FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Phil Melin, Executive Director (224) 250-8974 pmelin@cala.com Governor J.B. Pritzker Signs BIPA Amendment into Law, Aiding Illinois Small Businesses Chicago, IL —  Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (IL-CALA) applauds Governor J.B. Pritzker for signing the bipartisan bill SB 2979, amending the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). This crucial legislative change marks a significant step toward protecting the state’s small businesses while upholding the privacy rights of individuals. Enacted in 2008, BIPA was designed…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Phil Melin, Executive Director (224) 250-8974 pmelin@cala.com Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Urges Governor to Sign BIPA Reform Bill Immediately (Chicago, IL) — Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (IL-CALA) is calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker to swiftly sign the recently passed bipartisan bill amending the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). This crucial legislation (SB 2979) addresses long-standing issues that have burdened small businesses across the state and seeks to prevent further lawsuit abuse…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Philippe Melin, Executive Director (224) 250-8974 pmelin@cala.com Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Applauds BIPA Reform But Urge Lawmakers to Go Even Further to Protect Small Businesses (SPRINGFIELD)—Yesterday, the Illinois Senate proposed and passed bipartisan changes to Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (IL-CALA) has urged lawmakers to reform BIPA throughout the years as this law has had a devastating impact on our state’s business community since…

A small, but growing, group of law firms from Chicago – but increasingly from out of state, as well – has been growing rich off of class action lawsuits under Illinois’ biometrics privacy law, as a spate of recent court decisions have all but forced employers and other businesses operating in Illinois that have been targeted by the lawsuits to collectively pay billions of dollars to settle, or risk even worse financial damage in court,…

With the fall veto session approaching, a lawsuit abuse watchdog is urging Illinois lawmakers to use the time to fix the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act, or BIPA. In February, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in a case involving White Castle that a legal claim accrues each time a private entity scans a person’s biometric identifier without their consent. Each day, White Castle required its employees to scan their fingerprints to clock in and access their computers.…

Chicago – Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (IL-CALA) Executive Director Phil Melin called on the Illinois Legislature to make fixes to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) when it returns to Springfield later this month. Melin said, “BIPA has a noble purpose to protect people’s biometric information, like fingerprints, but the current law needs revision because the penalties and liability exposure are ridiculously disproportionate.”  Melin continued, “In its decision earlier this year, the Illinois Supreme…

The recent surge in nuclear verdicts, defined as jury awards exceeding $10 million, has sent shockwaves through Illinois’ legal landscape. A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that Illinois ranked sixth among states for the number of nuclear verdicts in personal injury and wrongful death cases, with Cook County Circuit Court hosting the majority of these cases. While the intention behind such verdicts may be to provide justice to victims, the repercussions are…

Illinois is known for its vibrant culture, diverse communities, and thriving businesses. However, there’s a hidden cost that every resident of the Chicago metropolitan region bears: the “tort tax.” A recent study commissioned by the Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (ICALA) has revealed that each person in the Chicago metropolitan region pays a substantial annual “tort tax” of $2,321. This tax directly results from the state’s problematic legal landscape, which drives up costs for everyone.…

Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) was enacted with good intentions – to safeguard individuals’ biometric privacy, including fingerprints and eye scans. The protection of biometric data is crucial in an increasingly digital world, but the current state of BIPA raises concerns. Thousands of small businesses that utilize biometric technology are facing lawsuits under this law, with the most prominent case being White Castle, which potentially faces a staggering $17 billion in exposure. It’s essential…

Victor Gomez, Executive Director of California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CA CALA), sits down with California Insider to expose the abuse of California laws by trial attorneys to target small businesses with frivolous lawsuits. Gomez reveals how trial attorneys exploit minor errors by small businesses to rake in cash but ultimately hurt the communities the laws are supposed to protect.

CALA Illinois Executive Director Phil Melin was featured on WTTW, Chicago Public Television concerning Illinois Trial Association legislation that would impose new liabilities on rideshare companies. Melin said, “We think Springfield should be focusing on trying to make life more affordable for middle (and) working class people… The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association’s (ITLA) practice of donating heavily to lawmakers, including more than $400,000 to sponsors of the common carrier bill over the last three years, means the trial…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 1, 2023   Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse Calls on Illinois Senate to Reject Bill to Increase Cost of Uber and Other Rideshare Services Glenview, IL – Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA-IL) released a report that highlights the hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions that the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ILTA) has made to the sponsors of the Transportation Network Providers Act. CALA-IL Executive Director Phil Melin commented, “Consumers lose…

