Derek Adams

Derek Adams is a Partner in our DC office focusing his practice on False Claims Act defense, white-collar matters, government investigations, and litigation. Mr. Adams has broad experience representing clients facing allegations of financial and loan fraud, health care fraud, securities fraud, and others type of fraud throughout the country. He regularly defends clients facing Department of Justice investigations and actions.

A former trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, Mr. Adams’ practice involves the representation of individuals, companies, and organizations in civil, criminal, and regulatory matters related to financial transactions, health care, small business administration loans, government procurement, research and education.

Representative Experience

Private Practice

• Advise clients in connection with loans under the Paycheck Protection Program;
• Defense of financial institution against fraud matter brought by the Department of Justice under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA);
• Defense of health care provider against Department of Justice False Claims Act investigation;
• Defense of pharmacy against Department of Justice criminal health care fraud investigation;
• Represented partnership in litigation alleging breach of fiduciary duty;
• Defense of bank in securities fraud action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission;
• Defense of fraud and breach of contract matter brought by monoline insurance company;
• Defense of fraud matter brought by shareholders in publicly traded company;
• Defense of fraud and breach of contract matter brought by investors;
• Represented health care organizations in litigation against State Medicaid departments;
• Litigated action to rescind an asset purchase agreement based on fraudulent inducement; and
• Defense of individual against civil default judgment.

Government

• Achieved FIRREA penalty of more than $2 billion related to fraud in residential mortgage-backed securities market;
• Worked on matter leading to $3 billion FIRREA penalty from a major bank in connection with its unlawful sales practices and pressure tactics that led to the creation of millions of falsified bank records in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1005;
• Recovered millions of dollars from several physicians and a health care company for False Claims Act violations in connection with a brazen kickback scheme;
• Led loan fraud investigations related to Federal Housing Administration loans;
• Led investigations of mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, small business administration fraud, and other criminal and civil frauds; and
• Led investigations under the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law.