Chicago Whistleblower Lawyer

What is Whistleblower Retaliation in Illinois?

It is illegal to fire or otherwise retaliate against someone who reports unlawful activities or participates in an investigation of their employer in Chicago. These people are protected under federal whistleblower laws, and with the right evidence, retaliation against them can be prosecuted.

In order to prove your claim of retaliation in Chicago, you must demonstrate:

• You reported unlawful behavior or participated in an investigation of the employer in question
• You suffered some sort of punishment, such as being fired, losing a promotion, or losing some other benefit
• The punishment occurred because of your protected activity

Proving retaliation is the most difficult part of protecting yourself. The De Silva Law Offices can help you look over the evidence and build a strong case in defense of your interests.

Whistleblower lawyer Ms. de Silva has successfully and discreetly represented whistleblowers in complex industry-changing and high-profile cases involving trading and market manipulation in Chicago, IL. These cases can often benefit from counsel that also has a criminal defense background. But they also need counsel that can effectively fight to protect and shield a whistleblower from the retaliation that often accompanies whistleblowing. Along with a background as a criminal defense lawyer and the experience of successfully resolving investigations and pre-indictment matters, the Chicago whistleblower lawyer at De Silva Law Offices brings to bear an understanding of extremely complex trading and financial matters that is difficult to match.

With Ms. de Silva, there is no learning curve as in most law firms, which means clients in the financial markets having possible SEC or CFTC claims do not have to explain their industry, nor do they have to pay for educating attorneys in these matters as is often the case with other firms where even more experienced partners only possess a theoretical understanding of trading and markets. Ms. de Silva’s background in Fintech and deep understanding of the trading markets and trading technologies — even as they constantly change — is an advantage that has made her the preferred counsel of whistleblowers and clients in matters involving the financial markets. She brings this expertise to bear to on every whistleblower matter before the SEC and CFTC.

Are Whistleblowers Protected Under the FCA?

No, conditions under whistleblower protection of the FCA, also known as the False Claims Act are "lawful acts done by the employee, contractor, agent or associated members in plan of an action under the FCA (Federal False Claim Act) or other attempts to stop one or more violations to the FCA.

How Much Is the Whistleblower Reward?

The amount of the reward a whistleblower can receive in a lawsuit depends on a number of factors. The two main factors are the number of funds recovered and if the government decides to intervene or not. If the government does decide to intervene than the whistleblower can expect to receive 15-25% of the recovery and if the government does not intervene than they can expect to receive 25-30%.

Also Serving Whistleblower Clients in New York & London

What matters is that you are aware of your rights against retaliation and are represented by tough, experienced counsel. As importantly, the whistleblower lawyers at the De Silva Law Offices can help whistleblowers facing retaliation for reporting wrongdoing.

Whistleblowers can and do change the world. Individuals brave enough to expose, fraud, corporate misconduct, disruptive market practices and corruption are powerful agents of change for the greater good. Protecting them and ensuring that their claims are handled discreetly and with meticulous care is of paramount importance to Chicago lawyer R Tamara de Silva.

R. Tamara de Silva has taken on some of the most powerful political bodies in Cook County and Illinois — herself facing career threatening retaliation for exposing wrongdoing — but never backed down as a result. As lead counsel on a landmark case involving high-frequency trading, she has earned a reputation as a legal professional who is not intimidated by anyone, and will fight for her clients and what is right. Our Chicago firm supports your willingness to do the right thing at risk of your career. Let us help you build a strong case to hold the right people responsible for their actions.

How Long Does A Whistleblower Case Take?

A whistleblower suit can take a very long time to finish. It is not uncommon for a case to be pending "under seal" for numerous years while the federal government examines the case. That process can take a year or more to reach a settlement or trial. In our experience, the average whistleblower case takes about 3 or 4 years to resolve. Naturally, some cases are fixed much quicker, and some take a little longer.

Your privacy is of the utmost importance to us and all communications are strictly confidential and covered by Attorney Client Privilege even if our office is not your ultimate counsel, or we decline your representation. Call (312) 500-8424 to schedule your FREE consultation with our Chicago whistleblower attorney.