In a world where transparency is becoming increasingly important, it is alarming to see how trial lawyers across Florida have spent years taking advantage of our legal system to line their own pockets.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tom Gaitens, Executive Director Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse tgaitens@cala.com   FLORIDA LEGISLATURE PASSES HISTORIC CIVIL JUSTICE REFORM Awaiting the Governor’s Signature, HB 837 Passes [TALLAHASSEE, FL] March, 23rd 2023—Today, Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse commends the Florida Legislature for passing landmark civil justice reform, building off an already successful December special session. Over the past three months, the Florida Legislature has enacted the most significant set of legal reforms in more…

IL CALA Executive Director Phil Melin joined Bishop On Air to discuss the necessity for critical BIPA reform in Illinois. Watch the full interview below!

White Castle is the latest Illinois business to be hit with a multi-million dollar fine over violation of the state’s biometric privacy laws, which one expert warns the impact of which could “cripple” businesses statewide.

Illinois has some of the strictest biometric privacy laws in the country, but one group is calling for changes following a high court ruling.

E.J. Antoni is exactly right in each and every one of his reasons why Illinois citizens are “voting with their feet” and leaving Illinois (“Why are people fleeing Illinois?” Web, Feb. 8). I’d like to add one more reason for the mass exodus: abusive civil lawsuits that are driving employers of all sizes out of the state.

A recent Illinois Supreme Court decision will likely open the floodgates to a new round of predatory lawsuits against local employers at the worst possible time for our economy.

Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) welcomes Phil Melin as Executive Director of CALA-Illinois. CALA is a nonpartisan, grassroots movement working to end lawsuit abuse across the United States.

As a member of the small business community in Plainfield, I am deeply concerned with the state’s increasingly cavalier attitude toward raising taxes and fees on firms like mine through ever-expanding and burdensome regulation.

California is the worst state to do business, and it’s not even close. It seems that with each passing year our state’s business climate gets worse, and legislators refuse to take action to protect small businesses and employees.

Imagine, as if on cue, the Florida Legislature responded with significant legislation to respond to the December release of the American Tort Reform Foundation’s‭ (‬ATRF‭) ‬annual Judicial Hellholes report.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                      February 1, 2023 Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) welcomes Phil Melin as Executive Director of CALA-Illinois. CALA is a nonpartisan, grassroots movement working to end lawsuit abuse across the United States. CALA advocates for commonsense legal reform measures by educating the public about the devastating, real-world costs of lawsuit abuse on working families and small businesses. CALA-Illinois leads CALA’s mission in Illinois. “Small business is at the heart…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tom Gaitens, Executive Director Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse tgaitens@cala.com New Poll Shows Floridians Think Juries Should Hear Medical Cost Comparisons Before Awarding Damages [TALLAHASSEE, FL] February 1, 2023—Today, Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse released a poll highlighting Florida voters’ desire for more transparency when it comes to awarded medical damages. According to the poll, 55% of Florida voters believe the jury should know if the plaintiff agreed to higher-than-average medical treatment…

Smart-minded reforms passed by the Texas Legislature over the past two decades have fought against frivolous lawsuits, abusive legal practices, and unreasonable damage awards, contributing to a business climate that continues to create new jobs in our state.

For decades, personal injury lawyers and their handpicked members of the West Virginia Judiciary had a stranglehold on the legal system in our state.

The escalating dollar figure awarded in personal injury lawsuits might be good for trial lawyers, but it’s terrible for most Florida people. Taking advantage of legal loopholes makes the cost of everything—from insurance rates to everyday goods and services—go up across the board.

Lawsuit abuse is a problem that hits all Floridians every day. Currently, trial lawyers have an incentive to take advantage of our state’s legal system for their own benefit, and when they do, it hurts everyone.

If I asked you what the biggest threats were to California’s economy and the financial stability of our state’s workers, families and small businesses, would “lawsuit abuse” even make your list? My guess is no.

Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine that the state I opened my restaurant in would become such a hostile environment for small businesses to thrive.

A sad truth we must confront in 2022 is that Illinois is a difficult place to open a business — and it’s long past time to do something about it.

Nobody likes “For Lease” signs filling the windows on Main Street. The result of a bust in the economic cycle, mass business closures and unemployment are the extreme conclusion that political candidates swear to fight every time we have an election.

