iIf you have found evidence of corporate or government misconduct or illegality in Dallas, Texas, you need an experienced whistleblower lawyer to help you bring it to light. Experienced whistleblower attorneys will have already represented numerous people in your shoes, helping them secretly gather evidence to build a strong case and present it to the relevant authorities and the public.
Here are nine factors to consider when seeking legal representation for a whistleblower claim in Dallas.
- A Big Law Firm’s Resources Can Help Your Case
The main goal of a whistleblower claim is to persuade the federal government to intervene in your case and enforce the federal laws being broken. However, it is common for federal agencies to decline involvement.
If this happens in your case, you and your law firm must do the entire investigation on your own. This is not a small task; a small law firm can quickly get overwhelmed. Not only are they unlikely to have the personnel to conduct a thorough investigation, but they will also likely not have the financial security to cover the considerable costs of the case.
When it comes to whistleblower claims and qui tam lawsuits, bigger law firms with an experienced whistleblower attorney are generally better.
- Having Law Offices in Dallas and Washington, D.C., is Important
Federal whistleblowers will meet with their attorneys, strategizing how to move the case forward and discussing the evidence that has been unearthed. This makes it very important to be represented by a law firm with an office in or near Dallas, Texas. Even if your firm covers the travel expenses you incur – which they should – the inconvenience of traveling any distance can be significant.
However, you will generally present your findings to a federal law enforcement agency in Washington, D.C. Having “Washington insiders” lawyers can be extremely beneficial, as they will be more familiar with the process. They may even be recognized by the prosecutors who hear your case.
- Good Results in Similar Cases
One of the most important things to consider when vetting whistleblower lawyers is their prior case results. However, it is not enough for a whistleblower attorney or law firm to have a bunch of past successes. Instead, those prior victories need to be in cases similar to the ones you have. A firm’s track record of winning whistleblower cases involving securities fraud should mean very little to you if your case involves something entirely different, like violations of environmental regulations or tax fraud.
- A Background in the Federal Agency That Would Hear Your Case
Many whistleblower lawyers worked in federal law enforcement before striking out on their own or joining a whistleblower firm. Many of these lawyers chose the private sector, particularly the whistleblower field, precisely because they handled federal Whistleblower Protection Act claims while working in the government.
That prior experience can be huge for your case. Your attorney would understand what kind of evidence is the most persuasive for law enforcement, and that can streamline your own investigation as it can help you focus on what matters the most.
- Your Lawyer’s Reputation Will Matter
The agency that hears your case will judge its merits well before you present it based on your attorney’s reputation. Suppose your lawyer has a reputation for taking any whistleblower case that comes in their door. In that case, the agency will likely be more skeptical than if your lawyer is more selective in their case selection.
- Your Attorney’s Educational and Professional Background
You want a whistleblower attorney familiar with your field and the laws protecting whistleblowers. That way, they will understand your case and appreciate the magnitude of the evidence that you have uncovered.
One way to gauge a lawyer’s familiarity with your industry is their background. If they have experience in the field, they will have an insider’s understanding of how things work with the federal False Claims Act, Texas Whistleblower Act, or Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. If they have a degree – whether undergraduate or postgraduate – in your field then you can rest assured that they will likely understand many of the factual aspects that underlie your claim.
- How Your Confidentiality Will Be Protected
Corporations often take significant steps to ensure that whistleblower cases do not happen. You are likely to be monitored at work, anyway. Still, once there are indications that you may be collecting evidence to build a whistleblower case, there is a good chance that your employer or the target of the investigation will monitor you everywhere else.
If you are discovered, you can count on there being repercussions. Most whistleblowers gathering evidence against their employer (this is the typical relationship between the whistleblower and the target of their investigation) get terminated or, at the very least, moved somewhere that they do not have access to the incriminating evidence anymore.
In either case, your investigation will end. Your lawyer needs to take steps to ensure that your investigation remains confidential.
- A Readiness to Handle Workplace Retaliation
Even though federal and state laws forbid workplace whistleblower retaliation, most employers will not comply with whistleblower protections once they learn that one of their workers is about to report corporate misconduct. Your whistleblower firm needs to be ready for this. The presence and experience of any employment lawyers at the firm should influence your decision about which whistleblower firm to hire to represent you.
- Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses
Finally, how you are billed for the firm’s legal services and which costs the firm will cover during the case should be a factor.
