Stephen M. Kohn

Stephen M. Kohn

Founding Partner

Since 1984, Kohn has been celebrated as a world-renowned whistleblower attorney and pioneer of whistleblower law and advocacy.

Contact Stephen
stephen.kohn@kkc.com

Stephen M. Kohn, with 38 years of experience, was peer-review rated by the National Law Journal as one of the 50-top Plaintiff’s Lawyers in the United States, the only whistleblower rights lawyer to achieve this distinction. In March of 2024 Forbes named Kohn as one of the top 200 attorneys in the United States.

In 1988 he helped found the National Whistleblower Center, where is currently serves, pro bono, as Chairman of the Board. He is the author of the first legal treatise on whistleblowing and is the world’s most published author on whistleblower protection. His most recent book is Rules for Whistleblowers: A Handbook for Doing What’s Right (Lyons Press 2023).

Kohn has spearheaded several of the largest whistleblower cases in the U.S. and internationally. He is known for his successful strategies, leveraging whistleblower protection and reward laws, many of which he played a significant role in authoring.

In honoring Kohn as among the Top 200 Attorneys in the United States, Forbes Magazine noted that he “helped change the legal landscape” protecting whistleblowers, and helped “draft key whistleblower legislation and regulation, including those incorporated into the Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank acts.”

He won $104 million for UBS whistleblower Bradley Birkenfeld, among the largest-ever individual tax whistleblower reward payments, and currently represents Danske Bank whistleblower Howard Wilkinson in its massive money-laundering scandal.

Key Whistleblower Legislation

Steve helped draft key whistleblower legislation and regulatory rules, including those incorporated into the following:

In addition to being added to the inaugural list of Top 50 White Collar Crime Trailblazers, Kohn has been a major contributor to whistleblower law, including the following:

  • Chief attorney in Dodd-Frank Act whistleblower case finding restrictive nondisclosure agreements illegal under U.S. securities laws.
  • Over $125 million in awards to his SEC whistleblower clients under Dodd-Frank.
  • Three whistleblower awards of over $100 million based on IRS and DOJ enforcement actions.
  • Represented whistleblower who successfully exposed and stopped the largest money laundering scheme in history (over $200 billion laundered from Russia to Western banks).
  • Successfully represented key Swiss banking whistleblowers who triggered the historic prosecutions of Swiss banks (resulting in over $15 billion in sanctions, fines and settlements).
  • Represented False Claims Act whistleblower who exposed illegal sales of defective body armor to U.S. military and local police departments. All defective vests pulled from the market; Companies involved sanctioned over $100 million; whistleblower awarded over $6.5 million.
  • Argued case establishing nationwide precedent under the First Amendment recognizing the right of federal employees to publicly blow the whistle on their employing agencies.
[Read More]
Kkc’s Stephen M. Kohn Named Among Forbes’ “top 200 Lawyers”
Watch how Stephen and his client Bradley Birkenfeld brought Swiss banking giant UBS to it’s knees, landing them one of the largest whistleblower rewards in history of $104 million.

Notable Cases

  • Confidential Whistleblower - $112 Million in Wwards
    $112.6 Million Award

    A confidential whistleblower's disclosures resulted in 461 tax cheats paying over $562.9 million in fines and penalties. The whistleblower obtained awards of over $112.6 million.

  • Foreign Corrupt Practices Act - Novartis Greece Bribery
    $300 Million in Sanctions

    Our client exposed a foreign corruption and illegal drug marketing bribery scheme, requiring Novartis to pay over $300 million in sanctions and fines to the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

  • Howard Wilkinson - Money Laundering Whistleblower
    $2 Billion Recovered for Victims

    Wilkinson confidentially blew the whistle on a $230 billion Russian money-laundering scandal that moved rubles out of Russia, converted them to dollars at the Estonian branch of Danske Bank, and then moved the dollars to New York.

  • Dr. Aaron Westrick
    Thousands of Lives Saved

    Dr. Aaron Westrick filed a False Claims Act lawsuit against Toyoba, the manufacter of Zylon fiber, a material that degraded over time, which put thousands of lives in American police departments, federal law enforcement agencies, and the U.S. military at risk.

  • Bradley Birkenfeld - IRS Fraud Whistleblower
    $104 Million

    Birkenfeld exposed Swiss bank secrecy, forcing his employer UBS bank to disclose the identities of 4,450 U.S. taxpayers and pay a fine of $780 million. Birkenfeld was awarded the most substantial qui tam award of $104 million.

  • Whistleblowers 2176176 and 77 - Tax Whistleblowers
    $17.4 Million Joint Award

    This case set the national precedent covering tax whistleblowers whose work with the Justice Department resulted in criminal convictions. After two significant victories in Tax Court, the whistleblowers obtained $17.4 million in rewards.

Bradley Birkenfeld - Largest Whistleblower Reward in History

“The only lawyer on my side was Steve Kohn. He was as smart as they come and feisty as a pit bull. Steve was convinced the government owed me a fat reward, and he was going to get it, or die trying.”

Stephen M. Kohn

“Stephen Kohn has dedicated his life to supporting whistleblowers and uncovering wrongdoers. I admire his tireless efforts…”

“An absolutely first rate lawyer. . . keenly interested in utilizing the law as a rational instrument of social change and improving the quality of life for the weak, the poor and the unpowerful.”

A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Former Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

“[Steve Kohn] is an outstanding person, with a very keen mind, a true gift for research, an extremely capable writer, and an eloquent speaker.”

Howard Zinn, Author, A People's History of the United States
Roger Wensil - A Client of Michael Kohn

“I want to try to express my feelings of gratitude for what you are doing for me, but I’m not sure that words will do the job . . . The bureaucrats almost won; not because they were legally right, but rather, because they have the power and influence to be able to crush any resistance . . . You are rendering a great service, not only to individuals like myself, but to our country a well.”

William Sanjour

“Steve Kohn is the nation’s outstanding whistleblower lawyer.”

Linda Tripp

“I couldn’t have navigated the shark invested waters whistleblower face without the passion, dedication, determination, and brilliance of my incredible attorneys.”

“…the three co-founders of the National Whistleblower Center, these are important names, Stephen Kohn, Michael Kohn, and David Colapinto, thank you so much for all that you do, they broke the mold with these visionaries and we are all better for it.” – National Whistleblower Day, 2018

Jane Turner Thumbnail

“When I had to blow the whistle it was very very difficult. I was lucky I had my daughter and I was lucky I had Stephen Kohn in my life. . .he [Stephen Kohn] dragged me across the finish line . . . he stayed with me, he kept me going . . .”

40 Years of Accomplishment

Kohn is one of the most actively involved whistleblower attorneys in the world, focusing on issues of serious public importance.

In recognition of the growing importance of whistleblower litigation, The National Law Journal named the whistleblower attorney and advocacy law firm of Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto as one of Top 50 plaintiff’s Law Firms in the United States. The firm’s partners were officially named as among “America’s Elite Trial Lawyers.” In its September 29, 2014 article, “Elite Trial Lawyers: The 50 Leading Plaintiff’s Firms in America,” the National Law Journal named Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto as one of the firm’s “doing the most creative and most important work in the courtroom.”

2024

Forbes’ America’s Top 200 Lawyers
LawDragon 500 Leadnig Plaintiff Financial Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyers

2022

Super Lawyers
LawDragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers

2020

Super Lawyers
LawDragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge: Grand Prize Winner

2019

Super Lawyers
LawDragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers
Legal Leaders: Top Rated Lawyers
Trust! Top Thought Leaders in Trust: Lifetime Achievement Award

2018

Super Lawyers
Inductee, Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement
Honoree, Whistleblower Law Firm of The Year, Lawyer International

2017

Super Lawyers
Whistleblower Law Firm of the Year in Washington DC, Global Law Experts Awards

2016

Super Lawyers
Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2015

Super Lawyers
White Collar Crime Trailblazers, National Law Journal
A-V Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
America’s Elite Employment Trial Lawyers Finalist, National Law Journal
Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2014

Super Lawyers
“Elite Trial Lawyers” Designation, National Law Journal
America’s Most Honored Professionals, American Registry
100 Most Influential in Business Ethics, Ethisphere Magazine
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

2013

Super Lawyers
Capital Gains, Bloomberg-TV
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

2012

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

2011

Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

2010

Who’s Who in America

2009

Who’s Who in America
Top Attorneys, Washington DC Super Lawyers
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine

2008

Friend of the IEEE Award
Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2007

Top Attorneys, Washington DC Super Lawyers
Washington’s Top Lawyers, Washingtonian Magazine
Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who
Daynard Public Interest Fellow, School of Law, Northeastern University

2006

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2005

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2004

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2003

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who
“Hot List” of Plantiff’s Law Firms, National Law Journal

2002

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

2001

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

1999

New York Times, Editorial, “Helping Whistleblowers Survive”

1992-1995

Who’s Who in American Law, Marquis Who’s Who

1981

Fellow, National Endowment for the Humanities

Doctor of Jurisprudence
Northeastern University 84′

Master of Arts
Brown University 81′

Bachelor of Science
Boston University 79′
Magna Cum Laude 

State Bar
District of Columbia

Federal Bar
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and other Federal District Courts

Presentations to Securities and Exchange Commission on Dodd-Frank Act’s Whistleblower Reward Rules

  • August 23, 2010: Presentation to Representatives from the Office of the Chairman
  • January 31, 2011: Presentation to the Staff of the SEC Division of Enforcement
  • February 10, 2011: Presentation to SEC Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar
  • February 11, 2011: Presentation to SEC Commissioner Troy A. Paredes
  • March 11, 2011: Presentation to SEC Commissioner Kathleen L. Casey
  • March 16, 2011: Presentation to SEC Commissioner Elisse B. Walter
  • March 28, 2011: Presentation to SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro

IVLP Pakistan (September 20, 2023) “A New Tool for Fighting Corruption: Whistleblower Protections” The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program.

Belgrade, Serbia (October 27-28, 2016): Anti-Corruption Conference “For Every Truth There Is a Source: Protecting Whistleblowers and Journalistic Sources,” hosted by the Serbian whistleblower advocacy group Pištaljkaa (The Whistle), and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Information:

  • Journalism and Whistleblowers: Threats and Opportunities (Panelist)
  • Whistleblowing, Justice, and Journalism: The Way Forward (Panelist)

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (May 26, 2015): Presentation sponsored by Luna-Centre for Responsible Democracy and the American Chamber of Commerce in Bosnia-Herzegovina with the support of the U.S. Embassy International Speakers Program.

  • Conducted seminar as part of Sarajevo Whistleblower Week: “Breakthrough in Protecting International Whistleblowers: Non-United States Citizens Now Entitled to Whistleblower Protections and Rewards.”

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (March 3-8, 2012): Presentations sponsored by U.S. Embassy:

  • Public Presentation: “The Fight Against Corruption and the Role of the Citizen, the Role of the Whistleblower”
  • Participation in the Founding Assembly of “Uzbunjivaci protiv korupcije,” a Bosnian anti-corruption and whistleblower advocacy organization
  • Presentation and meeting with the Chairwoman of the House of Parliament for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Presentation and meeting with Assistant Minster of Justice
  • Public Lecture, Faculty of Criminal Justice
  • Presentation and meeting with President of State Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Presentation and meeting with the Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption
  • Round Table private discussion and presentation with U.S. Ambassador, Members of Parliament and leadership of anti-corruption organizations
  • Presentation to Staff of U.S. Embassy
  • Presentation and meeting with head of anti-corruption committee for the Republika Srpska Parliament

Republic of Serbia (July 10-15, 2011): Presentations sponsored by the U.S. Embassy:

  • Presentation and Meeting with Commission for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Projection
  • Presentation and meeting with President of Anti-Corruption Council
  • Presentation and meeting with Association of Serbian Judges
  • Presentation and meeting with Anticorruption Agency
  • Presentation and meeting with Prosecutor General’s Office
  • Presentation before journalist and NGO workshop
  • Presentation before Round Table sponsored by “The Whistle” newspaper

