August 10, 2011
New York, NY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Two class action lawsuits alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation and deceptive business practices were filed today against New York Law School (“NYLS”) and Thomas M. Cooley Law School (“Thomas Cooley”). The suits allege that the schools knowingly inflate reported rates of post-graduate employment and salary statistics to recruit and retain students. The putative class actions were filed by three NYLS graduates and four Thomas Cooley graduates, respectively.
“These suits are not just about NYLS and Thomas Cooley – we believe the practice of inflating employment statistics and salary information is endemic among law schools” stated David Anziska an attorney at Kurzon Strauss LLP (“Kurzon Strauss”). “We hope these suits bring systematic change in the way legal education is marketed by making transparency and accuracy the rule, not the exception. Our efforts to bring about that change begin today.”
In addition to seeking monetary relief for current and former students, the suits seek to ensure that law schools report accurate post-graduate employment data that allows prospective students to make an informed decision regarding whether to invest in a law degree. The suits allege that to recruit students for their programs – which cost tens-of-thousands of dollars per-year – law schools, including NYLS and Thomas Cooley, misrepresent their graduates’ employment prospects by misclassifying graduates who have only secured temporary or part-time employment as being “fully” employed, excluding graduates who do not supply information from employment surveys, and creating post-graduate “jobs programs” into which they hire their own graduates.
“We are bringing these suits because thousands of young lawyers, like the plaintiffs, struggle to purchase a home, raise a family and make investments because they leveraged their future to a law school based on inaccurate information,” stated Jesse Strauss, a Kurzon Strauss partner. “It is time for the legal academy to own up to this problem.”
To help prosecute the Thomas Cooley lawsuit, Kurzon Strauss has retained as local counsel Steven Hyder of The Hyder Law Firm, PC, who is a 2006 graduate of Thomas Cooley.
The cases are Gomez-Jimenez et al. v. New York Law School, Index No. Unassigned (electronically filed), (Supreme Court, New York County) and MacDonald et al. v. Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 11-CV-00831 (W.D.MI).
Kurzon Strauss LLP is one of the premier New York based commercial litigation and corporate transactional law firms. For more information, log on to www.KurzonStrauss.com.
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You can view the official documents here and here.
RELATED LINKS
"*UPDATE* OP-Ed: Freedom of Speech Under Attack - Rockstar05's Attorney Files Motion to Quash Thomas M Cooley Law School's Subpoena," AEM (August 8, 2011)
"Lawyer says Cooley Law School's suit just trying to silence critical bloggers," Detroit Free Press
"Stink Pit Central: Fourth Tier Dung Pile Thomas M. Cooley Law School Sues Bloggers," Third Tier Reality (July 18, 2011)
"Thomas M Cooley Law School Sues NYC Law Firm and 4 'John Does' for Defamation: Seeking Answers and Help from the Hill," AEM (July 19, 2011)
"I see defamation cases everywhere . . ." Wells Law Blog (July 16, 2011)
"BREAKING! Thomas Cooley Law School Fights Back And Sues a Law Firm and Four 'John Does,'" AEM (July 14, 2011)
"Cooley Law School Files Suit to Protect Students, Alumni and Reputation," Thomas M. Cooley Law School (July 14, 2011)
"Thomas Cooley Law School - What Are They Hiding?," AEM (July 15, 2011)
"The Thomas M. Law School Scam"
"Repost - Investigating Law Schools (Class Action Case)," AEM (May 22, 2011)
"[UPDATE] Dean James Thelen from Thomas M. Cooley Law School Responds With A Threatening Letter," AEM (April 28, 2011) - Primary Document
"Part II: Thomas M Cooley Law School," AEM (April 28, 2011)
"UPDATED] MUST READ: Thomas M Cooley Law School Under Investigation For Serious Title IV Violations," AEM (April 27, 2011)
"Stink Pit Central: Fourth Tier Dung Pile Thomas M. Cooley Law School Sues Bloggers," Third Tier Reality (July 18, 2011)
"Thomas M Cooley Law School Sues NYC Law Firm and 4 'John Does' for Defamation: Seeking Answers and Help from the Hill," AEM (July 19, 2011)
"I see defamation cases everywhere . . ." Wells Law Blog (July 16, 2011)
"BREAKING! Thomas Cooley Law School Fights Back And Sues a Law Firm and Four 'John Does,'" AEM (July 14, 2011)
"Cooley Law School Files Suit to Protect Students, Alumni and Reputation," Thomas M. Cooley Law School (July 14, 2011)
"Thomas Cooley Law School - What Are They Hiding?," AEM (July 15, 2011)
"The Thomas M. Law School Scam"
"Repost - Investigating Law Schools (Class Action Case)," AEM (May 22, 2011)
"[UPDATE] Dean James Thelen from Thomas M. Cooley Law School Responds With A Threatening Letter," AEM (April 28, 2011) - Primary Document
"Part II: Thomas M Cooley Law School," AEM (April 28, 2011)
"UPDATED] MUST READ: Thomas M Cooley Law School Under Investigation For Serious Title IV Violations," AEM (April 27, 2011)
Dante's place in hell for thieves
2 comments:
awesome post Cryn. I hope this is the first of many lawsuits against the corrupt law schools.
Thanks, Turde! So glad you commented. You've reminded me that I need to add you to my blog roll.
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