Phoenix attorney disbarred for filing ADA lawsuits with ‘no basis in fact’
May 17, 2019, 10:27 AM | Updated: 10:54 am
PHOENIX — A Phoenix attorney has been disbarred after the State Bar of Arizona found he was filing frivolous lawsuits.
The bar alleged that Peter Strojnik filed more than 1,700 complaints against small businesses claiming violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Arizonans with Disability Act, according to a press release.
The complaints had “no basis in law and fact” and requested excessive attorneys’ fees, according to the bar.
Strojnik was placed on interim suspension in July 2018 after reports from businesses led the bar to open an investigation.
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The bar said he would demand $5,000 in attorneys’ fees even if a business fixed the alleged violation. In total, he had collected about $1.2 million from settlements, including those fees, according to the release.
Strojnik first claimed that he personally investigated possible violations before filing a lawsuit, the bar said, but he later admitted that he often contracted people through Craigslist to do research.
During the investigation, the bar found that he often spent less than 30 minutes preparing and reviewing a complaint, and he admitted that never visited many of the properties he targeted.
Strojnik chose not to contest or defend against the charges and consented to disbarment on May 8. He was required to notify clients and pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings.
Anyone can report attorney misconduct by calling the State Bar of Arizona Attorney/Consumer Assistance Program hotline at 602-340-7280.
