www.NFIB.com
For
Immediate Release
Contact: Kelly Klass 202-314-2054 or [email protected]
NFIB SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CENTER ARGUES THAT NATIONAL POLICY SHOULD TRUMP STATE LAW ON ARBITRATION AGREEMENT
23, 2015 — Today, the NFIB Legal Center asked the US Supreme
Court to override a decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court that could
undermine the ability of small businesses everywhere to avoid protracted and
costly lawsuits with arbitration agreements.
Karen
Harned, Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center, made the following statement in response
to NFIB’s amicus brief filing in U.S. Legal Services Group, L.P. v. Atalese
with the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Small businesses rely on arbitration
agreements to limit their litigation cost – especially when doing business with
out-of-state customers and suppliers.
Small business owners don’t have the resources to monitor the
ever-changing law of arbitration in each state they do business with. Not to mention, this New Jersey ruling clearly
contradicts the Federal Arbitration Act.”
NFIB filed a
brief in support of U.S. Legal Service Group L.P., who has asked the US Supreme
Court to revisit this New Jersey Supreme Court decision. The plaintiff sued
U.S. Legal Services after entering a contract with the company that contained
an arbitration provision. According to Harned, the case is important for small
business owners.
“We hope the U.S. Supreme Court
takes the case in order to make clear that arbitration provisions must be
enforced by their terms; state courts should not be allowed to invalidate
arbitration agreements where the terms are perfectly clear and consistent with
federal law. This is important because arbitration agreements are intended to
avoid unnecessary litigation costs.”
For more information, visit NFIB.com.
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The
NFIB Small Business Legal Center is a 501(c)(3)
organization created to protect the rights of America’s small business owners
by providing advisory material on legal issues and by ensuring that the voice
of small business is heard in the nation’s courts. The National Federation of
Independent Business is the nation’s leading small business association, with
offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals
