Long story short: Legal Authority ignored or avoided responding to my multiple calls, letters, and emails-- as well as my complaint at the Better Business Bureau. I had the below letter notarized and sent via certified mail, return receipt requested, for proof of receipt that will stand up in court (if I am forced to sue them). I consider the letter below to be a great synopsis of my whole Legal Authority experience. Personal information is redacted for privacy.
***
February 12, 2008
[My name and address.]
Legal Authority
175 South Lake Avenue, Suite 200
Pasadena, CA 91101
Account Number: ###
Order Number: ####
Dear Legal Authority, Inc. (hereinafter “Legal Authority” or “you”),
Please note that this, my third letter to you, is
notarized and sent via certified mail, return receipt requested, for evidentiary purposes. You have forced me to such extreme and drastic measures because of your inexcusable pattern of avoiding and/or ignoring my multiple complaints, whether issued to you via phone, post, or e-mail.
1. Please correct my mailing address in your records.You continue to mail purported bills and invoices to my previous address, after I have notified you repeatedly as to my correct address in multiple written correspondences, as well as telephone conversations on December 10 and December 14 of 2007. My correct address, for the fifth and final time, is:
[My name and address.]
Besides casting doubt as to whether you even bother to open letters from your so-called customers at all, your repeated failures to update my address further delay my receipt of your purported bills and/or invoices, which currently reach me only after being forwarded by the postal service.
2. Legal Authority has repeatedly ignored or avoided my multiple requests for customer service.Inexplicably, you have elected to ignore my previous letters, which were mailed on October 15, 2007 and November 19, 2007, respectively—I have not received any response addressing my concerns and questions. You have also elected to ignore my October 2007 complaint at the Better Business Bureau (Complaint #), where you are distinguished with an “F” rating.
I called your customer service number on the afternoon of December 10, 2007, in an effort to follow up on my written correspondences. I was assured by “Dean” of your company that he would e-mail me: (1) confirming that my address had been updated in your records; and (2) confirming whether you had received my second correspondence to you, mailed on November 19, 2007. After no response, I again spoke with “Dean” on the afternoon of December 14, 2007. Dean assured me that my address had been corrected, but stated that he lacked information with which to confirm your receipt of my November 19th correspondence. Once again, “Dean” assured me that he would e-mail me written confirmation of the above two items. Two months later, I have not received an e-mail or otherwise heard back from “Dean,” or from anyone on behalf of your company, for that matter. On the afternoon of January 23, 2008, I left a brief and polite voicemail message for “Janae” (phonetic) of your company, simply requesting a return call at her first convenience regarding customer service. I received no response. On January 29, 2008, I received an automated birthday greeting from “theresa@legalauthority.com”. I immediately replied, requesting customer service again via e-mail. Yet again, there was no response.
The above background of facts has forced me to have the present letter notarized and sent via certified mail.3. Any purported contract between Legal Authority and me, [name], is void and unenforceable as a matter of law.After analyzing the pertinent legal authorities (pun intended), I have concluded that any purported contract between Legal Authority and me, [name], is void, unenforceable, and illegal as a matter of law. Consequently, any purported arbitration provision within that void contract is equally void.
Initially, note that Legal Authority is an “employment counseling service,” as defined by the California Employment Agency, Employment Counseling, and Job Listing Services Act. (Civ. Code §§1812.500 et seq.; 1812.501(b).) As an employment counseling service, Legal Authority is expressly subject to California Civil Code section 1812.510 et seq.
A contract for employment counseling services must be in writing and signed by the customer. (Civ. Code §1812.511(a).) The purported written contract, if such exists (which, here, it does not), must also contain certain specific information. (See Civ. Code §§1812.511, 18512.512.) Significantly, a written disclosure concerning the customer’s right to cancel must be “in immediate proximity to the space reserved for the customer's signature.” (Civ. Code §1812.511(a).) Absent such conspicuous disclosure of the cancellation policy, the customer may cancel the contract altogether at any time. (Ibid.; Civ. Code §1812.523(c).)
I never saw any written contract from Legal Authority; I certainly did not sign one. If you believe I am mistaken, please kindly provide me with a copy of the written contract which both (1) complies with relevant statutes and (2) bears my written signature. In the meantime, I am forced once again to notify you of my full cancellation/avoidance of the purported contract (which is unenforceable, in any event). (Civ. Code §1812.523(c).)
