Marshall Discusses New Incentives for Whistleblowers
July 2010
In a video interview with Dow Jones columnist Suzanne Baryln, Ropes & Gray Investment Management partner Richard Marshall discusses new whistleblower incentives in the Dodd-Frank bill that will increase cooperation among enforcement divisions and lead to more work for compliance officers.
Marshall says that the Dodd-Frank bill will change the landscape for compliance by offering compensation to whistleblowers and issuing rewards for self-reporting.
"A whistleblower can obtain up to 30 percent of the monetary recovery that the SEC obtains as a result of the enforcement action that comes from their whistleblowing," says Marshall. "So, number one, there will be a significant increase in the amount of money available to whistleblowers. Number two, the bill calls for a reorganization and a revitalization of the SEC structure to compensate whistleblowers with the intention of making it easier, more likely, and in fact probable, for whistleblowers to be compensated. The expectation is that whistleblowers, instead of expecting nothing, can expect to get a considerable amount of money if the SEC brings a case as a result of their report."
According to Marshall, these new incentives make it more important than ever for companies to run tight compliance programs. Marshall offers solutions to help companies bring whistleblowers into the system, such as creating a hotline where employees can report problems.
To view the full interview, please click here.
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