A class-action lawsuit claiming online legal document service Rocket Lawyer illegally practiced law settled for about $1.5 million in cash and credits.

Tagged with: class action St. Louis County Circuit Court unauthorized practice of law Verdicts & Settlements

Naylor Senior Citizens Housing, LP v. Sides Construction Company, Inc. (MLW No. 64906/Case No. SD32098 – 10 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Rahmeyer, J.)

Tagged with: civil practice Negligence unauthorized practice of law

Hargis v. JLB Corporation d/b/a Golden Oak Lending (MLW No. 63109/Case No. SC91639 – 23 pages) (Missouri Supreme Court, Stith, J., for majority) (Teitelman, J., concurring in part, dissenting in part)

Tagged with: real estate Stith Teitelman unauthorized practice of law unjust enrichment

Key appellate decisions in the last half of 2009 knocked the venerable voluntary-payment doctrine down a notch and diverted to arbitration a chunk of the rising number of cases involving document-preparation fees. Among the approximately 600 opinions that I have ...

Tagged with: Consumer Law Missouri Merchandising Practices Act unauthorized practice of law

Both the Western and Eastern District Missouri Court of Appeals have found that class waivers in arbitration agreements to be unconscionable, but it is unclear in what venue these cases will be litigated in. In an opinion issued Tuesday, the ...

Tagged with: The Simon Law Firm unauthorized practice of law

Solos push for harsher penalties for the unauthorized practice of law

Under state law, the unauthorized practice of law is punishable as a misdemeanor with a fine of no more than $100, giving the Missouri Attorney General's Office and local prosecutors scant incentive to pursue cases. The unauthorized practice of law should be placed under the state's Merchandising Practices Act, said solo and small firm advocate Karl Timmerman, who is renewing an effort to do just that.

Tagged with: unauthorized practice of law

Ruhl v. Lee’s Summit Honda (MLW No. 59813/Case No. WD70189 – 11 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, Newton, C.J.) Where a new car buyer brought an action claiming the dealer engaged in deceptive practices under the Missouri Merchandising ...

Tagged with: Missouri Merchandising Practices Act unauthorized practice of law

A woman trying to sue a car dealership for the unauthorized practice of law will have to take her case to an arbitrator. But she can bring a lot of friends. In an opinion issued Nov. 3, the Missouri Court ...

Tagged with: unauthorized practice of law

An appeals court gave a mixed victory to a woman trying to sue a Honda dealership for unauthorized practice of law. In an opinion issued this morning, the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District said an arbitrator is qualified to ...

Tagged with: Arbitration Missouri Court of Appeals Western District unauthorized practice of law

Federal thrifts may collect document-preparation fees without violating Missouri law prohibiting the unauthorized practice of law, according to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Last week’s decision doesn’t apply to all lenders – just to those regulated by the ...

Tagged with: unauthorized practice of law

Plaintiffs alleged unauthorized practice of law

Tagged with: unauthorized practice of law