November 1, 2013

Bernstein Liebhard LLP founding partner, Stanley D. Bernstein, was recently quoted by the Blog of Legal Times concerning the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) most recent award to an anonymous whistleblower that stopped a scheme that was defrauding investors.  This latest whistleblower award comes on the heels of a $14 million award paid to another whistleblower last month.  According to Mr. Bernstein, the award demonstrates that the program is gaining momentum:  “It’s pretty clear the pipeline is beginning to open up.”  Mr. Bernstein elaborated that his firm, Bernstein Liebhard LLP, has witnessed the progress of the SEC’s whistleblower program first hand, noting that his firm has “a lot of whistleblower tips in various stages before the SEC, from the beginning to quite advanced.”

This is exciting news for whistleblowers, who can receive up to 30% of the monetary penalties collected by the SEC.  Since initiating its whistleblower program in August 2011, the SEC has issued six awards.

In the past, Mr. Bernstein and the attorneys of Bernstein Liebhard LLP have praised the SEC for encouraging whistleblowers and giving them a stronger voice, including its commitment to maintaining the whistleblower’s anonymity – even after issuing an award.

BERNSTEIN LIEBHARD LLP – WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEYS

Bernstein Liebhard LLP is dedicated to representing whistleblowers that report the wrongdoing of those who commit fraud on the government or violate the tax laws and federal securities laws.  In addition to Stanley Bernstein, the Bernstein Liebhard LLP whistleblower attorney practice group includes Partners Jeffrey M. Haber and Christian Siebott, and Associates Laurence J. Hassan and James M. Weir, a former whistleblower lawyer from the New York Attorney General’s Office.  For more information concerning the firm’s whistleblower practice, please contact Jeffrey M. Haber at (212) 779-1414.