Corporate Disclosure Whistleblower Lawyer
Do you know of an inadequate disclosure or corporate cover-up? If so, a whistleblower lawyer can help you. Together you can submit a tip to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You may be able to collect a big cash award.
Publicly traded businesses are legally required to disclose info to the public. They must reveal anything that could affect how investors view their stock. If a company fails to do so, they could be in trouble with the SEC.
This is why the SEC rewards whistleblowers who have info about inadequate corporate disclosures. Not every tip will be good enough for the SEC to take action on. That’s why it’s critical to use a corporate disclosure whistleblower lawyer.
The lawyers at Meissner Associates can help you. We can keep you anonymous. We’ll decide whether the SEC is likely to take action. The company in question could have to pay out. You could receive a reward.
What Makes a Corporate Disclosure Inadequate?
A company can’t withhold info that could affect the value of its stock. That’s a violation of federal law. But these situations aren’t always obvious. The SEC is most interested in whistleblower tips about withheld information. They prefer cases where the info will affect the company’s stock price.
For example, say a company covers up a scandal. It settled a potential lawsuit out of court for millions of dollars. That could have importance to investors. But, let’s say the company’s earnings are in the billions of dollars. The company could argue that the settlement was negligible. They could say that it wasn’t important to investors.
This is why it’s key to have your tip looked at by a whistleblower lawyer. They can help answer questions. You can be sure your tip will help the SEC before you submit it.
Recognizing Improper Corporate Disclosures
Listed are examples of inadequate corporate disclosures:
- Inaccurate Financial Reports – This could be a report that makes a company look healthier than it is. Investors will then be more willing to purchase its stock. Investors could lose money if the company folds.
- Undisclosed Scandals – This includes sexual harassment, blackmail, and other misconduct. Corporate scandals could affect a company’s decision-making or their public perception.
- Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest – A company and its personnel have different interests. Investors need to be aware of these, as they could affect the company’s decisions and performance.
- Undisclosed Hackings – Say hackers compromise a company computer system. They could have gained consumer information. It must made public so those affected can protect themselves.
- Deceptive Accounting Practices – This includes going against generally accepted accounting principles (GAAPs). Non-GAAP measures can be used to hide deceptive accounting practices. If so, the SEC should be notified.
Rewards for Blowing the Whistle on Inadequate Corporate Disclosures
Do you know of info that has not been disclosed to investors that could impact their decision to buy or sell a company’s stock? Your info may interest the SEC. Submit a tip with the help of a corporate disclosure lawyer from our firm. You can remain anonymous. You could also potentially receive millions of dollars from the SEC as a reward.
The SEC is only interested in tips they are not already aware of. So you need to act quickly before someone with similar knowledge blows the whistle. As long as you volunteer your information and the resulting investigation imposes sanctions in excess of $1 million, you could receive an award worth 10-30 percent of what the SEC collects.
Making the decision to become a corporate disclosure whistleblower is not easy. But it can protect many investors and reward you well.
Protections for Corporate Disclosure Whistleblowers
The SEC knows money isn’t always enough to convince potential whistleblowers to come forward. There’s more at stake for you than just money. Because of that, whistleblowers are given good legal protections under both the Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank Acts.
If you reveal helpful info to the SEC that a company didn’t disclose to investors, you can’t be retaliated against as a result of the SEC investigation and sanctions. Your employer cannot harass, threaten, demote, or fire you for blowing the whistle on an inadequate corporate disclosure.
However, these protections only apply if your tip meets certain criteria. As mentioned, it’s not always clear when a potential disclosure is important to investors. Submit a confidential tip for review by a corporate disclosure lawyer. That way, you can be anonymous and have help getting your tip in front of the SEC.
Corporate Disclosure Whistleblower FAQ
Choosing to blow the whistle on a corporate cover-up is hard. Even when there’s no doubt investors need to know what’s happened, you could hesitate. We’ve addressed some of the most common concerns here. But if you would like more info, speak with a knowledgeable whistleblower lawyer at our office.
Can I submit info about an inadequate disclosure to the SEC if I’m not a corporate insider?
Yes. Dodd-Frank expanded whistleblower protections to corporate outsiders and employees of affiliate companies and subsidiaries. Maybe you don’t have direct knowledge of key info but have instead discovered it through independent analysis. You can still submit a tip to the SEC to be rewarded.
Can I be a whistleblower if I’m the company’s compliance officer?
Yes, but only in some cases. Compliance personnel can become whistleblowers when:
- they believe there is risk of substantial injury to investor or company interests,
- the company is impeding an investigation of the misconduct,
- 120 days have passed since the information was properly internally disclosed, or
- if it appears that the company officers were already aware of the misconduct.
Can I submit a tip if the SEC is already investigating the inadequate disclosure?
Yes, but your tip will need to supply new information that:
- extends the scope of the investigation,
- allows the SEC to close the investigation sooner while expending fewer resources, or
- allows the SEC to bring claims against additional parties that weren’t included in the investigation’s original scope.
Work with an Inadequate Disclosure Whistleblower Lawyer
When you work with Meissner Associates, you’re with a law firm that’s been helping whistleblowers expose corporate misconduct since 2001. You’ll receive personal attention. Plus, the tip you submit for evaluation will stay fully confidential.
Don’t delay. Find out if what you know could result in an award. Receive help from a corporate disclosure whistleblower lawyer. Complete the confidential tip form below or call us at 1-866-764-3100.