Law Schools, Trials

What The Alaburda v. Thomas Jefferson Law Case Is Not About

This case is not about an entitled millennial brat trying to play victim. It’s about a corporation allegedly doing horrible things to people for financial gain.

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Closing arguments are today in the Alaburda v. Thomas Jefferson School of Law trial. You might have seen the news reports from CNN about Anna Alaburda — she couldn’t find a job after graduating law school, so she sued the school.

It’s reported in the New York Times, The Daily Mail, and even here on Above the Law. You’ve probably read stories or comments with the phrase “entitled millennial” in there somewhere. Being in trial a few departments over, I’ve had the opportunity to watch the Alaburda trial over the last week. I’ve read the pleadings. I’ve watched the testimony. Even though it’s a sexy angle and an easy and fun headline, this case is not about a blond 30-something suing her school because she can’t get a job.

Sorry, media, I know it’s fun to pick the low-hanging fruit, but you’re wrong.

Lots of students can’t get jobs and they don’t sue. This case is a little more complex, and that’s why it’s survived multiple dismissal motions. This is a case of a multimillion-dollar private corporation selling something that is not what is advertised.

Imagine a corporation that sells used cars and tells people that even though their mileage may vary, typically the cars can get from California to Maine. Then the car breaks down about 1/10 of the way into the trip and you find out that actually, that’s where most of the cars break down. Although some make it all the way, most break down much much sooner, but the car dealer showed you stats showing that most of the cars make it all the way when you were at the lot with your checkbook.

What we’re talking about are $100,000+ law degrees that cost between $12,000 and $20,000 a year to repay over 10 to 30 years.

The operative Complaint in this case is the 6th Amended Complaint, and it was filed after many depos and many documents were exchanged and many requests for admission and interrogatories responded to. Here’s what it says TJSL did:

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complaint 1 complaint 2 complaint 3 complaint 4 complaint 5 complaint 6

You have to admit, those are horrible things to do if they are true. That’s what this case is about, according to the plaintiff. It’s about a corporation doing horrible things to people to advance its own interests. It’s about a school with one of the highest rates of graduate indebtedness in the galaxy telling people that most people who graduate get good jobs after, so they should go ahead and enroll. It’s about a corporation that is hemorrhaging money with its backs to the ropes, and the real stats about how its customers turn out does not make it sound like a good investment, so they allegedly change those stats to make more money for themselves.

Soon, the jury will get to decide whether those allegations are true and whether Anna Alaburda had any damages as a result. Regardless of the outcome, this case is not about an entitled millennial brat trying to play victim. It’s about a corporation allegedly doing horrible things to people for financial gain. So, you go buy a car for $150,000 that breaks down a week later and try to ask for your money back and watch the national media try to embarrass you and mock you and watch people say, “I bought that same car and it worked great for me! Get over it! Go cry somewhere else! You must not have tried very hard! LOL. No one owes you anything!” That would not make any sense.

To My Friends at TJSL

This lawsuit is not an attack on you. No one is alleging that people from Thomas Jefferson cannot get jobs or are losers. I personally know several attorneys from Thomas Jefferson who are very successful. But, it’s possible for your law school to have a corrupt administration and be liable for misrepresentation without reflecting on your ability to be a good lawyer. Some of our best trial attorneys are TJ grads (including the lawyer behind San Diego’s largest jury verdict). You have to admit, though, that if what Anna Alaburda alleges is true, that’s not appropriate behavior.

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Jeff Bennion is Of Counsel at Estey & Bomberger LLP, a plaintiffs’ law firm specializing in mass torts and catastrophic injuries. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of San Diego’s plaintiffs’ trial lawyers association, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. He is also the Education Chair and Executive Committee member of the State Bar of California’s Law Practice Management and Technology section. He is a member of the Advisory Council and instructor at UCSD’s Litigation Technology Management program. His opinions are his own. Follow him on Twitterhere or on Facebook here, or contact him by email at jeff@trial.technology.

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