ADA Lawsuit Protection Program

CHLA Offers Legal Support to Combat Drive-By ADA Claims

CHLA in partnership with Stillman & Associates provides flat-fee legal counsel and defense for members who are victims of serial drive-by lawsuits that allege violations of the ADA. CHLA members who have been sued for Unruh Act or ADA claims now can hire Stillman & Associates for a flat fee of $2,500-$3,500* per claim to defend them, dramatically less than the legal fees members otherwise would incur to defend such cases.

Stillman & Associates has a proven track record of defending these types of claims. Previously, CHLA successfully worked with Stillman & Associates to shut down Jonathan Asselin-Normand, who sued more than 50 hotels for allegedly not renting rooms to minors. He has been declared a “vexatious litigant” by the California Superior Court through Stillman’s and CHLA’s efforts and, effectively, stopped.

A handful of attorneys and plaintiffs are the primary source of these complaints, which target smaller independent property owners. Without an aggregated legal strategy, it has been less expensive for hoteliers to settle dubious claims for roughly $4,000, or much more depending on individual cases, than to engage in a protracted legal battle. Plaintiff attorneys take advantage of the potentially expensive litigation costs by offering hoteliers cost-effective settlement terms that encourage even more of this litigious activity.

Stillman & Associates provides members with a less-expensive option and coordinated legal strategy to defend themselves against these claims. This approach helps to deter so-called high-volume litigants from using legitimate laws as a source of income.

CHLA continuously looks to protect our members and our industry. While we hope you have no need for this member benefit, we know that if you do, you’re in good hands. For more information on this CHLA member program, please contact Philip Stillman, with Stillman & Associates, at pstillman@stillmanassociates.com.

*$2,500-$3,500 legal fee does not include possible court fees or expenses. Not every ADA case is eligible for the program.