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Elder
Financial Abuse - Annuity Sales
Insurance
Broker Abuse
ALCOPOPS
and Underage Drinking
Our affirmative
litigation model was a vanguard approach to public sector litigation
when Louise Renne and Jon Holtzman introduced it a decade ago
in the San Francisco City Attorney's Office.
Ms. Renne,
as San Francisco City Attorney, "reinvented" municipal
law by filing class actions against tobacco, insurance companies,
energy producers, national banks, gun and lead paint manufacturers
and escrow companies. Organized by Ms. Renne, the suits embodied
cooperative efforts by cities, counties, utility districts,
and non-governmental organizations all working in concert with
one another. This inter-jurisdictional cooperation achieved
strength in numbers and enabled local governments to put a stop
to fraudulent, harmful or deceptive practices that were against
the public's interest. Under Ms. Renne's leadership, the San
Francisco City Attorney's Office recovered more than $1 billion
for California taxpayers.
At Renne
Sloan Holtzman Sakai, LLP, we continue this effective model
of affirmative litigation, representing and organizing public
agencies, non-profit organizations and individuals in public
interest and consumer protection litigation. Some of the litigation
matters we are currently pursuing in the public's interest include:
- Insurance
Broker Abuse - Represent California public entities against
the primary insurance brokers that serve California counties,
schools, and cities and have used their positions of trust with
their clients to obtain kick backs, improper fees, and benefits
at the expense of their clients. [More
information].
- Elder
Financial Abuse - Pursuit of multiple state and national class-action
suits against insurance companies, a bank and "living trust
mill" companies for the sale of inappropriate financial
products to seniors. [More
information].
- Alcoholic
Beverages Targeted At Minors - Writ action against the California
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board alleging that it has misclassified
"alcopops" - sweet beverages containing distilled
alcohol - as beer, resulting in a $50 million annual loss to
the state in tax revenue, and allowing these products to be
far more accessible to teenagers, whom are their primary target.
Class
Action Experience
Our firm's
lawyers have a long history of serving as class counsel in complex
public interest litigation and have achieved national recognition
for the successful resolution of these cases. Some of the cases
our attorneys have previously organized and lead include:
- Representation
of cities and counties throughout California in lawsuits against
the tobacco industry to recover damaged incurred to local and
state government. The lawsuits, later joined by the California
Attorney General, recovered $25 billion, half of which now goes
to California local government agencies. San Francisco's share
of the recovery is estimated to be $585 million over 25 years.
- Representation
of over 300 California cities and counties in a False Claims
Act whistleblower lawsuit against Bank of America. The lawsuit
alleged that proceeds from as many as 14,000 bond issues valued
at $100 billion and managed by the bank since the 1940s had
been illegally retained by the bank. Local governments recovered
$187.5 million in this lawsuit.
- Representation
of public agencies in a $50 million lawsuit against Old Republic
Title, alleging that the company engaged in scheme to collect
illegal interest payments on escrow accounts. Subsequently,
the Department of Insurance initiated an investigation and the
State Controller filed suit. The suit ultimately recovered $8
million for the City and County of San Francisco.
- While serving
as General Counsel for the San Francisco Unified School District
("SFUSD"), Ms. Renne uncovered a nation-wide scandal,
known as the "e-rate" scandal, in which numerous technology
vendors and computer consultants conspired to defraud a federal
government program of millions of dollars intended for the purchase
of computer equipment for public schools. As part of a settlement
with one company, a total of almost $16 million was paid to
the federal government, of which SFUSD received $3.3 million.
- Representation
of California cities and counties in a lawsuit which successfully
prevented tobacco companies from targeting minors in advertising.
The lawsuit, often referred to as the "Joe Camel"
case, resulted in a settlement in which Camel agreed to cease
advertising directed at minors.
- In a case
against a Fortune 250 company on behalf of SFUSD, recovered
$43.1 million for SFUSD in a breach of contract and False Claims
Act lawsuit.
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