Joseph Sondet Francoise

Lead trial counsel in a May 1996 jury trial for Northrop Grumman in a fraud case in which the government sought millions of dollars in damages and barred claims. This was the first jury trial under the False Claims Act in 10 years since the act was amended to make it easier for the government to prevail. The case received national attention on CBS 60 Minutes and in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The American Lawyer. The National Law Journal deemed the verdict one of the Top 10 Defense Verdicts in the country in 1997.