Firm Obtains Dismissal of False Claims Act Suit on Behalf of McGraw Hill
On May 15, 2026, Patterson Belknap successfully secured the dismissal of a False Claims Act lawsuit brought by the Florida Attorney General's Office (the "Florida AG Office") against the firm’s client, education solutions provider McGraw Hill, LLC ("McGraw Hill"), in Florida's Second Judicial Circuit Court.
The lawsuit was brought in August 2025 following an investigation and subpoena process in which the Florida AG's Office alleged that McGraw Hill violated Florida’s “most favored nation” pricing statute. The Court ruled that Florida’s most favored nation statute did not regulate the sale of materials within Florida, requiring dismissal of the entirety of the Florida AG Office’s complaint with prejudice. The case was brought by the State of Florida against McGraw Hill and Savvas, another provider of instructional materials.
The Court’s decision provides clarity regarding the lawfulness of pricing practices not just in Florida but in numerous other states with most-favored nation statutes covering instructional materials. After an individual “whistleblower,” who used to run a competitor to McGraw Hill and Savvas, accused the providers of educational materials of failing to comply with Florida law, the Florida AG Office investigated the claims and made the decision to file its lawsuit. That lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice as described in the Court’s opinion.
To read the opinion, please click here.