Maurice Bellan

Maurice Bellan is a Washington, DC. based partner and is Vice-Chair of the Firm’s North America Litigation and Government Enforcement Practice Group. He also leads the Firm’s False Claims Act practice and advises clients on a broad range of fraud and anti-corruption matters.

Maurice is a former trial attorney at the US Department of Justice and has been named by Savoy magazine as one of the most influential African-American lawyers in the United States.

Maurice’s government enforcement practice is focused in the pharmaceutical and medical device, government contracts, financial and energy industries. He regularly counsels clients that participate in US federal programs or receive any federal funding for business activities.

His investigation matters routinely involve the enforcement of the False Claims Act (FCA), including FIRREA, Stark and Anti-Kickback allegations. He also handles investigations involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and has shepherded clients through enforcement actions pursued by several branches of government including the DOJ, DoD, FinCEN and various US congressional committees.

Maurice has over twenty years of complex investigative, civil and criminal litigation experience and has tried cases and argued appeals in several states, federal district and appellate courts, the US Tax Court and the US Court of Federal Claims.

His litigation matters have involved trade secrets, securities transactions, breach of contracts and a variety of federal statutory regulations including the False Claims Act and related fraud statutes.

Education:

• University of Maryland (J.D.) (1998)
• Howard University (Bachelor of Arts cum laude) (1991)

Admissions:

• District of Columbia~United States (2009)
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims~United States (2011)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit~United States (2008)
• U.S. Tax Court~United States (2006)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit~United States (2005)

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• American Bar Association – Member
• National Bar Association – Member
• DC Bar Association
• Maryland State Bar Association – Member
• Minority Corporate Counsel Association
• Risk Management Committee on the Board of Directors of National Senior Campuses, Inc. – Former member

Representative Legal Matters:

• Represented a multinational financial services company in the investigation of its compliance with federal lending regulations.
• Represented a computer manufacturer in the US District Court for the District of Minnesota in a false claims action where a compliance officer claimed 11 major computer manufacturers violated provisions of the Buy American statute.
• Represented a food manufacturer in a False Claims Act internal investigation and litigation involving a food supply contract with the Department of Defense.
• Advised a large retailer regarding the implementation and maintenance of its third-party anti-corruption due diligence program in Central and South America.
• Secured dismissal of a false claims action in the Eastern District of Virginia against a government contractor providing linguist services to military serving in Afghanistan.