Page 8 - Katten 2021 Pro Bono Annual Review

I really connected with the client during our first phone
Attitudes are evolving
call and truly felt her frustration — I wanted to get
results for her.” about veterans,
misconduct and fateful
dishonorable discharges.

Samantha Taylor
ASSOCIATE, CHARLOTTE

Disabled Veteran Obtains $7,500 Settlement
for Family’s Belongings Lost Amid Rental Scam

Housing insecurity was among the most critical issues during
the pandemic and the reason the United States put extreme
measures in place, namely creating moratoriums on evictions.
Those efforts didn’t put an end to illegal evictions. Nor did
they thwart scammers targeting vulnerable families.

One scam target was a disabled veteran living in the Charlotte Samantha drafted and sent a demand letter, arguing conver-
area with her four children. In early 2020, the woman fell sion and unfair and deceptive trade practices by the company.
victim to a sophisticated rental scam. The client was evicted In May, Samantha succeeded in settling the dispute for the
from her home for trespassing by the owner, a large publicly client to receive $7,500, a significant amount considering the
traded property management company, a week after moving client’s measure of damages was the fair market value of her
in. The company’s agent offered to let her keep her personal lost personal property. The property management company
belongings in the home while she went through the formal initially only offered her $500. The client was relieved to have
tenant application process. finally received closure after a traumatic year for her family. “I
really connected with the client during our first phone call and
Eventually, the company denied the woman’s rental applica-
truly felt her frustration — I wanted to get results for her,”
tion and failed to respond to numerous attempts to collect
Samantha said.
her personal belongings. She was ultimately informed that
her property had been disposed of. For Samantha, representing the client was meaningful for
several reasons, including that it gave her the opportunity to
Charlotte Litigation associate Samantha Taylor took on the
lead her own case and develop essential skills and confidence
case in late February 2021, at a time when the client had been
as a new attorney.
living with her children in a hotel, without many of their
personal belongings, throughout most of the pandemic. More “She had documented everything, and it was clear to me that
than a year had passed without a resolution or response from the company had taken advantage of someone in a vulnerable
the property management company. position — thinking there would be no consequences,”
Samantha said. “It was really rewarding to put Katten’s name
and resources behind the issue and really force the company
to accept responsibility. It was also exciting to take a strong
position during settlement negotiations and get my client an
amount that would really help compensate her for what she
lost during such a challenging year.”

6