California’s business community has struggled to navigate our state’s complex legal environment for too long, getting burned with billions of dollars in frivolous lawsuits. But for some reason, the State Supreme Court recently decided to pour gasoline on the fire and set a precedent where laws can be applied retroactively, even to legally binding contracts.

It has been reported that our state has one of the worst legal climates in the country and, unfortunately, it is hurting the future of Florida families and businesses by driving up costs for consumers.

Many hundreds of ADA website lawsuits have been reported, in which attorneys allege that a business website is not compatible with screen reading software required by some people with visual limitations to navigate the Internet — and they contend this violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Only a few minor technical issues are needed to provide a plausible claim.

By one estimate, the 34-year-old Miami man has filed more than 600 disability compliance lawsuits in Florida and California since 2015, sometimes famously. Gomez sued the Kardashians’ clothing stores, Dash, in 2016 and has gone after other big name fashion retailers, alleging their websites are incompatible with the screen reading software he uses to navigate the web, according to published reports.

As California environmental regulators prepare to review Proposition 65 additions, concerns persist about the impact of such labels on items without clear evidence they are harmful, and the torrent of related litigation that threatens to shut down businesses.

Every year in the United States, the first week of October is observed as Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week. This week serves as an important opportunity to raise awareness about the high cost of frivolous lawsuits not only on small businesses owners, but on all Americans of all backgrounds.

While people have spent a generation flocking to the Sunshine State for the chance to live out the American dream, the past decade has seen their homeowner insurance rates spike to a level that is putting responsible homeownership out of reach for millions.

Halloween is upon us,‭ ‬and kids statewide look forward to having fun with ghosts and goblins. Unfortunately,‭ ‬many adults and homeowners are playing their own game of trick or treat these days.‭

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Oct. 5, 2022   Contact:  Lana Venable, Executive Director 225.328.8826; lana@llaw.org   Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch recognizes Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week Campaign highlights impact of lawsuit abuse and importance of citizen engagement   Baton Rouge, La. –  Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week is observed annually the first week in October by Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) and other civil justice reform organizations across the country. This grassroots effort is aimed at…

In recent years, Florida has become a hotbed for medical malpractice lawsuits.

Como propietaria de una empresa pequeña, reconozco que los tiempos son difíciles para todos en este momento.

As a small business owner, I see firsthand the devastating impact high taxes, overly burdensome regulations, and lawsuit abuse have on our communities.

In Florida, it is far from uncommon for residents to need repairs to their homes. Whether it be a tropical storm, a hurricane, or any other common cause of damage to Florida homes, our residents rely on their insurance to come through for them.

Florida’s courts are being commandeered by con artists and fraudsters, earning massive paydays at the expense of everyday small business owners.

As the President and CEO of the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) and the National Diversity Coalition (NDC), my entire life has been dedicated to empowering minority communities and small businesses.

With the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent 8-1 ruling in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana (pdf), limiting the ability for employees to sue under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), state lawmakers are faced with a unique opportunity to finally fix a problem that has long weighed our state’s economy down. That is, if they have the courage to do so.

A bill that would give Louisianans the right to file civil lawsuits against government agencies and public schools and universities that discriminate on the basis of coronavirus vaccination status is now headed to the governor’s desk.

As the President and CEO of the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) and the National Diversity Coalition (NDC), my entire life has been dedicated to empowering minority communities and small businesses.

Pending legislation is bringing increased attention to frivolous ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) lawsuits and the impact on small businesses.

Lawsuit abuse is a significant cost driver in Florida’s property insurance market. Bad actors and third-party contractors are turning consumers’ insurance policies into a cash cow for themselves.

As a small business owner for nearly 30 years, I can report the outlook for small businesses in Illinois has never looked worse.

As the President and CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, I continue to hear firsthand from my members how they’re being targeted by trial lawyers exploitation of legal loopholes in our state.

As much as digital commerce has benefited small businesses, it’s also left them exposed to lawsuit abuse. And the problem is only getting worse.

Hispanic-run businesses are the backbone of Florida’s economy. They make up over 30-percent of the state’s small business sector, with well over 780,000 businesses providing much-needed goods, jobs, and services to their communities.

As a small-business owner for nearly 30 years, I can report the outlook for small businesses in Illinois has never looked worse.

Executive Director for Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) Victor Gomez released the following statement in regard to recent filings in alleged Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) fraud schemes:

The past few years, Illinois lawmakers have talked about passing reforms that would get state spending under control while simultaneously easing the regulatory burden on small businesses.

Frivolous lawsuits centered around the Americans with Disabilities Act have become commonplace in our state, but for some reason, lawmakers won’t step up and pass meaningful reform.

