Lawyers, Regulators and Companies Head to a High-Stakes Forum on False Claims — Here’s Why It Matters

What the forum is and why its timing matters

The American Conference Institute has announced its 13th annual Advanced Forum on False Claims and Qui Tam Enforcement, and the event is arriving at a tense moment for companies that do business with government programs. The forum brings together former and current government lawyers, private defense counsel, corporate compliance officers and judges to talk about how false claims cases are being investigated and prosecuted today.

This matters because enforcement has been more active in several areas that touch large swaths of the economy: procurement, health care billing, and federal grant programs. That means companies that supply goods or services to government agencies — or who touch government money indirectly — are likely to hear fresh thinking about how prosecutors are prioritizing cases, how whistleblowers are influencing investigations, and what kinds of evidence tend to move these matters forward. For corporate legal teams, the forum is both a warning light and a chance to tune up their defenses.

How recent shifts inside the Justice Department and wider policy moves affect qui tam enforcement

In recent years the Department of Justice has been reshaping how it handles civil fraud. Staffing, policy memos, and public statements from senior officials have nudged the agency to focus resources on cases that produce large recoveries or that fit newly stated priorities. That means the kinds of fraud that were once niche can suddenly look more important if they intersect with a high-priority program.

One clear effect is on qui tam suits, where private citizens — called relators — sue on behalf of the government. These suits often start small but can scale into multimillion- or multibillion-dollar actions when the government decides to intervene. If DOJ is hunting certain categories of conduct, relators’ lawyers can press more cases and can attract DOJ interest. At the same time, agencies are refining their data tools, which helps spot unusual billing patterns and contract anomalies faster than before.

Two other trends matter for corporations. First, settlements and civil resolutions increasingly include more scrutiny of internal controls and compliance programs. That can mean negotiated monitors, changes to contractor practices, or expanded reporting requirements. Second, coordination among federal agencies — and between federal and state enforcers — has become more frequent. A company facing scrutiny in one program can find related inquiries popping up elsewhere.

All of this raises the stakes for how companies document decisions, handle whistleblower tips, and cooperate with investigators. The forum will be a place where the practical consequences of these shifts are discussed in public, which can quickly influence how both prosecutors and defense teams approach cases.

Panels and speakers that are likely to shape corporate thinking

The event’s agenda mixes perspectives: former DOJ attorneys who have led False Claims Act work, senior in-house counsel from companies that have faced qui tam suits, and private litigators who specialize in both prosecuting and defending these cases. Sessions will cover trends in relator filings, how evidence is being used, and the limits of government intervention.

Look for panels that examine cross-cutting issues: the interplay between regulatory investigations and civil suits, data-driven detection techniques, and how courts are treating new legal theories. There are usually sessions on health care and procurement — unsurprising given their volume of government dollars — but this year expect deeper discussion of how evolving technologies and contracting models complicate assessments of what counts as a fraudulent claim.

Other sessions likely to draw attention: panels on internal investigations, how to handle parallel criminal and civil inquiries, and updates on changing case law that affects pleading standards and evidence rules. For counsel who track these matters, the speakers’ offhand comments about how investigations begin or which evidence sources are most persuasive can quickly become talking points inside compliance departments.

What in-house legal and compliance teams should watch for

The forum is not a how-to manual, but it does offer signals. Expect three recurring themes: greater use of data, continued centrality of whistleblowers, and closer attention to corporate controls.

First, data is now a frontline tool. Prosecutors and relators alike are using billing histories, metadata and contract records to spot patterns. That raises the value of clear, searchable records — and it increases the risk that messy data will be read against a company. Second, whistleblowers remain a powerful force. Where a relator brings granular allegations, even small documentation gaps can balloon into bigger questions when the government or media get involved. Third, agreements resolving claims are increasingly focused on fixing systems, not just paying money. That means how a company designs and documents its controls matters as much as any payment to settle a case.

For legal teams, the practical implications are high-level: be ready to explain how decisions are documented, how allegations are triaged, and how controls are tested. Also watch for new case law and enforcement guidance discussed at the forum — these often signal where enforcement attention will go next. None of this is a quick fix, but being tuned to these themes lets counsel manage risk more proactively.

When and where to follow the forum and how to find materials afterward

The event is organized by the American Conference Institute, which publishes the agenda and registration details. Interested readers can check the organizer’s public events page for schedules, registration options and information on recorded sessions. Organizers typically make materials and recordings available after the conference for attendees, and summaries of major sessions often appear in legal trade press and firm client alerts in the days that follow.

For corporate counsel and compliance teams who cannot attend, watching for session write-ups and hearing notes from former prosecutors can be a fast way to spot new enforcement angles that may affect their programs. The forum tends to set the tone for discussions about false claims and qui tam enforcement for the year ahead.

Sources

• prnewswire.com