Trevor Law Group

Proprietors of ethnic restaurants and auto repair shops across the state undoubtedly breathed a sigh of relief when California authorities put the Trevor Law Group out of business. The Trevor lawyers were a clutch of Beverly Hills shakedown artists who perfected a technique that involved suing thousands of mom-and-pop businesses at a time -- some of their lawsuits listed 30,000 "John Doe" defendants -- for violating Section 17200 of the state's business and protection code, which imposes sanctions for unlawful, fraudulent or unfair business practices.

A Beverly Hills law firm accused of using the state's powerful Unfair Competition Law to extort quick settlements from auto repair garages and restaurants has abandoned consumer lawsuits against nearly 3,000 defendants after a judge deemed the firm unfit to pursue some of the litigation.

State Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer filed a lawsuit against a Beverly Hills law firm Wednesday alleging that the lawyers used the state's Unfair Competition Law to extort cash settlements from thousands of small businesses under the guise of consumer protection.