Cy pres awards from class action cases we have settled help nonprofits that help people in Chicago
Sometimes many renters are part of class actions. This makes sense when lots of people were subject to the same allegedly unlawful practice by the same landlord. We have filed cases resulting in cash or rent-credit payments made available for thousands of renters in Chicago and other Illinois cities like Arlington Heights, Lisle, Mount Prospect, Naperville, Schaumburg, and Wheeling.
Class actions sometimes result in a substantial payment of unclaimed funds by the landlord to a nonprofit organization that assists low income individuals with legal problems arising from housing. Our clients who serve as class representatives make this reluctant charity possible.
Since 2008 recipients of a total of more than $100,000 in cy pres awards from our cases include Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, and the Chicago Bar Foundation.
In theory, renters who represent their class (1) do neighbors a favor, (2) motivate landlords to abide by the law, and (3) represent the rights of all Illinois renters.
