$1.2 Million Jury Verdict for Defense Contractor Whistleblower

Ogborn Mihm attorneys Clayton E. Wire and Megan K. O’Byrne secured a $1.2 million federal jury verdict for a cybersecurity professional who was fired after reporting compliance concerns involving his employer, a major defense contractor in Colorado Springs.

The client raised his concerns internally before reporting them to the Missile Defense Agency’s whistleblower hotline. Five days after that report, the company terminated his employment.

The jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado found in the client’s favor on both claims: retaliation under the Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act and wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. The jury awarded $1.2 million entirely in noneconomic damages.

The case also marked O’Byrne’s first jury trial, with her cross-examinations playing a key role in the team’s presentation.