Benjamin J Vernia

Benjamin J Vernia

5.0
Rating: 9.7

Licensed for 33 years

Employment and labor Lawyer at Washington, DC
Practice Areas: Employment & Labor, White Collar Crime, Federal Crime, Internet

1455 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC

About Benjamin

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Employment and Labor 40%

Former Department of Justice trial lawyer who has well over one hundred False Claims Act cases. Represents whistleblowers as well as investigation targets. Experience also includes government employees in whistleblower retaliation cases.

29 years | 150 cases

40%
White Collar Crime 35%

Former federal prosecutor with experience in grand jury investigations. Prosecutions included mail/wire fraud, RICO, tax fraud, and Internet-related crime.

26 years | 45 cases

35%
Federal Crime 20%

Former federal prosecutor with experience in grand jury investigations. Prosecutions included mail/wire fraud, RICO, tax fraud, and Internet-related crime.

26 years | 10 cases

20%
Internet 5%

Former federal prosecutor with experience investigating Internet and computer crime. Have counseled Fortune 100 computer and Internet companies regarding compliance with federal privacy and data protection laws.

23 years | 17 cases

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 60 minutes

Hourly Rates

$ 335-480 per hour

Contingency

40%-40%

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Check

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in District of Columbia for 32 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 1994

Good Standing

No misconduct found

Licensed in Michigan for 33 years

State: Michigan

Acquired: 1993

Active in Good Standing

No misconduct found

Location

The Vernia Law Firm

1455 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC, 20004

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Benjamin J Vernia's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

11 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (11) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by Maros | September 11, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Government Contracts

Defeated two billion dollar companies

Mr. Vernia represented me in three cases against two billion dollar companies, single-handedly winning all three of them, securing a substantial monetary compensation. In the first case Mr. Vernia filed a successful qui tam (whistleblower) suit against a major aerospace company which was overcharging... government clients. The DoJ thanked us for our efforts and rewarded us with a substantial relator share compensation, together with attorney fees. In the second, retaliation case, Mr. Vernia obtained a substantial monetary settlement from the company. In the third case, Mr. Vernia tirelessly defended me, my family, and my small business against a large company who filed a meritless strike suit in their attempt to take my business down as its only competitor. Mr. Vernia filed dozens of motions and fought to the end against the company and its 21-person team consisting of fourteen lawyers. As a result of Mr. Vernia’s effort and his knowledge of the Defense Trade Secret Act, we won the entire case on summary judgment, while exposing the company’s lies and fabrications.

Posted by WH McDonald | October 22, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Yes, very pleased

I found Mr. Vernia, and his associates, to be extremely professional as well as patient. My case was somewhat difficult due to nuisances in US Code yet they navigated this difficult process with success. I would highly recommend this firm.

Posted by anonymous | March 18, 2011 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Extremely dedicated and knowledgeable

I was referred to Ben to take over my case and immediately there was light at the end of the tunnel. Ben is extremely dedicated, professional, knowledgeable, and honest. I only wish I retained his services earlier and would have saved considerable time and money on my case. Ben researched areas for m...y defense and stood up for me while honestly giving me all options and possibilities. I have worked with many attorney's in many different areas of law and only Ben has worked upfront and ethically in all areas from keeping lines of communication open between all parties, to timely returns of calls, to thorough research for my case and above all in a professional manner. I highly recommend Ben to anyone who is in need of his services

See All Client Reviews

Benjamin J Vernia's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Benjamin
Robert Kendall Platt headshot
Robert Platt

White collar crime lawyer | Dec 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have had the privilege of working with Ben for several years. His commitment to his clients, command of the law, and collegiality are second to none. Ben is a phenomenal attorney."

Cullen Michael Wojcik headshot
Cullen Wojcik

White collar crime lawyer | Dec 01

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked together with Mr. Vernia for several years on an extended and complex white-collar fraud case that included a multi-month federal trial. I could not endorse him more highly."

Timothy R Clinton headshot
Timothy Clinton

Consumer protection lawyer | Mar 31

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Ben is a phenomenal lawyer. Although he's a brilliant guy, he has a knack for stating arguments in a clear and unpretentious way. The combination of his keen intelligence with his calm demeanor and easy charm is killer. I give Ben the highest marks."

View All Endorsements
Timothy R Clinton headshot
Timothy Clinton

General practice lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.7 (Superb)

Honors

2014

AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2014

Pro Bono, District of Columbia Court of Appeals

2005

John Marshall Award for Outstanding Achievement in Litigation, U.S. Dept. of Justice

2005

National Missing and Exploited Children's Award, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Work Experience

2005 - 2009

Special Counsel, Covington & Burling LLP

2002 - 2005

Prosecuting Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Div.

1994 - 2002

Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Div.

1992 - 1993

Clerk to Hon. Thomas A. Wiseman, Jr., U.S. District Court, M.D. Tenn.

Associations

2017 - Present

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Member

American Bar Association

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

United States ex rel. Griffith and Carver v. Conn, et al.

Judgment for the government and the whistleblowers. Three conspirators convicted and sentenced to prison.

United States v. Hazelwood, et al.

Client was acquitted on four counts, convicted on one (which is now on appeal)

State of Mississippi v. Cory Maye

Death sentence vacated; new trial granted. Plea to greatly reduced manslaughter charge accepted with time served.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

Vanderbilt University Law School

JD - Juris Doctor

1984

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

A.B

Speaking Engagements

2008

Symposium on Health Care Fraud Investigations

Negotiating Corporate Integrity Agreements in Case Settlements

Publications

2014

West Legalworks United States ex rel. Fox Rx, Inc. v. Omnicare, Inc. (N.D.Ga.)

2010

West Legalworks State v. Maye (Miss.)

2008

West Legalworks United States ex rel. Kaplan v. Metropolitan Ambulance & First-Aid Corp. (E.D.N.Y.)

2006

Legal Times Magazine Here's Your Story, and You're Sticking to It

2006

Pike & Fischer Audio Conference The Emerging Law of Search Engines

2006

International Association of Privacy Professionals National Summit Responding to a Subpoena: A Privacy Practitioner's Guide

2000

West Legalworks United States Ex Rel. Norbeck VS. Base Electric Power

1996

West Legalworks United States ex rel. Lamers v. City of Green Bay, Wisconsin (E.D. Wis.)

Languages

English

French

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution