State False Claims Act Enforcement in 2015

Kayla Stachniak Kaplan, senior associate at Fried Frank and a member of the Firm's False Claims Act and Qui Tam practice group, represents corporations in a variety of complex civil litigation matters, with an emphasis on cases arising under the civil FCA and, in particular, cases involving the financial, aerospace, and defense industries. Ms. Kaplan has been a contributing co-author of FraudMail Alert(r), which regularly reports on significant developments in the FCA arena.  Ms. Kaplan was named a James Kent Scholar and received her JD from Columbia Law School in 2009.  She received her BS, summa cum laude, and BA, summa cum laude, from Tulane University in 2006. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Eric Buescher is a Principal at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, where he focuses on false claims litigation as well as elder abuse, employment and environmental litigation. Mr. Buescher received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a focus on International Relations from Duke University. After graduating, Mr. Buescher worked as a researcher in Washington, DC assisting law firms with complex research projects for active litigation matters.

Subsequently, Mr. Buescher received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. While at Georgetown, Mr. Buescher was a member of the Georgetown Journal on Law and Public Policy and published an article regarding Fifth Amendment takings as they relate to affordable housing and the Department of Housing and Urban Development titled "Home Robbery: Congress and HUD's Taking of Private Property in Affordable Housing."  7 Geo. J.L. & Pub. Pol'y 571 (2009).

Tom Bever is a partner in the Atlanta law firm of Chilivis, Cochran, Larkins & Bever, where he has practiced white collar criminal defense and civil litigation since 1991, including fraud cases investigated and prosecuted by U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, and the offices of District Attorneys.  A significant portion of Tom’s work in private practice has involved civil litigation and criminal defense in False Claims Act cases, particularly in the field of health care. 

Tom served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia from 1985 to 1990, working in General Crimes, in the Fraud Section, and in the Public Corruption Section.  Tom worked for a year as Associate Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel, on the Iran/Contra case in Washington, D.C.      

Tom received his law degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Virginia.