Natalie Khawam

Natalie Khawam (born June 3, 1975) is an Attorney and founder of Whistleblower Law Firm based in Tampa, Florida. Khawam is a trail blazer and garnered national attention for successfully getting the SFC Richard Stayskal Military Medical Accountability Act passed in less than a year. The Bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 20, 2019. The Bill allows for the first time ever our active duty soldiers to file a medical malpractice claim against the DOD if they experienced medical malpractice at a military hospital. Attorney Khawam is known for being the first attorney ever in over 70 years to successfully challenge Feres Doctrine with the passage of her Bill.
== Background ==
Khawam was born in a Lebanese Catholic family to John and Marcelle Khawam. Her parents immigrated to the USA and opened several restaurants. Khawam worked full time while earning a BA, MBA, MS and a JD degree from Georgetown University Law Center.
Currently she is a practicing attorney focusing on Veteran’s Benefits, Military issues, Whistleblower cases, Military medical malpractice, Medicare & Medicaid fraud and abuse cases, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) cases, False Claims Act (Qui Tam) cases, Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and Office of Inspector General (OIG) matters, Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) hearings, and other Federal matters.
== Whistleblower Law Firm ==
Khawam has worked in the federal and private sector for 20 years before creating the Whistleblower Law Firm in Tampa, Florida.
== Memberships and affiliations ==
Khawam is admitted to practice in Federal Courts throughout the USA, including the United States Supreme Court as well. She holds an active membership with the American Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, as well as the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association among others.
== High Profile Cases ==
=== SFC Richard Stayskal Military Medical Accountability Act ===
Sergeant First Class Richard Stayskal is an active duty soldier who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2017 but his doctors failed to inform him of his cancer. He contacted dozens of law firms to represent him but was refused by everyone because of Feres Doctrine, and their unwillingness to fight DoD. The Feres Doctrine bars active duty members from having any legal recourse if they are victims of medical malpractice. After a recommendation, his mother Kitty and Stayskal contacted Khawam and she agreed to take on his challenging case. 
Khawam was successful in challenging the Feres doctrine. The Bill was estimated at $440 million, and was passed by Congress in less than a year. 
This Bill paved the way for our military to file medical malpractice claims against the Government for the first time in the history of the USA.
== Awards ==
Khawam has received the Pro Bono Service award by Georgetown University Law Center in 2005.
== Petraeus scandal ==
Khawam’s sister Jill Kelley was being cyberstalked by the mistress of David Petraeus. Dave’s affair with his mistress Paula Broadwell caused a scandal resulting in his resignation as the director of CIA. 
== Media appearances ==
Khawam has appeared in media as a legal expert on several occasions including:
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== External links ==
*Official Website
*Firm’s Website
*Natalie Khawam on Facebook
*Natalie Khawam on Instagram
*Natalie Khawam on Twitter
*Natalie Khawam on LinkedIn
== References ==
Category:Living people
Category:1975 births
Category:American lawyers
Category:Georgetown University Law School alumni