Florida Real Estate Lawyer Blog
Partner John Catalano, who joined the law firm earlier this summer, authored an article that appeared in today’s Miami Herald as a “My View” guest column in the newspaper’s “Business Monday” special section. The article, which was titled “New Florida Law Helps Businesses Protect Against Frivolous ADA Lawsuits,” focuses on important legislative changes aimed at enabling Florida businesses to diminish their potential exposure to ADA barrier-to-access lawsuits. John’s article reads:
Despite its net positive effect on the lives of millions of Floridians and visitors to the state, an unintended consequence [of the Americans with Disabilities Act] has been the proliferation of frivolous lawsuits aimed primarily at racking up attorney and expert-witness fees against Florida businesses and property owners.
These lawsuits are sometimes filed by lawyers who recruit clients to blanket entire city blocks of businesses with demand letters posing an ultimatum to either pay a quick settlement or face the threat of an ADA lawsuit.
There are even allegations that some lawyers are using Google Earth to view sites without ever having a client actually visit them.
