After a lawsuit from a San Francisco District Attorney claiming to protect small business owners was dismissed, the new DA is bringing it back saying legal action is necessary to protect small business owners from what they call a “predatory attorney.”
Kamee Tong, who owns a jewelry store in San Francisco's Chinatown, said she's barely able to make ends meet, after settling lawsuits aimed to protect those with disabilities.
"Well, I have to get a personal loan from people, I pay my debt,” she said. “Thank God it's been helping."
The lawsuits, filed by San Diego-based law firm Potter Handy, allege violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, by scores of businesses, many too small to risk fighting back.
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Former District Attorney Chesa Boudin sued to stop the lawsuits, but lost and new DA Brooke Jenkins said the lawsuits kept coming, especially in San Francisco's Chinatown.
So, she plans to continue to fight Potter Handy in court.
"They used serial filers, the same plaintiffs, to come into these businesses, sometimes multiple businesses in one day, in order to file these lawsuits,” said Jenkins.
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In fact, she said so many lawsuits were filed, companies there nearly went out of business trying to settle.
"The average is about $10,000 to $30,000 thousand, so it's very sad, and hopefully we can do something, otherwise, it's hard to do business,” said Lily Low, nonprofit owner.
Jenkins said legal action is necessary to keep these small businesses from going out of business.
"Most of the businesses that were targeted were small mom and pop operations that could not afford legal representation, or to spend time fighting back against these fraudulent lawsuits," said Jenkins.
Handy said the lawsuits are anything but fraudulent and called Jenkin’s move a publicity stunt. He insists his firm is helping clients get safely into and out of stores, and will continue to fight for them.
