During NELA’s recent conference titled “Shining The Light On Whistleblower & Retaliation Claims,” I was privileged to introduce the keynote speaker, Jim Holzrichter. Jim is a hero of mine and his recently published A Just Cause is a must-read fo anyone interested in the critical role that whistleblowers play in rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. Holzrichter’s books tells the story of an incredible and trying seventeen-year journey to hold a defense contractor accountable for contract fraud. Holzrichter’s qui tam action ultimately resulted in a settlement under which Northrop Grumman ultimately agreed to pay $134 million for its activities while admitting no wrongdoing on its part. While I was already familiar with Jim’s story prior to the conference, hearing him describe the tremendous personal sacrifices he made to blow the whistle was moving and inspiring. As the business community tries to restrict or roll back whistleblower protection and rewards laws, Holzrichter’s story is an important reminder of the substantial challenges that whistleblowers face and the need to afford strong whistleblower protections and incentives.
