FCRA Case Valuation eCourse Part 1: What is my Credit Reporting Case Worth?

Your time is precious and limited. Whether you take only a handful of credit reporting cases a year or if you see a high volume of cases, having a strong grasp of the value of a credit reporting case can make or break your practice. With the proper valuation system in place, you can make the decision whether to spend your time litigating a case or whether it’s time to make a quick settlement and move to the next case.

Determining the value of your Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) case can be very challenging. The value of your case depends on many factors, such as liability, the number of disputes, the number and type of errors, the length of time the incorrect information appeared on the credit reports, the plaintiffs, the defendants, the damages, the jurisdiction and more! Furthermore, the value of an FCRA claim is not static, it changes throughout the course of litigation.

The FCRA Case Valuation eCourse Part 1 will provide you with the tools to determine the proper value range for your credit reporting cases. Please note this eCourse is self-paced and access never expires. It includes:
•    Original webinars and video content on the different factors that will play a role in case valuation.
•    Checklists used by experienced practitioners when entering settlement negotiations.
•    Twenty fact pattern case studies that are valued by a diverse group of practitioners.

Registrants that complete the course will be eligible to receive five CLEs.

Click here to purchase a discounted package of both the FCRA Discovery eCourse and FCRA Case Valuation eCourse ($100 off)

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What You Will Learn:

• What are the factors that will determine the value of a credit reporting case
• Whether your case is an “A”, “B” or “C” case (High Value, Mid-Value, Low Value)
• How to evaluate the value of the following credit reporting case types:
  o    Mixed File Cases
  o    Identity Theft Cases
  o    Status Cases
  o    Deceased Cases
  o    Tenant and Employment Screening Cases
  o    Impermissible Pull Cases
  o    Post-Bankruptcy Cases

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Webinar and Video Content Presenters
Justin M. Baxter is with Baxter & Baxter, LLP, in Portland, OR. Justin’s practice focuses on consumer litigation with an emphasis on credit reporting and unlawful debt collection cases. In 2007, he obtained a verdict against Equifax for violations of the FCRA. In 2013, he obtained a verdict against Equifax for $18.5 million for violations of the FCRA. In 2016, he obtained a $190,000 verdict against JP Morgan Chase Bank for violations of the FCRA.

Suzanne Begnoche represents plaintiffs in matters involving identity theft, security breaches, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, and North Carolina’s fair debt collection laws. Prior to opening her solo practice in Chapel Hill, she was a staff attorney handling consumer matters at Legal Aid of North Carolina under a Clifton W. Everett, Sr. Community Lawyer Fellowship. She is a past Chair of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice-Consumer Areas of Practice Section. She is also an active member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates and the North Carolina Bar Association’s Bankruptcy and Privacy and Data Security Sections. She is a graduate of Duke University and the University of North Carolina School of Law

Penny Hays Cauley (Samford University, J.D.) has been representing consumers for twenty years. In 2006, she opened Hays Cauley, P.C., a law firm dedicated to representing consumers, with a particular focus in fair credit reporting, fair debt collection practices, and TCPA claims. She was lead counsel in Jamon Brim v. Midland Credit Management, Inc., a §1681s-2(b) claim, which resulted in a jury verdict of $100,000 in compensatory damages and $623,180 in punitive damages for violations of the FCRA.
David Chami is the managing partner for the Price Law Group. Under his supervision, the firm files hundreds of cases each year under the FCRA, FDCPA, and Bankruptcy Discharge violations.  In the past two years, David has argued in front of the 6th Circuit, 8th Circuit, and 9th Circuit courts of appeal obtaining reversals of summary judgment or motions to dismiss in five of the seven appeals in addition to the reversal that his firm obtained in Losch v. Experian in the 11th Circuit.

Jared Lee was the managing partner at Jackson Lee. He’s served as the chair of Florida’s Consumer Protection Committee. Jared attended Florida State College of Law. He’s had the privilege to represent consumers in obtaining sizable recoveries through trial, arbitration, and settlement, including multiple seven-figure outcomes. Jared serves as an adjunct professor for the Florida State University College of Law Juris Master program.

Alexis Lehmann was an attorney at Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C., who represented individual consumers’ rights under the FCRA and the FDCPA. Alexis is also an active member on the Executive Board for the Justice Rising Advocates. Prior to joining the firm, Alexis worked as a civil litigator for local and state law enforcement officers handling cases under Title VII, The Americans With Disabilities Act, The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the First Amendment Free Speech and Petition clause.

