Allan J. Graf, Attorney

Allan Graf is of counsel in the firm's Los Angeles office. With 35 years experience, he concentrates his practice on civil and business litigation, principally in the federal court.  Mr. Graf has represented both corporate and individual clients in a wide variety of litigation involving insurance coverage, fiduciary liabilities under ERISA, securities (Rule 10b-5) matters, environmental tort and pollution claims, as well as general business related litigation involving contracts and the sale and acquisition of business enterprises. Mr. Graf also has extensive experience in the field of maritime law, having represented several major shipping companies, particularly in the transPacific trade. Just recently, Mr. Graf successfully represented the principal source of spring water for one of the major U.S. bottled water companies in a multimillion dollar claim against the United States under the federal Tort Claims Act. He is presently defending one of the largest landowners in Southern California in a class action brought by municipal water purveyors over allocation of water rights in Northern Los Angeles County and Southern Kern County that is a complex coordinated proceeding by the California Judicial Counsel.

Representative Matters

International Business Transactions and Trade.  Mr. Graf has also wide experience in international business transactions and trade. He was adjunct professor of law at the University of Southern California Law School teaching trade and international business transactions. During his legal practice, Mr. Graf has represented foreign individuals and companies doing business in the United States. With one of his clients, he founded and managed in the 1990s a business which manufactured biodegradable plastic products for the waste disposal and food service industries. These products were also purchased by many state and federal government agencies, which gave Mr. Graf significant experiences in government procurement practices.

Nationwide Qui Tam Practice Under the False Claims Act.  Along with Carlsmith attorney Dean Francis Pace, Mr. Graf focuses on aerospace, Medicare, IRS, construction and financial qui tam cases filed nationwide under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729 et seq., and State False Claims Acts. Under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729 et seq. and other statutes, a citizen acting as a private Attorney General may file an action on behalf of the United States Government and collect 15% to 30% of the amount recovered by the United States Government plus attorneys fees, expenses and costs. Through 2009, $25 billion has been recovered for violations of the False Claims Act, of which $2.5 billion has been paid in awards to Whistleblowers, plus recovery under the False Claims Acts of the States.

Distinctions

• Highest "AV" Professional Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Affiliations

• The State Bar of California
• Former Adjunct Professor of Law
• New York Bar Association