DAY ONE 15:15 - 16:15PM EXECUTIVE BREAKOUT TWO
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT
The False Claims Act is the boogeyman of the CMMC world. Is the threat of millions of dollars of legal fees just FUD? How should defense suppliers approach a situation where their technical staff stand to get paid significant amounts of money for blowing the whistle? This session will cover what companies need to know about the realities of the “FCA” and strategies for avoiding investigations in the first place.
About the speakers
Stephanie Siegmann
Leveraging her extensive and vast trial experience as a former Navy JAG and national security prosecutor, B. Stephanie Siegmann specializes in handling high-stakes civil and criminal investigations, prosecutions, and enforcement proceedings, as well as sensitive internal investigations. Stephanie is a litigation partner, Chair of the International Trade & National Security group, and Co-Chair of the Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection group.
Stephanie has been a trial lawyer for more than 25 years overseeing hundreds of complex investigations and trying countless trials. Prior to joining Hinckley Allen in March 2022, Stephanie handled and supervised some of the highest profile national security matters in the country during her 18-year tenure as a former prosecutor and National Security Chief in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. Stephanie understands the current threat landscape facing businesses and is uniquely positioned to assist organizations in preparing for, investigating, and mitigating risks of all kind, including those arising under the False Claims Act, the Securities Exchange Act, and national security laws. She offers extensive experience and insider perspectives on the application of national security and federal criminal laws, white collar defense, trial tactics and strategies, cyber threats, crisis management, and government enforcement.
Eric Crusius
Eric Crusius is a Tysons attorney who focuses his practice on a wide range of government contract (GovCon) matters, including bid protests, claims and disputes, compliance issues and sub-prime issues.
Mr. Crusius has extensive experience in government contract litigation, including successfully prosecuting and intervening in numerous bid protests before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC), U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), boards of contract appeals and other federal agencies. He counsels clients regarding the Service Contract Act (SCA) and other labor issues, domestic preferences, export controls, cybersecurity, subcontracting and teaming agreements, and compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other agency regulatory requirements such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement (DFARS). Mr. Crusius also represents contractors in investigations, suspension and debarment proceedings, and in federal and state courts. He also supports the firm's corporate practice and performs due diligence and compliance reviews for acquisitions and sales of entities and business units in the defense and civilian space.
Jason Sproesser
Jason Sproesser serves as the Sr. Cybersecurity Product Manager at Summit 7 Systems, where he leverages his subject matter expertise in cybersecurity and compliance to develop solutions that empower clients to achieve their desired or required cybersecurity goals. Prior to joining Summit 7, Jason was instrumental in planning, implementing, and managing cybersecurity and compliance programs on behalf of multiple government customers on co-location and enterprise data center systems. Additionally, his expertise in strategizing and developing robust cybersecurity solutions has provided invaluable guidance to many organizations facing challenges with multiple industry standards. A University of Maryland Global Campus graduate, Jason holds a Bachelor's Degree in Cybersecurity with Minor in Terrorism & Critical Infrastructure. Jason's commitment to enhancing organization's cybersecurity capabilities and his ability to translate complex concepts into digestible insights set him apart as an ascending cybersecurity thought leader, with contributions to the industry that extend beyond his professional role. He has authored or contributed to industry resources and currently is an appointed member of the MSPs for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure.