Mr. Walton is a partner in the Vorys Cincinnati office and a member of the litigation group.  His practice focuses on complex litigation.  He has significant experience defending corporations and individuals in parallel proceedings brought under the False Claims Act by the government or whistleblowers.  Mr. Walton’s expertise includes complex litigation, including multiple class action defense in accounting, ERISA, employment, and commercial class actions.  He has considerate experience in health care, lender liability, construction, and environmental litigation and represents a broad array of clients in civil and criminal government investigations as well as corporate internal investigations.

Career highlights include:

• Winning two False Claims Act trials against whistleblowers
• Trying a multi-million dollar Federal environmental criminal trial
• Successfully defending corporations in commercial, employment, securities, and toxic tort class actions

Mr. Walton is a member of the American Bar Association and the Cincinnati Bar Association.

Mr. Walton has given presentations on the False Claims Act, construction law, health care, and whistleblower lawsuits.

Mr. Walton received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Publications

• “Courting Leverage: How FCA Defendants Benefit from Experienced Trial Lawyers,” Health Care Fraud Report, January 2007
•  “The False Claims Act and Its Newfound Fame,” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, January 2007
•  “The False Claims Act: A Growing Storm in Healthcare Regulatory Enforcement,” Managed Health Care Executive, January 2007
• “Recent Developments in False Claims Enforcement,” Journal of Health Care Finance, Spring 2007
• “False Claims Act Enforcement: A Minefield for Health-Care Providers,” Columbus C.E.O., December 2006
• “Recent Developments in False Claims Enforcement,” Health Business and Policy, December 2006

Professional and Community Activities

• Cincinnati Bar Admissions Committee, Chair, 2006-2007
• Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Legal Compliance Committee, Chair, 2004-2007

Honors and Awards

• Ohio Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2005-2006
• Leading Lawyer in Business Litigation, Cincy Magazine, 2008

News

• Vorys False Claims Act Trial Team Prevails in the U.S. Supreme Court
• "No End in Sight: The Reach of the Federal False Claims Act"
• "A Threat Is Looming: The Proposed False Claims Act Amendments Could Prove Devastating to Government Contractors"