July 28, 2020

Inaugural FBA False Claims Act Virtual Trial Shows How Remote Trials Can Be Conducted

Two months ago, organizers for a mock trial program decided to pull together an online version of an event that ordinarily takes two years to plan. Joel M. Androphy, a partner at Berg & Androphy in Houston and co-chair of the program, has helped organize the biennial National False Claims Act and Qui Tam Trial Institute for several years.

“The program has been popular with the audience, it has been popular in the community and the ABA has gotten a lot of recognition for it,” Androphy says.

No in-person event was planned for this year. Androphy says the idea to host a virtual version from July 7 to 9 came during a phone call with Michael E. Clark, of counsel at Baker Donelson in Houston and another longtime institute organizer.

“Mike and I decided that, hey, let’s do something different, let’s be at the forefront,” he says. “Everyone talks about virtual this, virtual that, so let’s actually conduct a trial virtually.”

Watch video from this unique and first of its kind program. Joel does jury selection and closing arguments.