Clifford and Marincsin Receive Award for Whistleblower Settlement
11/11/2011Web Release
Robert A. Clifford and Courtney Boho Marincsin received the 2011 Jury Verdict Reporter Award for Trial Lawyer Excellence in recognition of their successful representation in a whistleblower case.
The Jury Verdict Reporter Award was the result of the $85 million settlement they, along with three other law firms, reached in a qui tam case involving a Chicago-area whistleblower. The award recognized the firm’s work in a whistleblower case against Medline Industries, Inc., one of the nation’s largest suppliers of medical and surgical products to healthcare providers throughout the United States. The whistleblower, who received 27.5 percent of the settlement proceeds, alleged under the False Claims Act that Medline engaged in a widespread illegal kickback scheme targeting hospitals and other healthcare providers that purchase medical and surgical products paid for by federal healthcare programs.
The U.S. Department of Justice elected not to intervene in the lawsuit which Mason pursued as a qui tam action on behalf of the federal government on a non-intervened basis. The settlement is among the largest of a False Claims Act case in which the government declined to intervene.
Hundreds of lawyers and judges were on hand for the awards ceremony Oct. 26 that was held at the University Club in Chicago. Clifford and Marincsin were given crystal plaques recognizing them in the category of a record award.
