With the Boy Scouts of America filing bankruptcy in February of 2020, there has been increased media attention towards claims of child sexual abuse against the national organization and its local councils. The Bankruptcy Court’s recent establishment of a “claims bar date” (the deadline for submission of bankruptcy claims – now set at November 16, 2020) has also increased advertising by attorneys who are interested in representing victims. A quick google search will show paid Google “ads” for various law firms. Similarly, scrolling through Facebook and other social media reveals dozens of sponsored posts from lead generation services offering “free claims evaluations” or “free claims reviews.” There are even TV commercials urging victims to “Call Now!”
With all of these competing voices and noise, how can victims of abuse in scouting select a lawyer to effectively help them seek justice from the Boy Scouts.
As attorneys who have spent more than a decade taking the Boy Scouts to court on behalf of victims, we believe there are five (5) questions victims should ask of any attorney or legal services company that they speak with: