Brown v. Consumer Law Associates, LLC

283 F.R.D. 602, 2012 WL 2236629, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83482
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Washington
DecidedJune 15, 2012
DocketNo. 11-CV-0194-TOR
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 283 F.R.D. 602 (Brown v. Consumer Law Associates, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Consumer Law Associates, LLC, 283 F.R.D. 602, 2012 WL 2236629, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83482 (E.D. Wash. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER RE: DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, CERTIFICATION OF PLAINTIFF CLASS AND MOTION TO STRIKE

THOMAS 0. RICE, District Judge.

BEFORE THE COURT are Plaintiffs Motion for Class Certification (ECF No. 25), Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment (ECF Nos. 45 and 59) and Defendants’ Motion to Strike the Declaration of Joseph Gusmano (ECF No. 91). The Court heard oral argument on these motions on May 30, 2012. Toby J. Marshall and Matthew Zuchetto appeared on behalf of the Plaintiff, Kenneth R. Brown. Christopher N. Weiss appeared on behalf of Defendants Consumer Law Associates, LLC, Jimmy B. Persels, and Neil J. Ruther. Leslie R. Weatherhead and Geana Van Dessel appeared on behalf of Defendants EFA Processing, L.P. and Debt Relief Options, LLC. Also before the Court is Plaintiffs unopposed Motion to Amend Complaint (ECF No. 124), heard without oral argument. The Court has reviewed the motions, the responses, and the record and files herein and is fully informed.

BACKGROUND

This is a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Washington consumers for alleged violations of the Washington Debt Adjusting Act (“DAA”). Plaintiff has sued for monetary and injunctive relief under the Washington Consumer Protection Act (“CPA”) and for breach of fiduciary duty. Plaintiff has moved to certify a class consisting of all Washington residents who contracted with Defendant Consumer Law Associates (“CLA”) for debt adjusting services from April 18, 2007, to present.

Defendants oppose class certification and have moved for summary judgment on the ground that they are exempt from regulation under the DAA. Defendants raise two related arguments in support of this motion. First, they contend that licensed attorneys (as well as their agents) are categorically exempt from regulation pursuant to RCW 18.28.010(2)(a). In the alternative, Defendants maintain that their attorneys are exempt under a more narrow reading of the statute because CLA provides debt adjusting services “solely incidental to” the practice of law. These motions involve the same set of operative facts and will be addressed simultaneously.

FACTS

Consumer Law Associates provides debt relief services to consumers across the country. One of the services offered by CLA is a “debt settlement” program which aims to settle a customer’s outstanding debts to credit card companies and other creditors for less than full value. Upon enrolling a new customer in this program, CLA creates a customized debt-reduction plan based upon the customer’s total outstanding debt and his or her ability to make fixed monthly payments. Once enrolled in the program, the customer makes monthly deposits into a dedicated savings account from which CLA subsequently disburses funds to creditors pursuant to negotiated settlement agreements. CLA charges its customers various one-time, recurring and contingent fees for this service.

CLA has a unique marketing strategy. Unlike many of its competitors, CLA markets its debt settlement program as a legal service provided by licensed attorneys. Consistent with this strategy, CLA portrays itself to the outside world as a “multijurisdictional law firm” with associate attorneys across the country. Ruther Decl., ECF No. 50, at ¶¶ 2-3. Although the debt settlement program is a “cornerstone” of its business, [606]*606CLA also offers its customers “unbundled” legal services such as “preparing answers to complaints, answering interrogatories and demands for production of documents, and preparing responses to motions for summary judgment for pro se use by the client.” Ruther Decl., ECF No. 50, at ¶¶ 6-7.

The vast majority of CLA’s attorneys are employed as independent contractors. These “field attorneys” are trained on CLA’s business model, given access to CLA’s information technology systems, and supervised by senior attorneys at CLA’s home office. Pursuant to their employment contracts, these field attorneys perform a narrow range of pre-defined “tasks” for each customer in exchange for small fixed fees. In general, these tasks include providing an initial telephone consultation, reviewing customers’ records each month, and being available to answer questions. Zuchetto Decl., Exhibit S, ECF No. 36, at 384.

While some of CLA’s services are provided by licensed attorneys, the vast majority of its debt settlement program is administered by two non-legal companies. The first of these companies, Defendant Debt Relief Options, LLC (“DR Options”), actively recruits new customers through advertisements and direct media campaigns. The second company, EFA Processing, L.P. (“EFA”), provides a wide array of back-end support services. In addition to providing “general customer support services,” EFA regularly communicates with CLA’s customers and their creditors on behalf of CLA. In exchange for these services, CLA pays EFA Processing a substantial portion of the fees paid by its customers.1

The scope of the services provided by CLA is described in detail in a standard form contract signed by each of its customers. Among other things, this contract specifies that “CLA [will] assist client in the resolution of outstanding debts (“Enrolled Debts”) with the following [enumerated] creditors by way of negotiation of payment plan or lump sum settlement[.]” ECF No. 29-1 at 6. The contract also specifies the amount that the customer must remit to CLA each month and explains the process by which CLA will negotiate with creditors. The contract further specifies that CLA will charge the following fees: (1) an “initial Consultation Fee” of $199.00; (2) a “Retainer Fee of 8%” of the total contracted debt, amortized over the first 12 months of the agreement; and (3) a “monthly service fee” of $85.00. ECF No. 29-1 at 7.

Finally, CLA’s standard form contract specifies that a customer may engage CLA to provide certain debt-related legal services on an ad-hoc basis for an additional fee:

[A] creditor’s collection efforts may include filing a lawsuit against you. In the event you are sued, for a small additional fee, we will assist you in preparing an answer to such suit and will negotiate with the creditor’s attorney on your behalf. We will not go to court with you or file an appearance on your behalf, as the cost of doing so would be prohibitive. We will advise you on what the creditor can do, if anything, with a judgment and will work with you to revise your debt reduction plan if it’s necessary to serve your interests.
Authorization for Additional Legal Fees. As an active client of the Firm, if you decide you need additional legal services because your creditors have pursued litigation against you, you authorize the release of up to $65 from the funds you paid into escrow to pay additional legal services you may require. You understand that $65 will purchase a phone consultation and the preparation of one document in response to a creditor suit. Fees can be higher based on the complexity of the situation and the timeline required to respond. You understand that this attorney will not represent you in litigation, but will assist you in preparing appropriate documents and for any possible appearance at trial. No attorney will be responsible for preparing an answer to any action against you unless you provide Consumer Law Associates, LLC with such documents at least 10 days [sic]. [607]*607ECF No. 29-1 at ¶¶ 4, 14 (emphasis in original).

DISCUSSION

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Bluebook (online)
283 F.R.D. 602, 2012 WL 2236629, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83482, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-consumer-law-associates-llc-waed-2012.