Federal Employees as Relators OK'ed
Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 08.07.12
In Little v. Shell Exploration & Production Co., the Fifth Circuit joined the Tenth and Eleventh Circuits in holding that federal employees, like private citizens, can bring whistleblower suits under the False Claims Act--even when those employees are auditors whose job is to investigate fraud. The Sixth and Ninth Circuits have also implicitly held that federal employees are not barred from acting as relators, while the First Circuit has held that at least some federal employees may not be qui tam plaintiffs.
Insights
Client Alert | 8 min read | 12.10.25
Creativity You Can Use: CJEU Clarifies Copyright for Applied Art
On 4 December 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) issued a landmark judgment in the joined cases C-580/23 (Mio v. Asplund) and C-795/23 (USM v. Konektra) concerning copyright protection for “works of applied art” (i.e., utilitarian objects such as tables, furniture, lighting fixtures, sofas, chairs, kitchen appliances, vases, and fashion items).
Client Alert | 4 min read | 12.10.25
Federal Court Strikes Down Interior Order Suspending Wind Energy Development
Client Alert | 14 min read | 12.10.25
SBA Office of General Counsel Audit of Participants in the 8(a) Program and Beyond
Client Alert | 4 min read | 12.09.25
