Ben Vernia

After 11 years working with the United States Department of Justice, Ben Vernia is the founder of the Vernia Law Firm. He represents clients in the Washington, D.C., area and the surrounding cities in white collar criminal defense cases. With extensive experience in all phases of civil and criminal litigations, trial, discovery and appeals, he has almost two decades of work dealing with criminal law. In 2005, he was given the John Marshall Award by the United States Department of Justice and the National Exploited Children’s Award by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School, Mr. Vernia earned his Juris Doctor in 1992 and was admitted to practice in 1993. During his long, successful career, he was the DOJ’s prosecutor in the criminal division, where he investigated, indicted and tried cases of RICO and tax fraud, money laundering and internet crimes against children.

Mr. Vernia spent four years of his career doing pro bono work and defending a Mississippi man from a conviction of wrongful homicide. In private practice, he has defended individuals and corporations in government investigations. He also taught at the National Advocacy Center, educating federal agents and prosecutors on white collar crimes. In topics related to cybercrime investigation and law, he taught at the Organization of American States, Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

After being involved in history’s largest False Claims Act case, Mr. Vernia opened his firm with a focus on protecting whistleblowers and clients who face government investigations under state and federal statutes such as the False Claims Act. He has represented internet companies, attorneys, home health care companies, pharmaceutical companies and the CEO of one of the largest banks in the world.