CURRENT AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION

White v. First American Registry, Inc. United States District Court, Southern District of New York 04 CV1611. Proposed class action alleging that the defendant, the nation’s largest tenant screening bureau, violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the New York Deceptive Practices Act by issuing reports to prospective landlords that are incomplete and misleading.

Sullivan v. Heiberger & Assocs. United States District Court, Eastern District of New York 04 CV 1448, Proposed class action alleging that the defendant, a law firm that represents landlords in eviction cases, violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by issuing dunning notices to tenants that illegally demand payment of excessive attorney’s fees as additional rent.

Lawrence v. Borah Goldstein Altschuler Schwartz & Nahins, P.C., United States District Court, Southern District of New York. Proposed class action alleging that the defendant, a law firm that represents landlords in eviction cases, violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by issuing rent demand notices to tenants that illegally overshadow their FDCPA rights to dispute the alleged debt.

Orbach v. Hilton Hotels, Inc., Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Index No. 10296/04. Action brought by noted television, film and stage actor Jerry Orbach alleges that the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel violated New York Civil Rights Law § 51 by using a documentary video narrated by the plaintiff for commercial purposes without his consent.

Meyerson v. Prime Realty, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York. Index No. 118003/03. Action alleging that a landlord’s practice of demanding personal identification information from its tenants as a condition of issuing renewal leases, and under the threat of eviction, violates the New York Deceptive Practices Act.