NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — A Kentucky attorney is suing website operators, alleging defamation.
Alex R. White of Jefferson County, Kentucky, filed a class action complaint, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Aug. 22 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Lawyer.com LLC and World Media Group LLC, alleging violation of New York and other state consumer protection statutes.
According to the complaint, White and his class were caused to sustain damages to the reputations of their business and professional careers for having received a poor review of their abilities on the defendants' website. The suit says the site operates to match a visitor with the "perfect lawyer," but some the top lawyers and judges were marked with low scores and failing grades of "D" or "F".
White alleges the defendants enriched themselves at the expense of lawyers who have not authorized the disclosure of their personal and professional information, bombarded attorneys with unsolicited emails from “potential clients” as part of its efforts to sell premium memberships on its website which cost hundreds of dollars a month and promoted attorneys and law firms based solely on how much money was paid.
White seeks a trial by jury, damages, injunctive relief, attorney fees, court costs, interest and all the court deems just. He is is represented by attorneys Paul C. Whalen of the Law Office of Paul C. Whalen PC in Manhasset, New York, and by Jasper D. Ward IV and Alex C. Davis of Jones Ward PLC in Louisville, Kentucky.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Case number 16-cv-06617