Matt Loker is the founder of Loker Law, APC and Professor of Contracts at the San Luis Obispo College of Law. Originally from Ohio, Matt moved to California after meeting his wife—a California native—while studying abroad in Alicante, Spain. These days Matt enjoys exploring the Central Coast along with his two daughters, Charley and Hazel.

Hans Lodge is senior counsel at Berger Montague, leading the firm’s individual FCRA practice. Hans has litigated numerous individual and class cases throughout the country. Hans is a zealous advocate and is dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers in and out of court. Hans assists consumers who have been denied jobs or housing due to inaccurate criminal history information reporting in their employment and tenant screening background check reports. Hans also assists consumers who have been denied credit due to inaccurate information reporting in their credit reports. Hans is an aggressive and strategic litigator who has a reputation of working tirelessly to get favorable outcomes for his clients.

Tony Love founded Love Consumer Law (LCL) to provide Georgia consumers with the legal protection and representation they are entitled to and deserve. He has over 28 years of litigation experience in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He represented one of the country’s largest consumer reporting agencies in several thousand Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) cases over twenty years. He was a member of the trial practice groups of several major law firms, including over fourteen years with King & Spalding. Tony has represented clients in FCRA and personal injury jury trials through verdict. In addition to his decades-long experience in the credit reporting field, Tony has also handled personal injury cases for both plaintiffs and defendants and served as in-house counsel for a mortgage servicing company. Tony received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his law degree from Georgia State College of Law.

Mark D. Mailman has concentrated his practice in consumer protection litigation since co-founding his firm, Francis & Mailman, P.C. in 1998. Mark has litigated thousands of FCRA and FDCPA cases. He has been certified to serve as class counsel by state and federal courts in both contested and settlement class actions. In October 2018, Mark was awarded the 2018 Consumer Attorney of the Year award from NACA.

Craig Marchiando focuses his practice on representing consumers in lawsuits brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Litigating mainly class action cases, Craig has represented thousands of consumers in successfully obtaining benefits under the FCRA’s broad protections and has been appointed class counsel by numerous courts across the country. In 2019 alone, Craig’s cases yielded more than $5 million in relief to nationwide classes of consumers. Craig has also handled all aspects of individual FCRA cases, from client intake to discovery and motions practice, to trials and post-trial proceedings.

Evan S. Rothfarb is an accomplished litigator whose complex litigation experience includes both class action lawsuits and multi-district litigation. Evan is a graduate of Cornell Law School. He began his legal career as an associate in a small New York City litigation firm, specializing in commercial litigation and class actions. Subsequently, he founded a litigation firm, where he represented individuals and businesses in a variety of commercial actions. In 2017, Evan brought his considerable litigation skills to Schlanger Law Group, putting his extensive experience to work in the consumer protection, identity theft, and consumer class action arenas.

As founder of the Law Office of Adam G. Singer, PLLC, Adam has focused his practice on helping consumers enforce their Fair Credit rights. Most frequently, Adam’s cases involve the defamatory fallout from negative credit reporting that arises from identity theft or mixed files. Adam earned a B.A., summa cum laude at Washington University and a J.D., cum laude at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Adam began his legal career as a law clerk to the Hon. Sidney H. Stein, U.S.D.J. in the S.D.N.Y. and as an associate at the law firms of Skadden Arps and Akin Gump before starting his own consumer practice.

Stephanie Tatar has been a consumer advocate since graduating cum laude from DePaul University, College of Law. Prior to founding The Tatar Law Firm, Ms. Tatar gained extensive litigation and appellate experience with firms in Chicago and Los Angeles. During her career, she has successfully fought debt collectors, credit reporting agencies, creditors, manufacturers, and car dealers.

Courtney Weiner is a solo practitioner representing consumers primarily in Washington, DC and Maryland in consumer finance matters, including FCRA, FDCPA, RESPA, TILA, and student loans. Prior to opening her firm, Courtney honed her litigation skills in a variety of settings, ranging from the U.S. Department of Justice to some of the top litigation firms in the country. Courtney is a member of the boards of Tzedek DC, the DC Bar, and the DC Bar Pro Bono Center. Courtney graduated from Columbia Law School and Princeton University and is a native of Washington, DC.