A new report highlights how a high volume of costly civil court cases affects Illinois’ economy. The report was done by the Perryman Group for Illinois Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse and looks into the impact of excessive civil court costs from lawsuits over matters such as workplace injuries.

I found it encouraging to read in-person juries are back to work in Travis County.

First, it was the coronavirus that crushed small businesses. Then it was the supply chain disruptions and inflation that drove up the cost of all goods and services. Add in the challenge of finding workers in a state with a very high unemployment rate and you can start to get a taste of what small business owners have had to overcome over the last 2 years.  

California small businesses are in dire straits. As a former U.S. Small Business Administration Associate Administrator, I’ve seen firsthand the deteriorating

With Texas voters heading to the polls again in May for primary runoff elections, transparency and open accountability should be top of mind for voters and a top

As a small businesswoman, I have to watch every dollar that flows in and out of my business. Unfortunately, that dollar seems to have become

Nonpartisan Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch is highlighting the economic costs of excessive tort litigation in Louisiana as lawmakers prepare for the regular legislative session that begins

Authorities on Thursday arrested an Inland Empire attorney and another man accused of conspiring to file more than five dozen harassment lawsuits seeking

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is making it harder for small businesses in the Prairie State to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the state’s problems

First, it was the coronavirus that crushed small businesses. Then, it was the supply chain disruption and inflation. Add to that the challenge of finding

Operating a small business in Illinois is getting harder every day. I’ve run my chiropractic business for nearly two

First, it was the coronavirus that crushed small businesses. Then, it was the supply chain disruption and inflation.

 WV: Legal reforms deserve praise as WV improves  By Greg Thomas  February 11, 2022    Earlier this year, three major job announcements were made in West Virginia, representing thousands of new jobs being created and billions of dollars invested in our economy. This is great news for West Virginia families. For years, West Virginia was ranked last in workforce participation, and lost population.    For over a decade, West Virginia was the only state in…

Florida’s trial lawyers sure know how to play defense. Lawmakers are nearing the halfway mark of the 2022 Legislative Session, and it looks

Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) released its 2022 lawsuit economic impact report on Wednesday, detailing the state’s legal climate, and the results were mixed.

I am deeply concerned about stacked costs on businesses in our state.

In litigation over the constitutionality of California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce…

Right now, doing business in Illinois is hard. And not just because of COVID-19…

Illinois’ recently-passed law that increases interest rates on civil damages is a boon to trial lawyers and damaging to manufacturers…

As we‭ ‬continue the‭ ‬2022‭ ‬Florida legislative session,‭ ‬it is instructive to look both at where we are and‭ ‬where we going as a state as it relates…

In my nearly two decades as a restaurant franchise owner, I was always grateful for my community and the passion they had for supporting local family-owned businesses…

The first judges of the new West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals were appointed Tuesday as the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals gets the court ready by July…

California has done it again. The state has once again topped the American Tort Reform Foundation’s annual Judicial…

California’s atrocious legal environment coupled with the Legislature’s relentless pursuit of liability expanding principles…

California has been named the nation’s top Judicial Hellhole, up two slots from last year, in the 20th annual ranking from…

Continued suffering of our local small business community is nothing short of tragic. California’s business climate is forcing…

The Louisiana Supreme Court has approved rule changes requiring judges who are convicted of crimes or who resign…

For the 9th straight year, Louisiana has made a national list of the nation’s Top Ten “Judicial Hellholes”. The American Tort…

It’s generally accepted that Louisiana could do much better when it comes to the way we make, apply, and punish people…

The California Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act has recently been filed at the state level, reforming the Private…

Three Illinois counties notorious for plaintiff friendliness collectively ranked No. 5 on the annual report on the nation’s…

Despite the Legislature landing on a watch list of “Judicial Hellholes,” the Florida Justice Reform Institute says Florida has…

It’s an annual tradition and not something to be proud of. But despite efforts at tort reform in 2020, which may ultimately…

The American Tort Reform Association has ranked Louisiana the sixth-worst civil court jurisdiction in the country, making…

A new report today from the American Tort Reform Foundation outlines the cost of Louisiana’s trial-lawyer backed coastal…

Operating a business in Illinois has become increasingly difficult. As the owner of a small dental practice, I am fully…

As we almost get through this last wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida businesses can at least rest assured that…

There seems to be no end in sight for the nationwide supply chain crunch that is crippling our nation’s economy. For small…