Additionally, several of Legal Authority’s practices are patently illegal. For example, a copy of Legal Authority’s fee schedule must be provided to the customer “prior to the customer being interviewed by a counselor, agent, or employee.” (Civ. Code §1812.512(a)(1).) My first contact with Legal Authority was a telephonic interview with [name] of Legal Authority. I did not receive a copy of Legal Authority’s fee schedule; certainly, I did not receive such a copy prior to the initial interview(s) of May 8/9, 2007.
Furthermore, California Civil Code section 1812.512(c) makes it illegal for an employment counseling service to “accept, directly or indirectly, a registration fee of any kind.” (Civ. Code §1812.512(c).) Legal Authority’s one-time non-refundable membership fee in the amount of $195 therefore amounts to an illegal “registration fee.” (Ibid.; Civ. Code §1812.501(k).)
Finally, California Civil Code section 1812.513(b) prohibits fraudulent or deceptive ads. To cite just one example, Legal Authority blatantly concealed the purported term that makes the fee for employer contacts non-refundable. In the e-mail that induced my order , the $195 Fee is described as “This non-refundable fee” and the Per Employer Fee is set apart and described as “This fee”. Clearly, Legal Authority intentionally concealed the fact that it intended the Per Employer Fee to be non-refundable as well.
Statutory violations are subject to treble damages, fees and costs, and, where applicable, punitive damages as well. (Civ. Code §1812.523(d).)
4. Even if an enforceable contract were formed (which it was not), Legal Authority materially breached the purported terms, in any event.Although the code is clear that no enforceable contract existed or exists between Legal Authority and me, [name], Legal Authority materially breached the purported terms of that purported contract (which is void and unenforceable, in any event). This is hardly surprising, as it fits into the pattern of inattention and incompetence outlined above, which pattern likewise corresponds with Legal Authority’s “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Soon after my initial interview and purported enrollment with Legal Authority, I received several enthusiastic e-mails entitled, for example, “We’re Working Hard for You!”. That particular e-mail informed me that writers and editors were already revising my resume and cover letter. I later learned that this representation was completely false. In fact, nobody was working hard for me at all due to problems that existed entirely on Legal Authority’s end.
After nearly two weeks and many repeated attempts to contact Legal Authority, I was informed that Legal Authority’s customer service agent, with whom I had been directed to correspond, “no longer works for the company”, and that work on my papers had not yet begun. I did not receive drafts of my resume or cover letter within the advertised period of 5-10 business days, and several of my attempted contacts with customer service were not answered within the advertised period of 1-2 business days. “Dean” of your company has acknowledged these breaches to me in our telephone conversations; in refusing to negotiate or compromise, he insisted that the above breaches do not excuse payment for the full amount.
Additionally, despite Legal Authority’s express satisfaction guarantee , I was anything but satisfied by the work of Legal Authority’s editors, billed as “professional experts who specialize only in legal resumes.” On first glance at my butchered cover letter, I noticed fundamental writing errors including a split infinitive and a run-on sentence. Beginning sentences with dangling modifiers, the writing style is also extremely awkward and unprofessional. [sic]
Suspending arguendo the reality that such contract is void and illegal, Legal Authority breached their own contract, and refused to honor their express satisfaction guarantee. Even if the void contract in question were somehow enforceable (which it is not), I believe I would have a legitimate basis for nonpayment due to multiple breaches by Legal Authority, in any event.5. Conclusion.This letter, being both notarized and certified upon your receipt, will be my final attempt to contact you. If you still believe that you are due any payment from me, please address all the issues raised above. Because the California Civil Code expressly (1) renders void any purported contract between Legal Authority and me, [name]; and (2) provides for the civil recovery of treble damages, fees and costs, and punitive damages, I must therefore expressly reserve any and all rights and remedies I may have as against Legal Authority. (Civ. Code §1812.523(d).)
Sincerely,
[Name], Attorney at Law
California Bar Number #
Cc: [Name], Assistant Dean, Career Development, [
alma mater] School of Law
Cc: Better Business Bureau (Complaint # )
