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Pentagon Looks to Silicon Valley for Innovation

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 04.24.15

In a move designed to attract commercial technology companies into DoD contracting, the Pentagon has announced plans to open a Silicon Valley office and provide venture capital to identify and fund innovative technologies that can improve national defense. Although traditionally Silicon Valley companies have been wary of contracting with DoD because of its bureaucracy and rigorous intellectual property requirements, Pentagon leaders have pledged to address these concerns to entice high technology companies and to enable DoD to compete with commercial technologies utilized by our adversaries.


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Client Alert | 8 min read | 03.05.26

Fifth Circuit Decision in Health Care Fraud Case Highlights Importance of Careful Drafting in Civil RICO Complaints

A recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Co. v. 1st Choice Accident & Injury, LLC, No. 24-20275 (5th Cir. Feb. 24, 2026), offers important lessons for health care payors and other potential plaintiffs considering civil claims under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Although the Fifth Circuit’s decision focused on a procedural issue, the underlying case turned on a fundamental pleading failure: the plaintiff insurers did not adequately describe the fraudulent network they were suing as a RICO “enterprise.” The result was dismissal of a $14 million fraud case....