3000 Frivolous Claims Backfire on Law Firm By Robert Warne - July 14, 2003 Ink detailing the fate of the infamous Trevor Law Group in Beverly Hills permeated the national press Friday.
After nearly a year of lobbying public and political support, companies that had been sucker punched with Business and Professions Code Sec. 17200 violation claims, were finally vindicated.
The day that they thought they may never see come, became a reality July 10, when Damian Trevor, Shane C. Hahn and Allan Hendrickson were forced to resign from the state bar in the midst of charges of entrepreneurial lawyering in a quest to amass up to $20 million in out-of-court settlements.
Over a short span of time the trio wielded their liberal interpretation of Section 17200 to launch over 3,000 claims against a range of vulnerable targets. Their method of operation was to go after auto repair shops, restaurants, independent grocers and salons that could be easily scared into a quick $1,000 settlement rather than spend the time and thousands of more dollars to fight the charges.
None of the claims were filed on behalf of a plaintiff who suffered any kind of a loss from any of the businesses. In fact many of the cases were based on complaints against the businesses for actions or oversights that didn’t violate any law.
Mike Nisperos, the State Bar's chief trial counsel, in a prepared statement said regarding the largest investigation in the history of the bar that, "We are very happy to have received the resignations from the Trevor attorneys."
Stripped of their ability to practice law in California, the Trevor lawyers still face a pending civil suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, courtesy of state Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
Lockyer and the bar's actions have surprised many because both failed to back legislation in the past to close loopholes in Section 17200 that would prevent other eager attorneys from seizing the opportunity to embark on their own claim spree.
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