OAKLAND, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A large group of plaintiffs is suing the University of Phoenix and Apollo Education Group, claiming they were falsely promised they could find shortcuts to employment with prominent companies like Microsoft and Adobe.
Fifty-four former students filed suit May 13 in Oakland, Calif., federal court on May 13, alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation and false advertising. They are represented by The Carlson Law Firm, and their lawsuit follows the University of Phoenix's $191 million settlement of claims made by the Federal Trade Commission in 2019.
University of Phoenix's "Let's Get to Work" advertising campaign started in 2012 and featured employers like Microsoft, Twitter, Adobe and Yahoo!.
"University of Phoenix created and disseminated an advertisement that claimed University of Phoenix's corporate partnerships with companies like AT&T and Allied Barton offered hiring programs from University of Phoenix students who were veterans," the suit says.
"In reality, Defendants' relationships with these companies did not create employment opportunities for University of Phoenix students who were current or former military members. The companies' hiring programs were open to all veterans and were not a result of their status as University of Phoenix 'Corporate Partners.'"
The advertising campaign falsely represented to potential students they would have an inside track to working with major companies if they attended the University of Phoenix, the suit says.
"(A)ny job opportunities with these companies were not unique to University of Phoenix students, and in fact, were widely available on other websites or were simply copied by University of Phoenix employees into the University of Phoenix career portal," the suit says.