Frequently, one of the biggest deterrents for potential whistleblowers is the fear of employer retaliation. Realizing this concern, Congress amended the False Claims Act in 1986 to include provisions protecting employee-whistleblowers from retaliation. Congress further strengthened those provisions in 2009 by extending protection to contractors and agents who might not have a formal employment contract, and again in 2010 by extending protection to whistleblowers’ friends and family: Any employee, contractor, or agent shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make that employee, contractor, or agent whole, if that employee, contractor, or agent is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or  [ Read More ]

Authors: Jedd Mendelson On January 9, 2012, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law the New Jersey Trade Secrets Act, which establishes principles governing protection of trade secrets and remedies for their misappropriation. In doing so, New Jersey has joined the mainstream in the trade secrets arena: New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Texas are the only remaining states without a statute modeled on the Uniform Trade Secrets Act. While the New Jersey Trade Secrets Act introduces a statutory framework governing trade secret protection, in many respects it does no more than codify existing case law. The Act became  [ Read More ]

Personal Injury Lawyers Because personal injury encompasses so many areas of law, some personal injury lawyers specialize in only one area, such as mesothelioma or defective products. Other firms practice in all areas of personal injury. If you or someone you love has been harmed due to the negligence or wrongful actions of another person, you may want to consider hiring a personal injury attorney. Personal injury lawsuits cover a wide spectrum of injuries and accidents, including car accidents, toxic exposure and poisoning, defective products and other legal issues. In this section, you will find information on these areas as  [ Read More ]