Linda C. Severin joined the practice in January of this year, having previously collaborated with Bob and Suzanne on the hugely successful False Claims Act qui tam litigation against biotech giant Amgen and others that settled in 2012. Linda comes to the practice with vast litigation and prosecutorial experience, having served with distinction as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) including as the Deputy Chief and Acting Chief of the Narcotics Unit, as a Deputy Chief of Appeals, and as Chief of the New York / New Jersey Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. As a federal prosecutor, she investigated and tried cases involving fraud, racketeering, drug trafficking, money laundering, and extortion. She later worked as a litigation attorney for The Boeing Company and in private practice in Seattle, Washington. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, she served a law clerk to the Honorable John E. Sprizzo, District Judge for the Southern District of New York. She received her J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School and her B.A. from the University of Michigan, where she was a member of its women’s basketball team. She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the University of Michigan Alumnae Council.
Bruce C. Judge joined the practice in May of this year, after an impressive 24-year career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit) and the District of Massachusetts (Boston). Bruce has deep experience in the prosecution of financial crimes and political corruption cases, including bribery, corporate fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and obstruction of justice. He was the lead prosecutor on grand jury investigations that resulted in the indictment, trial, and conviction of corporate executives, bank officers, legal and financial professionals, union officials, military personnel, elected politicians, and corrupt law enforcement agents. He has over two decades of federal trial experience and has briefed and argued numerous cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. During his tenure as a federal prosecutor, he also served on the DOJ national working group on money laundering prosecutions, and received many commendations and awards. He earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and his A.B. from Princeton University.
“We are delighted to add these two exceptional people to our team,” Bob said. “They are talented, wise, and great with clients.” “Linda and Bruce have decades of experience investigating and litigating cases,” Suzanne added. “They, along with David Lieberman who joined us in 2016, have greatly increased our capacity to do this important work.”
“I am thrilled to join this established and nationally-recognized team,” commented Bruce. “Helping whistleblowers come forward and working with the government to recover money for the taxpayers is very fulfilling.” “I love this work,” said Linda. “Joining this firm gives me the opportunity to have a positive impact while working with a great group of people.”
Based in Boston, the Whistleblower Law Collaborative is a nationwide practice handling cases involving the federal and state False Claims Acts, as well as the SEC, IRS, and CFTC whistleblower laws. Bob Thomas and Suzanne Durrell were chosen by Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund in November 2017 as “Whistleblower Lawyers of the Year” for their recent results (including the $465 million settlement against Mylan) and also for their cumulative body of work representing whistleblowers over the last fifteen years.
“We hope and expect that with the additions of David, Linda, and Bruce – really a dream team – this practice will be equally successful for the next fifteen years as well,” Bob and Suzanne said.
