What are cy pres awards?
Once class action lawsuits are settled, sometimes not all of the money recovered can be distributed to class members. Class members might be difficult to identify or contact, or it might be prohibitively expensive to distribute money to them. The cy pres doctrine authorizes distribution of the remaining funds to a nonprofit, charitable organization — like ChangeLab Solutions — that directly or indirectly benefits class members.
How does ChangeLab Solutions use cy pres funding?
ChangeLab Solutions accepts cy pres awards to fund public health law and policy work that aligns with the interests of class action members. Our approach to improving health for all can ensure that cy pres settlements serve our society’s most vulnerable members as well as future generations.
Because of our diverse areas of work and expertise, ChangeLab Solutions is an outstanding steward of cy pres awards. In the past, ChangeLab Solutions has been approved for cy pres awards across a range of issue areas, including these:
- Eashoo v. Iovate Health Sciences, U.S.A., Inc. This case involved the marketing of certain protein products and misrepresentation of the actual protein content in the product.
- People of the State of California v. Beachbody LLC. This case was about a fitness brand that applied recurring charges to customers without their legal consent.
Cy pres awards fund ChangeLab Solutions to create model policies and tools, share our research, and provide technical assistance and training to communities, to help ensure that everyone — no matter who they are or where they live — can lead a healthy life.
Our work has an immediate nexus with consumer protection cases. Any cy pres funding we receive goes toward ensuring that communities can advance healthy, equitable solutions related to food and beverages, workplace wellness, tobacco prevention, maternal and child health, and more.
Email us to learn more: mhoward@changelabsolutions.org