First to File a Whistleblower Claim?

Former FBI Agent and Whistleblower Attorney Explains First to File Rule

Video Transcript:

Leslie Rhode:

What does it mean to be first to file a whistleblower case? We ask attorney Jason Brown in this AskTheLawyers™ Quick Question.

Jason Brown:

In the whistleblower world, secrecy is paramount, but also swiftness is critical as well. And there's something very stringent called the first to file rule, and whoever is the individual first to file has the rights for compensation in that particular case if it's successful. You could be a day later and you're walled off from any particular recovery. So there's an economic incentive if you know information that the company is defrauding the federal government to come forth swiftly and properly. Also, besides the economic side there's a livelihood reason. I was a former FBI agent, and you certainly want to control the shots and have the FBI knocking on the neighbor's door who may be committing the fraud as well, rather than knocking on your door thinking that you're part of the problem.

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