Tenants Counsel Network took money from tenants seeking help with eviction, charged monthly subscription fees, and then failed to provide legal representation. Tenants reported that lawyers did not show up in eviction court and did not remain available to advise clients. The firm had no experience in housing law and targeted tenants facing eviction by scraping court website information for names and contact details. It sent tens of thousands of mailers, often before tenants knew about pending eviction cases. The Attorney General investigated deceptive business practices and false advertising, and an agreement dissolves the firm, refunds $172,000 in fees, imposes $35,000 in fines, and bars the founder from practicing law in New York.
"When tenants facing eviction called the Tenants Counsel Network for help, the firm took their money and routinely ghosted them, according to a settlement from New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Some tenants were scammed into paying the firm-which had no experience in housing law-monthly subscription fees. When tenants had court dates, their lawyers wouldn't show up, nor would they make themselves available to advise their clients."
"The Attorney General opened an investigation into deceptive business practices and false advertising at TCN in May 2024. The agreement announced Thursday will dissolve the firm, refund tenants $172,000 in fees, and force the company to pay the state $35,000 in fines. The firm's founder, Aryeh Weber, will be barred from practicing law in New York."
"The firm, founded in December 2023, specifically targeted tenants facing eviction, according to the Attorney General's office, scraping the state's court website to find names and contact information. To solicit clients, they sent out tens of thousands of mailers, often before tenants even knew about their pending eviction."
"Many were not even from real attorneys. "J. Clarksburg is an entirely fictitious person and there is no attorney with that name licensed in the state of New York. Over""
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