In the News

The team of attorneys who filed suit in Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court to force Governor Mike DeWine and Matt Damschroeder, Director of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services to rescind their decision to terminate federally-funded supplemental unemployment benefits announced today that they have refiled the action in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. The decision comes after Judge Michael Shaughnessy granted the state’s motion for a change of venue. The case has been assigned to Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook.

Former Ohio AG Marc Dann and Brian Flick of DannLaw and Andrew Engel of Advocate Attorneys LLP said they are refiling in Franklin County because battling over venue would have delayed hearings on the substantive issues raised in the case and their motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would compel the state to restore the benefits. They hope to have an initial hearing on or before July 21.

“We want to get to a hearing before a judge as quickly as possible because, as the emails and phone calls we’ve received since we filed the suit clearly demonstrate, many, many Ohioans are being hurt by the governor’s callous and illegal decision to cut off these essential benefits,” Dann said.

The Mandamus complaint may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 15 TS Franklin County Complaint1

The motion for a TRO and preliminary injunction may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 15 TS Motion for TRO Franklin1

DannLaw’s response to the State’s motion may be viewed here: Bowling Candy 2021 07 21 Reply in Response to Memorandum in Opp

The consumer protection team at DannLaw and Advocate Attorneys, along with Atty. Nathan Lloyd Gess are investigating reports that TitleMax has repeatedly violated Pennsylvania’s lending laws by charging borrowers interest rates that would make a loan shark blush. If you or someone you know has borrowed from TitleMax in the Keystone State in the past four years we urge you to contact DannLaw TODAY by calling 877-475-8100 or using the contact form on our website: www.dannlaw.brmcstaging.com/contact to arrange a no-cost consultation.

Here is what we know and why you should act immediately to protect yourself: Even though PA law caps the annual interest rate on title loans at 6%, TitleMax is reportedly charging as much as 132% which adds thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars in finance charges to title loans. They pull off this scam by refusing to allow consumers to view loan documents on computer screens before borrowers sign them electronically and using other tricks to conceal the true interest rate.

The outrageous and illegal interest rates TitleMax is charging often cause borrowers to miss payments. When they do, TitleMax quickly repossesses the vehicle that is securing the loan.

If you or someone you know has borrowed from TitleMax in Pennsylvania in the past four years you may be a victim of this scam. You should contact DannLaw today even if your loan has been paid off or your vehicle has already been repossessed. We will examine your loan documents and help you fight for justice.

And, because TitleMax may be violating state and federal lending laws, you may also be entitled to monetary compensation.

Don’t delay, contact DannLaw today at 877-475-8100 or www.dannlaw.brmcstaging.com/contact so we can begin fighting for you!

On Monday, May 24, 2021, Attorneys Marc Dann and Andrew Engel of Advocate Attorneys LLP filed a mandamus action that asks the Ohio Supreme Court to compel officials of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) and consulting firm CEM Benchmarking to comply with Ohio’s public records law and release financial information for the STRS pension fund, including returns achieved, expenses incurred by the funds, fees charged by outside fund managers, and comparisons of STRS’s performance with those of similar public pension funds in other states.

The documents in question were first requested by Edward “Ted” Siedle, President of Benchmark Financial Services, the firm retained by the Ohio Retired Teachers Association in October 2020 to perform a forensic investigation of STRS. Seidle’s request, submitted on February 19, 2021, sought all contracts between STRS and CEM Benchmarking, all reports and analysis produced by CEM Benchmarking related to STRS’s investment management fees, costs, and expenses, and all reports and analysis produced by CEM Benchmarking related to alternative investments.

More than two months later STRS turned over only heavily redacted copies of some the requested documents and failed to provide a copy of the system’s contract with CEM.

“STRS’s response is contrary to law, but it is not surprising,” Dann said. “The system and CEM are stonewalling and denying active and retired teachers as well as Ohio taxpayers vital information about the fund’s performance, the fees it pays advisors, and its overall management and operations. The public has a right to know what the fund and CEM are hiding and why.”

Attorney Dann, Engel, and Seidle discussed the lawsuit during a Zoom news conference at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, May 24. A recording of the event may be viewed at News Conference 5-24-21.

The mandamus action and supporting documents are available for viewing and download here:

STRS mandamus

STRS affadavit 1

STRS affadavit 2

STRS affadavit 3