When the Department of Justice instituted the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative in 2021, utilizing the False Claims Act to hold non-compliant contractors to account, it was no hollow threat. The government recently intervened in a case, including by litigation for the first time. The qui tam case is against Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia Tech Research Institute, which allegedly failed to protect controlled unclassified information (CUI).
The case underscores the government’s increasing emphasis on legal accountability in cybersecurity, marking a pivotal moment for contractors in the defense industrial base (DIB).
Julie Bracker, Partner at Bracker & Marcus LLC, represents the whistleblower in the case. She will lead a crucial discussion at CMMC CON 2024, the longest-running CMMC event, on Sept. 25. Bracker’s expertise in litigating False Claims Act cases positions her uniquely to provide deep insights into the implications of these legal developments for DIB contractors.
Bracker has focused exclusively on False Claims Act litigation for nearly two decades and has closed hundreds of cases. She opened Bracker & Marcus in 2015 and the firm has since been named the third most prolific firm for FCA work by Lex Machina and is currently managing approximately 150 active cases nationwide. Bracker has served on the Board of the Georgia Chapter of the National Employment Lawyer’s Association (NELA) for many years, including as its President in 2014. She also serves in the NELA’s mentor program and speaks regularly at the state and national level on the qui tam and retaliation provisions of federal and state False Claims Acts.
Her CMMC CON session titled “Sounding the Alarm: The False Claims Act’s Impact on the DIB” will offer a deeper understanding of how the False Claims Act is being leveraged as a tool to enforce cybersecurity measures and what this means for compliance strategies moving forward.
Register for CMMC CON 2024 to view the interview with Bracker and gain invaluable insight into navigating the complexities of CMMC compliance and avoiding potential legal pitfalls.