Two Atlanta law firms are lining up potential opponents to share tips on prosecuting and defending whistleblower cases exposing fraud against the federal government.

Ramsey Prather of powerhouse plaintiffs firm Butler Wooten & Peak and Scott Grubman of the well-known healthcare defense firm Chilivis, Cochran, Larkins & Bever will lead a False Claims Act Summit on May 10 at the Westin Buckhead. The event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. that Friday, with a happy hour and a speaker's dinner to follow. The speakers include federal and state prosecutors, plaintiffs lawyers and Big Law defense attorneys. U.S. Attorneys Bjay Pak and Charlie Peeler will give keynote speeches on a lunchtime panel, with King & Spalding's Paul Murphy moderating.

Topics include how to successfully represent whistleblowers and how to defend businesses and individuals in False Claims Act cases.

“Scott and I have both been fortunate to get to see how FCA cases play out and get resolved from various angles,” Prather said. “When you represent a whistleblower who is exposing fraud and attempting to get funds returned to the taxpayers like we do at BWP, it's good for your client if you can anticipate how the defense lawyers are likely thinking about the case. The same goes for the other side.”

Grubman said the summit “is going to be a great opportunity for lawyers who regularly represent clients in FCA cases to spend a day learning from and getting to know their adversaries.” He added the event will offer an introduction to the practice for those “who have read headlines about FCA cases but have never handled one personally.”

Those headlines usually include big dollar signs. Whistleblower cases have recovered more than $59 billion for the federal government since 1986, when Congress substantially strengthened the civil False Claims Act, Prather and Grubman said, quoting U.S. Justice Department statistics. The act gives whistleblowers with knowledge of fraud on the government the ability to file a lawsuit seeking to redress the fraud. Whistleblowers can receive between 15 percent and 30 percent of the government's recovery.

“Our hope for the FCA Summit is that every lawyer who attends will leave feeling like they understand their adversaries a little bit better,” Grubman said. “We think that's good for the profession, for the justice system, and for our clients.”

The event provides six hours of continuing education credit, including one ethics hour and three trial practice hours. Lawyers can register through the State Bar of Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education hotel series.