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Government Sees $104 Million Verdict Vanish After Its Theory of Liability Is Rejected Post-Trial

Client Alert | 1 min read | 01.08.15

U.S. ex rel. Bunk v. Birkart Globalistics, an FCA case spanning twelve years and two jury trials, came to an apparent end when the district court set aside the jury's verdict and damages award of $104 million, ruling that the government's theory of liability failed as a matter of law. The government's upset "expectations" of competitive bidding was itself an insufficient ground for a finding of falsity, and the government failed to show that any of the cargo carriers bidding on the contracts "presented a claim for payment based on a prime rate that was, in fact, inflated because of Gosselin's alleged conduct" and failed to present sufficient evidence of damages.


Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 04.22.26

Counterfeiting Litigation Targets Online Marketplaces

The landscape of counterfeiting litigation is shifting in ways that place online marketplace operators at the center of disputes from two directions. Brand owners are escalating efforts to hold platforms liable for counterfeit goods sold through their sites, while some marketplace operators have begun joining brand owners as co-plaintiffs to pursue counterfeiters directly. This dual role has significant implications for how platforms manage their legal exposure and their relationships with brand owners....