Asian-owned businesses in Portland say they’re being targeted by disability lawsuits
Asian business owners in Portland suspect being unfairly targeted by two lawyers who have filed multiple Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lawsuits in the past nine months. They believe they have become targets due to language barriers and lack of legal knowledge.
- By the numbers: Lawyers Jessica Molligan and David Foster reportedly filed 47 lawsuits against small businesses — including restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations — in the Portland area from September 2023. Of these, 22 — nearly half — are Asian-owned, according to KGW. Responding to the outlet, Molligan denied targeting Asian businesses, while Foster said he had withdrawn from the cases and was replaced by Molligan.
- The big picture: The ADA is a 1990 federal law that protects people with disabilities against discrimination. The situation in Portland, however, is not the first time a significant number of Asian-owned businesses have had to deal with related lawsuits. In April 2022, former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin reported that over 250 businesses in the city, many located in Chinatown, were hit by ADA suits from Potter Handy LLP, which reportedly collected millions in settlements.
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