James A. Tate is a shareholder at Helmer, Martins, Tate & Garrett, where he represents individuals and businesses in complex litigation. His practice is particularly focused on representing whistleblowers under the False Claims Act. James works with whistleblower clients from all walks of life, including health care providers and administrators, pharmaceutical and defense industry employees, and others who work for government contractors or are aware of fraud against the Government. James has litigated False Claims Act cases for his entire career, in district and appellate courts across the country. He also represented the Relators in two False Claims Act cases— United States, et al., ex rel. Schutte, et al. v. SuperValu Inc., et al. (Case No. 21-1326) and United States, et al., ex rel. Proctor v. Safeway, Inc. (Case No. 22-111)—that resulted in a landmark, unanimous victory for his clients in the United States Supreme Court.
James has successfully represented clients who uncovered health care, defense contract, and other fraud schemes perpetrated against the federal government and the states by some of the biggest corporations. His work routinely puts him in high stakes litigation against the nation’s largest and most sophisticated law firms. James and his clients have recovered millions of dollars taken by fraud from the United States.
James is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of law. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the University of Cincinnati Law Review for 2008–2009, and as an Articles Editor on the Human Rights Quarterly, 2007–2008. While in school, James also founded the U.C. Law student chapter of the ACLU, and worked as an extern for United States Senior District Judge Herman J. Weber of the Southern District of Ohio.
Recognitions
- Firm listed in U.S. News Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” 2011-2017 under categories of Commercial Litigation, Employment Law (Individuals), and Litigation (Eminent Domain & Condemnation)
- 2009 recipient of the James B. Helmer, Jr. University of Cincinnati Law Review Prize as the most valuable member of the Cincinnati Law
Representative Cases
- United States ex rel. Schutte, et al. v. SuperValu, et al. (C.D. Illinois) (Pharmacy Pricing)
- United States ex rel. Proctor v. Safeway (C.D. Illinois) (Pharmacy Pricing)
- United States ex rel. Magee v. Lockheed Martin Corp. (S.D. Mississippi) (Bid Rigging)
- United States ex rel. White, et al. v. Mobile Care EMS & Transport, et al. (S.D. Ohio) (Non-emergency Medical Transport Billing)
- United States ex rel. Tensmeyer, et al. v. United Energy Workers, et al. (S.D. Ohio) (Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program)
- Herschel Moore v. Sterling Enterprises, Inc., et al. (Gallatin Co. Cir. Ct. Ky.) (Product Liability)
- United States ex rel. Yarberry v. Sears and Kmart (S.D. Ill.) (Pharmacy Fraud/Kickbacks)
- Reister v. Gardner (Butler County Ohio, 12th District Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of Ohio) (Complex Business Litigation)
- United States ex rel. Lisa R. Hines v. VPA, P.C. (E.D. Michigan) (Health Care Fraud)
- United States ex rel. Palmer v. C&D Technologies (E.D. Pennsylvania) (Government Contracts Fraud/Quality Control)
