David K. Colapinto
Encyclopedia
David K. Colapinto is an attorney for Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto
, a Washington, D.C., USA, law firm specializing in employment law.
Colapinto was born in Springfield, Massachusetts
on December 4, 1958. He received his J.D.
degree from Antioch School of Law
(Class of 1987) after graduating from Boston University
with a B.A. in history.
While at Boston University, he was an investigative reporter for the b.u. exposure
, a student-run independent newspaper dedicated to exposing financial and ethical irregularities of the administration of B.U. President John Silber
.
Colapinto was successful in the first case in which a "hostile work environment
" was found to exist for a whistleblower who worked at a nuclear power
plant. He also helped obtain whistleblower protection for Federal Bureau of Investigation
employees and helped force the F.B.I. crime lab to obtain accreditation, the latter development involving him in the O.J. Simpson Trial. As co-counsel to Dr. Frederic Whitehurst
, Colapinto was behind the lawsuit that forced the Department of Justice
to implement regulations protecting F.B.I. employee whistleblowers. He also served as counsel in the law firm's successful defense of Linda Tripp
in her Privacy Act
lawsuit against the Departments of Justice
and Defense
and in defending Marita Murphy in her lawsuit Murphy v. IRS
.
Colapinto is General Counsel for the Forensic Justice Project, and he also serves as general counsel for the National Whistleblower Center
. He and his partners Stephen M. Kohn
and Michael D. Kohn
, are the authors of the book Whistleblower Law: A Guide to Legal Protections for Corporate Employees (Praeger Publishers, 2004).
Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto
Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, a Washington, D.C. law firm specializing in employment law, represents whistleblowers in the United States. Washingtonian Magazine, in its December 2004 issue, named the firm the top whistleblower within the Beltway. The three partners are brothers Stephen M. Kohn, Michael...
, a Washington, D.C., USA, law firm specializing in employment law.
Colapinto was born in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
on December 4, 1958. He received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Antioch School of Law
Antioch School of Law
Antioch School of Law was a law school in Washington, D.C. which specialized in public advocacy, which now operates as the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law.-History:...
(Class of 1987) after graduating from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
with a B.A. in history.
While at Boston University, he was an investigative reporter for the b.u. exposure
B.U. Exposure
The b.u. exposure was a student newspaper at Boston University during the 1970s and 1980s that received national press coverage for exposing the moral, fiscal and managerial irregularities that characterized the administration of the university under President John Silber.-The 1970s:John Silber was...
, a student-run independent newspaper dedicated to exposing financial and ethical irregularities of the administration of B.U. President John Silber
John Silber
John Robert Silber is an American academician and former candidate for public office. From 1971 to 1996 he was President of Boston University and from 1996 to 2003 Chancellor of the University. Since 2003 he has been its President Emeritus. In 1990, Silber took a leave of absence from the...
.
Colapinto was successful in the first case in which a "hostile work environment
Hostile work environment
A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears going to work because of the offensive, intimidating, or oppressive atmosphere generated by the harasser....
" was found to exist for a whistleblower who worked at a nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
plant. He also helped obtain whistleblower protection for Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
employees and helped force the F.B.I. crime lab to obtain accreditation, the latter development involving him in the O.J. Simpson Trial. As co-counsel to Dr. Frederic Whitehurst
Frederic Whitehurst
Frederic Whitehurst was a Supervisory Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory from 1986 to 1998 where he went public as a whistleblower to bring attention to procedural errors and misconduct.-Vietnam:...
, Colapinto was behind the lawsuit that forced the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
to implement regulations protecting F.B.I. employee whistleblowers. He also served as counsel in the law firm's successful defense of Linda Tripp
Linda Tripp
Linda Rose Tripp was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S. President Bill Clinton.-Early life and government employment:...
in her Privacy Act
Privacy Act of 1974
The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, Public Law No. 93-579, establishes a Code of Fair Information Practice that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information about individuals that is maintained in systems of records by federal agencies...
lawsuit against the Departments of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
and Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and in defending Marita Murphy in her lawsuit Murphy v. IRS
Murphy v. IRS
Marrita Murphy and Daniel J. Leveille, Appellants v. Internal Revenue Service and United States of America, Appellees , is a controversial tax case in which the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit originally held that the taxation of emotional distress awards by the...
.
Colapinto is General Counsel for the Forensic Justice Project, and he also serves as general counsel for the National Whistleblower Center
National Whistleblower Center
The National Whistleblower Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax exempt, educational and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C....
. He and his partners Stephen M. Kohn
Stephen M. Kohn
Stephen M. Kohn is an attorney for Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, a Washington, D.C., law firm specializing in employment law. The author of the first legal treatise on whistleblowing, Kohn is recognized as one of the top experts in whistleblower protection law...
and Michael D. Kohn
Michael D. Kohn
Michael D. Kohn, a founding partner of the Washington, D.C. law firm Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, is one of the top litigators specializing in whistleblower protection law. A graduate of Rutgers University , he received his law degree from the Antioch School of Law. After graduating from Antioch, he...
, are the authors of the book Whistleblower Law: A Guide to Legal Protections for Corporate Employees (Praeger Publishers, 2004).