Law Prof Characterizes Yahoo Suit as Extortion

netbuzz writes "Fair comment or libel? A law prof/blogger calls those behind the class-action suit against Yahoo 'extortionists.' The targeted lawyers, who include spyware/adware expert Ben Edelman, are not amused." From the article: "Goldman, who according to his blog 'holds leadership positions in the American Bar Association and the Computer Law Association,' addresses the merits of the suit in a generally academic fashion before winding up for the big finish: 'I think these lawsuits are nothing more than a shakedown for cash,' he concludes. 'Even unmeritorious class action lawsuits are expensive to defend, so the plaintiffs' lawyers can exploit those defense costs for their personal largesse. They can make this argument to defendants: settle with me for a fraction of your total expected defense costs, and we're both better off (defendants save some defense costs, plaintiffs' lawyers grab some personal loot).'"

Comments

Lawyers suck the life out of everything

[SirLanse]

So what else is new. They see a pile of money and want it. It is easier to sue than it is to make a product. Maybe if there are enough suits everyone will go out of business. But nobody will be harming anyone else. If Yahoo! is not putting in keywords, it is their own profits that are harmed.

Pass Bar Exam - Collect $200 - Extort without Jail

[aisnota]

Look, anyone with a financial interest in the law business http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070509/ figures out that EXTORTION IS LAW!

• The logic is clear, you accept our bargain and pay us or we take you to court so settlement talks go here or you obey the law or we take away your freedom in the criminal justice system.

EXTORTION IS LAW! Did you expect to hear the word fair? Bah - you need to think like a lawyer!