Lynne Halbrooks
Partner
Investigations, ethics and compliance, False Claims Act litigation, and white collar defense
Former Department of Justice attorney and Department of Defense Acting Inspector General
Recent Chief Compliance Officer for a major government services contractor
About
Lynne Halbrooks’ practice focuses on helping government contractors manage compliance and enforcement risks and solve business problems. This includes advising companies on all aspects of government compliance and representing them in internal and government investigations and audits, including whistleblower reprisal investigations, and suspension and debarment proceedings. She has advised companies and individuals on matters involving the False Claims Act, conflicts of interest, counterfeit parts, labor charging disputes, bribery and kickbacks, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, responses to subpoenas, and mandatory disclosures.
Lynne’s extensive and unique background in the federal government and industry enables her to provide practical advice to clients facing government inquiries or enforcement actions. She has advised senior leaders and successfully resolved complex, high-profile issues throughout her career.
Prior to joining Nichols Liu, Lynne worked as the Chief Compliance Officer and Deputy General Counsel at Acuity International; was a partner at Holland & Knight LLP; and served in leadership roles at the DoD Office of Inspector General, the Special IG for Iraq Reconstruction, the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms, and the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys.
Education
- Marquette University Law School, J.D. 1988
- University of Minnesota, Duluth, B.A. 1985
Bar and Court Admissions
- District of Columbia Bar
- Minnesota State Bar
- Wisconsin State Bar
Practice & Expertise
- Investigations
- Ethics and Compliance
- False Claims Act litigation
- White Collar Defense
Insights
Publications
- The False Claims Act and Government Contracts, Chapter Co-Author, American Bar Association, The Enforcement Community, 2017 (2022 anticipated updated).
- Corporate Compliance Answer Book, Corporate Compliance Monitors; The False Claims Act Chapters, Practising Law Institute, 2019 Edition (2017, 2018).
- When To Accept ADR For Defense Contractor Reprisal Cases, Law360, April 19, 2018.
- Fraud Indicators Provide Valuable Lessons for Contractors, Law360, August 18, 2015.
Speaking Engagements
- Current Legal Developments Impacting the Industry, Women Leaders in Defense & Aerospace Law & Compliance, ACI, February 26, 2020.
- What to Do When the Inspector General Knocks, D.C. Bar, March 20, 2018.
- GAO and OIG Audits and Investigations: Making the Government Turn Square Corners, Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Webinar, August 29, 2017.
- Practical Considerations for Managing False Claims Act Liability and Internal Investigations, American Bar Association: Section of Public Contract law Annual Meeting, August 10-12, 2017.
- What Can Now Trigger a DCAA Fraud Referral and False Claims Act Litigation: How DCAA is Investigating and Evaluating Contractors, ACI’s 8th Advanced Forum on DCAA & DCMA Cost, Pricing, Compliance and Audits, June 14, 2017.
- The DoD Office of Inspector General – An Insider’s Perspective, Defense Industry Initiative Webinar, October 22, 2015.
- Trending Compliance Issues, National Contract Managers Association Program, October 21, 2015, Surviving the Knock on the Door, The Professional Services Council Annual Conference, October 5, 2015.
- National 8(a) Association 2015 Summer Conference, Inspector General and Oversight Trends, June 16-17, 2015.
