GAP is pleased to announce that Legal Director Tom Devine has been identified by Washingtonian as one of “Washington’s Best Lawyers.” This prestigious list is generated every two years, and this marks Devine’ssixth consecutive year on the list, having been named to both the 2009-10 and 2011-12 editions.
This news, while always exciting, comes as no surprise to GAP. Devine deserves the recognition, having dedicated his professional life to defending those who tell the truth. Devine has been at GAP since 1979, assisting over 5,000 whistleblowers during that time. He has worked to expose accident-prone nuclear power plants, rebuff industry ploys to deregulate government meat inspection, block the next generation of the bloated and porous “Star Wars” missile defense systems, and spark the withdrawal of dangerous prescription drugs such as Vioxx.
As Legal Director, Tom spearheads GAP’s remarkably successful legislative program that works with Congress to strengthen protections for federal employee truth-tellers. Tom has been a leader in the campaigns to pass or defend 26 major national or international whistleblower laws, including every one enacted over the last two decades. These include the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 for federal employees; a dozen breakthrough laws since 2002 creating the right to jury trials for corporate whistleblowers; and new United Nations, World Bank and African Development Bank policies legalizing public freedom of expression for their own whistleblowers.
Additionally, Tom has authored or co-authored numerous books, including 2011’s The Corporate Whistleblowers Survival Guide: A Handbook for Committing the Truth, Courage Without Martyrdom: The Whistleblower’s Survival Guide, law review articles, magazine articles and newspaper op-eds, and is a frequent expert commentator on television and radio talk shows. Tom is the recipient of the “Hugh Hefner First Amendment Award” and the “Defender of the Constitution Award” bestowed by the Fund for Constitutional Government. In 2006 he was inducted into the Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame.
Kudos, Tom. It is indisputable that you have made a tremendous positive difference for whistleblowers and our democracy.
Dylan Blaylock is Communications Director for the Government Accountability Project, the nation’s leading whistleblower protection and advocacy organization.