Our Attorneys

Linda C. Severin

"I love practicing law because it engages my mind in analyzing complex issues, my heart in understanding the hopes and fears of my clients, and my voice in advocating for justice."

Linda Severin has decades of experience in criminal and civil enforcement actions, investigations, and complex litigation. Her background as a federal prosecutor, a white-collar defense attorney, and an in-house litigation attorney at a Fortune 100 corporation enables her to analyze whistleblower fraud matters from multiple perspectives.

Ms. Severin became a member of the Whistleblower Law Collaborative in 2018. Before joining the firm full-time, she had been a solo practitioner working on False Claims Act matters with Bob Thomas and Suzanne Durrell, most notably United States ex rel. Westmoreland v. Amgen, Inc., 707 F. Supp. 2d 123 (D. Mass. 2010), which was part of the global criminal and civil settlement against Amgen.

Linda C. Severin served for eight years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. As a federal prosecutor, she investigated and tried cases involving fraud, racketeering, drug trafficking, money laundering, and extortion, and she briefed and argued criminal appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Her supervisory positions included Deputy Chief of the Appeals Unit, Deputy Chief and Acting Chief of the Narcotics Unit, and Chief of the New York/New Jersey Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

From my first meeting with Linda, I knew I had found the best attorney to represent me. Though I was inexperienced with the process, she guided me through with professionalism, integrity and caring. I cannot recommend her strongly enough.
– Client

Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Severin was a law clerk to the Honorable John E. Sprizzo, District Judge for the Southern District of New York, and a litigation associate at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle. While at Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, she was part of a trial team that successfully represented plaintiffs suing Standard Oil Company and Amoco for damages caused by the grounding of the Amoco Cadiz oil tanker off the coast of France.

After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Linda Severin moved to Seattle and entered private practice, where her work focused on white-collar criminal defense and internal investigations. She was a partner at Bogle & Gates and later founded the firm of Tallman & Severin LLP with Richard C. Tallman. After Mr. Tallman became a United States Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Linda worked in-house for The Boeing Company and, later, for Garvey Schubert Barer.

Ms. Severin taught trial advocacy as an adjunct instructor at both the University of Washington Law School and New York Law School. In Seattle, she was a member of the Criminal Justice Act panel for the Western District of Washington, representing indigent criminal defendants in federal court. She also was part of a team of pro bono attorneys representing clients who successfully challenged Washington State ballot initiatives seeking to restrict civil rights for LGBTQ persons. Linda C. Severin has been a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs and other legal conferences.

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • State of New York
  • Perspectives from DOJ, HHS-OIG, and the Relator’s Bar on How Compliance Departments Can Effectively Prevent and Help Respond to Qui Tam Whistleblower Suits, Twenty-Fifth Annual Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Ethics and Compliance Congress, Washington, D.C., October 28-30, 2024
  • The False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute, The Anti-Fraud Coalition 23rd Annual Conference (formerly Taxpayers Against Fraud), October 18-20, 2023
  • False Claims Act 101 with Case Study (Mallinckrodt), Forensic Accounting and Money Laundering Detection/Disruption Conferences, March 6, 2023
  • Blowing the Whistle on “Fake It Til You Make It,” Inspired by Theranos, New York American Inns of Court,
    October 27, 2021
  • Eleventh Circuit False Claims Act Ruling Takes Practical Approach to Materiality, Law360 co-author,
    July 8, 2020
  • Gender and Diversity in the Qui Tam Bar, Taxpayers Against Fraud Educational Fund Eighteenth Annual Conference, Washington, D.C., October 2018
  • The Art of Jury Persuasion, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
  • Strategies for Responding to Government Requests for Information in Criminal Environmental Investigations, American Bar Association’s Environment, Energy, and Resources Section, Annual Conference on Environmental Law, Keystone, CO
  • Ethical Considerations During Witness Interviews: How to Avoid Ethics Improprieties / What to Do When You Face Them, Washington State Bar Association Annual Antitrust, Consumer Protection & Unfair Business Practices Conference
  • Widening World of White Collar Crime, Computer Crime and Whistleblowing, Washington State Bar Association
  • Civil Penalties & Criminal Enforcement of Environmental Laws – The Government’s Handling of a Criminal Case, CLE International, Seattle WA
  • Responding to Criminal Investigations: Some Practical Advice, Puget Sound Water Quality Conference, Seattle WA
  • Corporate Criminal Law: What to Do When Things Hit the Fan, King County Bar Association, Cross-Training 101, Seattle WA
  • Boston Magazine Top Lawyer (2021-2024)
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
  • Avvo Rating 10.0 (Superb)
  • Commendation, International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association, San Antonio TX
  • Director’s Letter of Commendation, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Letter of Commendation, District Attorney of New York County
  • Commendations for Outstanding Contributions, Drug Enforcement Administration
  • Commendation for Outstanding Prosecutorial Effort, Customs Service
  • University of Washington, Adjunct Professor – Trial Advocacy
  • University of Washington, Guest Lecturer – Professional Responsibility
  • New York Law School, Adjunct Professor – Trial Advocacy
  • Criminal Justice Act panel attorney (W.D.Wa) – represented indigent defendants in federal criminal court
  • Hands Off Washington pro bono attorney – represented plaintiffs challenging anti-LGBTQ ballot initiatives
  • University of Michigan, Women’s Basketball
  • University of Michigan Alumnae Council, Board of Governors
  • Henderson House, Board of Governors