Richard L. Beizer devotes most of his time to the defense of companies and individuals involved in a broad array of white-collar criminal grand jury investigations and trials. Rick also defends companies and individuals accused of civil violations of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq., litigates complex commercial disputes, and conducts internal corporate compliance investigations.
With respect to his criminal practice, Rick has undertaken representation in a number of substantive areas. These have included government contract labor mischarging, product substitution, and violations of the Truth in Negotiations Act, 10 U.S.C. § 2306a; Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; financial reporting; environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act; the Oil Pollution Act, and RCRA; Medicare and Medicaid; export control; mortgage fraud; and bribery, public corruption, "revolving door," and conflict of interest.
In civil matters, in addition to his False Claims Act cases, Rick has litigated suits involving the management of a real estate development and involving contract breaches, fraud and tortious interference with contracts and business expectancies. In a notable False Claims Act case, United States v. United Technologies Corporation, Sikorsky Aircraft Division, 51 F. Supp. 2d 167 (D. Conn. 1999), Rick successfully defended a helicopter manufacturer from whom the government had sought $13.5 million in damages and penalties. Although the company during a DCAA audit for defective pricing had offered to settle for $435,000, at trial Rick limited the government to damages of less than half that amount.
Rick also secured a victory for Sikorsky in United States ex rel. Monda v. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., 2005 WL 1925903, (D. Conn. Aug. 11, 2005). In that qui tam case filed by a DCAA auditor, Rick convinced the court to dismiss the complaint with prejudice on the ground that it failed to plead fraud with particularity in contravention of the requirement of Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(b). Following Rick's oral argument, the Second Circuit, by summary order, affirmed the dismissal.
Rick served as counsel to a general construction company accused of fraud in connection with its work building the American embassy in Iraq. In the district court, Rick and his team secured a summary judgment in favor of the client. That judgment was affirmed by the Fourth Circuit in United States ex rel. Owens v. First Kuwaiti General Trading & Contracting Co., 612 F.3d 724 (4th Cir. 2010).
Additionally, Rick represented U.S. Training Center, Inc., formerly known as Blackwater Lodge and Training Center, Inc., several other entities and their former owner, Erik Prince in the case United States ex rel. Davis v. U.S. Training Center, Inc., 1:08-cv-1244, E.D. Va. (Ellis, J.). Following extensive pretrial motions that resulted in a substantial winnowing of the relators’ billion dollar claim and dismissals of Mr. Prince, and five of the six corporate defendants, Rick and his team secured a jury verdict in favor of the sole remaining defendant.
Before joining Crowell & Moring in 1983, Rick served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia from April 26, 1971 to July 31, 1983, including three years as chief of that office's Fraud Division. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the investigation and prosecution of some of the office's most sensitive cases, including those against Congressmen and senior Executive Branch officials. A chapter in the Evan Thomas' biography of the late Edward Bennett Williams, "The Man to See," is devoted to a case, United States v. Antonelli, D.D.C. No. 78-00175 Cr., Rick prosecuted against Mr. Williams' client.
Rick also served as a Deputy Independent Counsel in the 1984 investigation of then presidential adviser Edwin Meese. His involvement in that matter is described in James Stewart's book, "The Prosecutors." From September 15, 1969 to September 15, 1970, Rick served as a law clerk to the late Albert V. Bryan, Sr., a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He received his A.B. degree cum laude from Harvard University and his LL.B. from the University of Virginia.
Rick is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia and several federal district courts and courts of appeal. He is a co-author of the Federal Publications book, "Government Contract Fraud" and a frequent lecturer on fraud and False Claims Act issues. Rick is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has been recognized by clients and peers as a top lawyer in Chambers USA in the area of White Collar Crime and Government Investigations. Rick has also been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2011 and Super Lawyers in the area of White Collar Criminal Defense.
Rick is married and the father of four children. Rick has also hosted television interview programs in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2008, his work was recognized with a silver Telly award. He has served as a board member of a charitable foundation and as a coach in youth soccer, basketball and Little League baseball. His hobbies include playing sports and reading.