Top Class Actions  |  November 11, 2022

Category: Closed Class Actions

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Close up of an attorney using a smartphone in a law office, representing the Howard Law TCPA telemarketing settlement.
(Photo Credit: RollingCamera/Shutterstock)

Howard Law has reached a lawsuit settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) resolving claims the law firm violated consumer protection law in its telemarketing practices and methods of selling debt-relief services.

The class is made up of all consumers who did one of the following on or after Jan. 30, 2014:

  • Enrolled in a debt-relief service in response to the firm’s deceptive advertisements
  • Paid fees directly to the firm directly or paid fees indirectly through Howard Law Network attorneys before the firm altered the terms of at least one their debts

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed the telemarketing lawsuit asserting that Howard Law violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Fraud and Abuse Protection Act by charging customers for debt protection services before performing those services. 

The bureau says debt-relief companies that use telemarketing are prohibited from requesting to charge or charging fees to customers before rendering services.

Additionally, the firm allegedly falsely told customers they would not be charged before services were rendered, but did indeed charge customers. 

According to the bureau, the firm began providing debt-relief services in 2007 when the company contracted with Morgan Drexen to administer services for the firm.

Initially, the firm offered debt-protection services under the name Howard Law, but in 2013, the company formed Williamson & Howard, the name under which it began to offer debt-protection services.

Class members in the telemarketing settlement are eligible to receive a refund for the amount that they paid to the firm in debt-protection service fees before services were rendered. 

Some class members may have already received a check from the CFPB for this telemarketing settlement, as some checks were mailed in October 2022. 

Those class members who have not received a check can submit a claim for benefits in the CFPB telemarketing lawsuit settlement. Some class members may be eligible for additional refunds beyond the initial refund they received.

The settlement administrator’s website does not indicate an option to opt out of the CFPB telemarketing settlement.

No hearings are scheduled at this time. A final judgment was reached in March 2019.

To receive benefits, class members must submit a list of payments made to the firm, including the amount of the payment made, the date of payment and the description of the fee.

Class members must file a valid claim by Jan. 26, 2023. 

Who’s Eligible

The class is made up of all consumers who did one of the following on or after Jan. 30, 2014:

  • Enrolled in a debt-relief service in response to Howard Law’s deceptive advertisements.
  • Paid fees directly to Howard Law directly or paid fees indirectly through Howard Law Network attorneys before Howard Law altered the terms of at least one their debts.
Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

Documentation that payment was sent to the Howard Law PC, The Williamson Law Firm LLC or Williamson & Howard LLP

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

01/26/2023

Case Name

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Howard Law, Case No. 8:17-CV-00161 (JLS) (JEMx), in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Final Hearing

03/2019

Settlement Website
Claims Administrator

CFPB v. Howard Law
Civil Penalty Fund Third-Party Administrator
P.O. Box 5339
Portland, OR 97228-5339
info@cfpb-howardlaw.org
800-651-8743

Class Counsel

John C Wells
Amy Radon
Jan Singelmann
P Solange Hilfinger-Pardo
Leanne Hartmann
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU

Defense Counsel

Vincent Howard
HOWARD LAW PC

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