistant United States Attorneys, and the many federal agents who investigate fraud cases for the government, earning a national reputation in qui tam law. The Cincinnati, Ohio product and graduate of The Georgetown University School of Law has a detailed understanding of the intricacies included in the complex cases of qui tam as provisions of The False Claims Act. Colleagues on the staff at Volkema Thomas praise Jennifer as “an incredibly-talented lawyer.”
Jennifer has led an extensive qui tam effort since joining Volkema Thomas, and in her professional experience has represented whistleblowers in cases brought by the Department of Justice against such companies as Hunt Valve, General Dynamic and Northrup Grumman. She has played a key role in civil suits brought against Boeing and PepsiCo. Ms. Verkamp has renowned complex federal litigation know-how in and out of the courtroom, and she has particular expertise in the difficult area of Medicare and Medicaid regulation and false claims, as well as the procurement industry.
Following a recent Rule 9(b) victory in the Middle District of Florida, Volkema Thomas’s Rick Morgan (view Rick Morgan Cases & bio. ) was asked to lead an important session at the September 10-13, 2006 Sixth Annual Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund (TAFEF) Conference at the Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, D.C. The national conference is dedicated to educating attorneys about the False Claims Act, and it is an opportunity for federal and state government officials to lay out their fraud-fighting policies and practices.
At this year’s conference, Mr. Morgan led a session entitled “The Particulars of Rule 9(b).” This advanced session will help unravel the complex case law interpreting Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b), which requires the relator and/or the government to plead allegations of fraud with particularity. This basic rule has been misconstrued and abused by a number of courts, fabricating additional barriers that were not intended by Congress.
Mr. Morgan’s appearance at the TAF/TAFEF Conference is the second major presentation in which he participated in 2006. In June, he joined five fellow attorneys in a panel discussion in which he served as Moderator at the 6th Annual National Institute on Civil False Claims Act and qui tam Enforcement at American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. The topic: “Pretrial Procedure: Motions and Discovery Issues: Public Disclosure/Original Source, Rule 9(b), Statue of Limitations, Stay of Proceedings.” The six lawyers explained that every qui tam case that is not settled early involves a wide variety of pretrial motions and procedural issues. The panel discussed the strategy and timing of these motions and current case law, with special emphasis on Rule 9(b), summary judgment motions, and discovery. Fellow Volkema Thomas trial attorney Jennifer Verkamp (see related article this section) and Mr. Morgan give the Ohio-based firm two lawyers of note in its aggressive practice of interpreting and defending qui tam provisions of The False Claims Act. Both provide vital leadership and experience, furthering qui tam case work by other Volkema Thomas lawyers in their practices.
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