Implied False Certification Split Widens
Client Alert | 1 min read | 06.12.15
In U.S. v. Sanford-Brown, Ltd. (June 8, 2015), the Seventh Circuit rejected the implied false certification theory of False Claims Act liability, holding that alleged noncompliance with Title IV restrictions incorporated into a program participation agreement (PPA) for the Department of Education's subsidies program was insufficient to trigger FCA liability absent evidence that the defendant's application to establish initial Title IV eligibility was fraudulent. Although the majority of circuits have expressly adopted some form of the implied false certification theory of liability, the court joined the Fifth Circuit as the holdouts in rejecting the theory, explaining that "it would be . . . unreasonable for us to hold that an institution's continued compliance with the thousands of pages of federal statutes and regulations incorporated by reference into the PPA are conditions of payment for purposes of liability under the FCA."
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Client Alert | 5 min read | 08.21.26
FTC Proposes Enforcement Policy Statement on Personalized Pricing: What Businesses Need to Know
On August 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on personalized pricing — the practice of companies using consumers’ personal data to set individualized prices, discounts, coupons, or other incentives. The proposed statement, which is open for public comment for 30 days following publication in the Federal Register, marks a major step up in the FTC’s focus on data-driven pricing strategies and puts businesses across industries on notice that undisclosed or inadequately disclosed personalized pricing will not be tolerated. Importantly, while the proposed statement is not a binding legal requirement and does not create new legal obligations, it serves as an enforcement warning that the FTC is prepared to use its existing enforcement authority under Section 5 of the FTC Act (Section 5) and is also a potential harbinger of rulemaking. Businesses that engage in — or are considering — personalized pricing should carefully assess their disclosure practices and data collection procedures against the standards articulated in this statement.
Client Alert | 7 min read | 08.19.26
CMS’s Final Rule Bans Federal Medicaid Funding for Youth Gender-Affirming Care
Client Alert | 2 min read | 08.19.26