Republic of Montenegro (September 12-19, 2009). Presentations sponsored by the U.S. Embassy:

  • Presentation and Meeting with Director, Anti-Corruption Agency
  • Presentation and Meeting with Assistant Minister of Interior
  • Presentation and Meeting with Minister for EU Integration
  • Presentation and Meeting with Judges and Prosecutors
  • Presentation before the Public Procurement Commission
  • Presentation at the Law Faculty
  • Public Address before the Witness Protection Seminar

Prague, Czech Republic: European Union Whistleblower Protection Project. International Roundtable (July 8-9, 2009). Presentation sponsored by U.S. Department of State. Republic of Hungary (2008): Presentations sponsored by U.S. Embassy:

  • Private meeting and presentation with Minister of Justice
  • Private meeting and presentation with Minister for European Integration
  • Formal Presentation to inter-cabinet Anti-Corruption Commission
  • Private meeting and presentation to Members of Parliament from four major political parties
  • Private meeting and presentation to leading newspaper editors and publishers
  • Public presentation before leading representatives of anti-corruption NGOs
  • Public presentation before the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary

Public policy reports submitted on behalf of the National Whistleblower Center

Rulemaking Proposals and Reports

  • December 17, 2010: Report: Impact of qui tam Laws on Internal Compliance.
  • December 17, 2010: Formal Comments on the Proposed Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Rules.
  • January 25, 2011: Rule making proposal on SEC Rewards Provisions.
  • February 15, 2011: Rule making proposal re: Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
  • March 7, 2011: Rebuttal to comments proposed by the Chamber of Commerce.
  • March 17, 2011: Provision-by-provision analysis of the proposed rules with recommended changes.
  • May 17, 2011: Letter to SEC Chairman re: Rules governing protection for employee reports to internal compliance officials.

Media Appearances

ABC World News Tonight, BBC World News Tonight, BBC, “Burden of Proof” on CNN, “Capital Gains” on Bloomberg TV, CBS Evening News, CNN World News, “Crosstalk” on MSNBC, CSNBC, “The Early Show” on CBS, “Good Morning America” on ABC, “The Jack Ford Show” on MSNBC, “Hannity & Colmes” on FOXNEWS, “Hardball” on MSNBC, “The Johnnie Cochran Show” on Court-TV, “Larry King Live” on CNN, “Miller’s Law” on Court-TV, NBC Nightly News, “Nightline” on ABC, “The O’Reilly Factor” on FOXNEWS, “Primetime Live” on ABC, “Rivera Live” on MSNBC, “The Today Show” on NBC, “Close-Up” on C-SPAN, “60 Minutes” on CBS, “Washington Journal,” “HuffPost Live,” KATU 2 ABC, and on CSPAN.

Rules for Whistleblowers - 3 Ways to Order
Stephen’s Latest Book

Rules for Whistleblowers

(Lyons Press, 2023)

The ultimate guide to blowing the whistle and getting rewarded for doing what’s right.

Stephen’s Areas of Practice

Qui Tam Reward Provision
Qui Tam Attorneys

False Claims Act

For federal or state government contracting fraud whistleblowers.

SEC Whistleblower Awards
Securities Fraud - SEC Whistleblower Rewards Attorneys

Securities Fraud

For securities fraud or investment fraud whistleblowers.

CFTC Whistleblower Awards
CFTC Whistleblower Lawyer - Commodities Fraud - Ticker

Commodities Fraud

For commodities fraud and market manipulation whistleblowers.

IRS Whistleblower Awards
Tax Fraud and Evasion - IRS Whistleblower Rewards Attorneys

Tax Fraud & Evasion

For criminal and non-criminal tax fraud and evasion whistleblowers.

AML and Sanctions Reward Program
Anti Money Laundering Lawyer

Anti-Money Laundering

For U.S. and international money laundering whistleblowers.

Various Rewards
Foreign Corruption - Anti Money Laundering Whistleblower Attorneys

Foreign Corruption

For international corruption and foreign bribery whistleblowers.