October 6, 2023
This year marks 20 years since Whistleblower Law Collaborative LLC co-founders Robert M. Thomas, Jr. and Suzanne E. Durrell joined forces to represent whistleblowers in fraud cases. In an anniversary video, WLC celebrates its history, recounts its successes and growth, and looks forward to its future.
In 2003 WLC co-founders Suzanne Durrell and Bob Thomas joined forces to represent whistleblowers in qui tam actions under the False Claims Act. Ms. Durrell was the former Chief of the Civil Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in Boston. She was an experienced civil litigator who supervised and prosecuted FCA cases. Mr. Thomas was an experienced criminal trial lawyer who had served as a criminal Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Maryland.
Their complimentary backgrounds gave them a unique perspective on the prosecution of FCA and fraud cases. They saw the potential for FCA qui tam cases to accelerate the government’s ability and efforts to recover money stolen from taxpayers.
Supported by firm administrator and paralegal, Melissa Tremblay, Bob and Suzanne built a thriving nationwide practice. The firm was very successful. It represented clients in some of the most significant, high-dollar whistleblower cases in the country.
In 2017 Bob and Suzanne received the prestigious whistleblower “Lawyers of the Year” award from Taxpayers Against Fraud (now known as The Anti-Fraud Coalition). TAF recognized them as an “incomparable team” who have had “a hand in some of the largest False Claims Act cases ever settled or won in court.” TAF noted that 2017 had been “an extraordinarily successful year in careers devoted to fighting fraud.”
WLC expanded its capacity to do this important work by adding attorneys David Lieberman, Linda Severin, Bruce Judge, and Erica Blachman Hitchings. These four lawyers are, like Bob and Suzanne, seasoned former government attorneys with a passion for bringing fraudsters to justice. Also joining WLC was experienced certified paralegal, Kelly Shivery. She and WLC’s longtime paralegal and firm administrator, Melissa Tremblay, provide an extraordinary level of support to the firm’s attorneys and clients.
WLC’s work has expanded to include cases under other whistleblower programs. These include, for example, securities, commodities and futures, tax, and anti-money laundering.
WLC and its attorneys and staff have been recognized with a range of awards including Law360 HealthCare Practice Group of the Year (2022), Best Lawyers®, Super Lawyers, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Top Women of Law, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Excellence in the Law (Paralegal/Administration), and Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers.
WLC has helped the government recover over $6.8 billion related to fraud. Its work has played a significant role in its clients’ courageous journeys to bring illegal practices to light. WLC’s work has also had an impact in safeguarding public health and safety, reforming or changing industry practices, and protecting whistleblowers against retaliation.
We are honored to represent whistleblowers in their journeys. We are proud of our twenty-year track record. We look forward to many more years partnering with whistleblowers and the government to fight fraud.
Whistleblower Law Collaborative LLC, based in Boston, devotes its practice entirely to representing clients nationwide in bringing actions under the federal and state whistleblower laws and programs, False Claims Acts, and other whistleblower programs.
If you are considering becoming a whistleblower or are aware of other types of fraud, contact us for a free, confidential consultation.