Buckley Special Alert: Supreme Court limits definition of “whistleblower” in potentially hollow victory for public companies

Courts U.S. Supreme Court Whistleblower Special Alerts SEC Dodd-Frank

On February 21, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers, a long-anticipated case that clarifies who is protected as a “whistleblower” under the Dodd-Frank Act’s anti-retaliation provisions. In a unanimous decision penned by Justice Ginsburg, the Court held that the Dodd-Frank Act protects an individual only if he or she has reported a securities law violation to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)—internal reports are not sufficient.

 

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Click here to read the full special alert.

 

If you have questions about the decision or other related issues, please visit our Whistleblower practice page, or contact a Buckley attorney with whom you have worked in the past.