Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brings Healthcare Expertise to Constantine Cannon's Whistleblower Practice

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Constantine Cannon LLP is pleased to announce that Edward A. Baker, a former Assistant United States Attorney and Healthcare Fraud Coordinator in the Eastern District of California, has joined the firm's whistleblower practice as Of Counsel in its Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Baker brings his substantial experience in litigating healthcare fraud to the whistleblower practice of more than 20 attorneys who work skillfully to help whistleblowers navigate the complicated landscape of federal and state programs.

During Mr. Baker's four years at the U.S. Attorney's Office in the largest geographic district in California, he investigated and resolved numerous False Claims Act (FCA) cases against healthcare providers, defense contractors, and others accused of fraudulent billing practices. As both the Healthcare Fraud and Elder Justice Coordinator, Mr. Baker helped steer the Eastern District of California's healthcare fraud enforcement practice. In 2017, he was the lead AUSA in the investigation into medically unnecessary cardiovascular nuclear scans performed by a cardiology clinic in Fresno, California. Following mediation, the investigation resulted in a $1.2 million settlement. In 2016, he was also the lead AUSA in an FCA qui tam case against Omnicare, Inc., a national long-term care pharmacy, for false billing for prescription drugs to residents of skilled nursing facilities, resulting in a $2.2 million settlement.

Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's office, Mr. Baker served as an Assistant Attorney General in Vermont and was the Director of Vermont's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. During his time in this role, Medicaid recoveries totaled $28 million, including a $15 million recovery in 2013 that set a record in Vermont. Added to these recoveries were 26 criminal convictions and 41 FCA settlements. Mr. Baker was part of the litigation team that represented 36 states in an FCA complaint against Wyeth Inc., which concluded with a $785 million pre-trial settlement. Before serving in Vermont, Mr. Baker spent four years as a litigation associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP, and, before that, was a litigation associate at Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP.

"The healthcare industry is vulnerable to fraud and abuse, but I have seen firsthand how whistleblowers can help root out bad actors," Mr. Baker said. "That experience has inspired me to serve the whistleblowers who bravely step forward to protect the patients who benefit from essential state and federal programs, as well as taxpayer funds."

"Throughout his career, Ed has skillfully exposed deceit and prosecuted healthcare fraud," said Richard Aborn, Managing Partner of Constantine Cannon. "The same legal vigor that characterized his accomplishments as an Assistant United States Attorney will now guide whistleblowers at Constantine Cannon."

Gordon Schnell, founding member of Constantine Cannon's whistleblower practice, said, "Ed wields an impassioned tenacity and wealth of knowledge across the healthcare space that will serve whistleblowers well. His extensive experience as a public servant makes him a valuable addition to our firm."

Mr. Baker earned a B.A. degree from Dartmouth College, M.A. degrees from Tufts University and Yale University, and a J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

About Constantine Cannon LLP

Constantine Cannon, with offices in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and London, has deep expertise in practice areas that include antitrust and complex commercial litigation, whistleblower representation, government relations, securities, and e-discovery. Constantine Cannon's whistleblower practice represents whistleblowers under the False Claims Act; the whistleblower programs of the IRS, SEC (Dodd-Frank Act), CFTC, and DOT; and the various federal and state laws that encourage industry insiders to report evidence of fraud or misconduct. To learn more about Constantine Cannon's whistleblower practice, click here.

The firm's antitrust practice is among the largest and most well recognized in the nation. Constantine Cannon's experience spans across multiple industries including healthcare, banking, electronic payments, insurance, high tech, telecommunications, the Internet, and government contracting.

To learn more about the firm, click here.

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SOURCE Constantine Cannon LLP