Aaron Silberman and Dennis Callahan Contribute to ABA Book on False Claims in Construction

Rogers Joseph O’Donnell shareholders Aaron P. Silberman and Dennis J. Callahan contributed to the second edition of False Claims in Construction Contracts, published by the American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law. 

Silberman served as lead editor, along with co-editors John A. Castro and Andrea G. Woods, and co-authored Chapter 4, “Contractor, Subcontractor, and Surety Liability Under the False Claims Act” with Cynthia E. Rodgers-Waire. Callahan co-authored Chapter 7, “Qui Tam Actions Under the False Claims Act” with Claire M. Sylvia. 

The updated edition provides a practical guide for construction lawyers navigating the False Claims Act (FCA) in the federal contracting space. It explores the law’s history, statutory framework, and key procedural and substantive issues that arise when FCA allegations intersect with construction disputes — from defective pricing and false certifications to pass-through claims and improper payment demands.

“This book is designed to help construction attorneys understand not just the risks of False Claims Act liability, but also how to spot potential issues early and advise clients strategically,” Silberman said. “The legal and financial stakes are high, and federal enforcement activity has only grown more aggressive.”

Silberman co-chairs RJO’s Construction Law Practice Group, and he and Callahan are members of the Government Contracts Practice Group. Silberman is a former chair of the ABA Public Contract Law Section, its Construction Division and its Procurement Fraud Committee. He and Callahan have decades of experience litigating construction and procurement matters before federal and state courts, including federal and California false claims disputes. They are frequent authors and speakers on FCA compliance and government contract law.

Silberman and Calahan previously contributed to the ABA book “State False Claims Acts: A Practitioner’s Guide to the False Claims Laws of the Various States,” co-authoring chapters on the California and Nevada FCAs. 

The book is available now through the American Bar Association website.