In today’s climate of evolving — and increasingly complex — federal and state public accommodations laws and regulations, experienced counsel is essential. The members of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s public accommodations practice are spearheading novel and cutting-edge public accessibility issues, and we lead teams that represent a large and diverse base of national clients in matters that cover the entire spectrum of public accessibility law. We have extensive experience in defending public accommodations class actions, federal pattern and practice accessibility cases filed by the US Department of Justice, and state pattern and practice accessibility cases filed by state attorney generals. We have defended lawsuits against many of the leading plaintiff-side public accommodations attorneys in the country, and have briefed and argued public accommodations cases in federal and state appellate courts across the nation. We also work with a nationwide team of consultants to oversee dockets of public accessibility cases and advise clients on a wide range of public accommodations audits and consulting projects.

Experience

    • Defending nationwide pattern or practice public accommodations cases filed by the US Department of Justice presenting first-impression federal law accessibility challenges to new architectural designs (Ninth Circuit and Central District of California, Sixth Circuit and Northern District of Ohio, Ninth Circuit and District of Oregon, Fifth Circuit and Western District of Texas).
    • Securing a jury trial win in a multi-plaintiff public accommodations case presenting first-impression state law accessibility and consumer protection claims by mobility-impaired patrons to new architectural designs (Texas).
    • Defending a Ninth Circuit en banc appeal presenting first-impression standing issues under the "deterrent effect doctrine" for mobility-impaired patrons (Ninth Circuit and Central District of California).
    • Defending a national class action presenting first-impression claims that the alleged failure to guarantee accessible hotel rooms when making internet hotel reservations violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (California, Hawaii, Texas).
    • Consulting on emerging legal issues concerning internet website accessibility with national retail, entertainment and convenience store clients.
    • Defending multiple statewide agency pattern and practice accessibility actions presenting first-impression state law accessibility challenges concerning closed-captioning, descriptive narration and assistive listening technologies (Arizona, New York, Ohio).
    • Consulting on a nationwide facilities audit of ADA Title III compliance for a national retail client.
    • Defending national and statewide class and multi-plaintiff accessibility actions seeking to mandate emerging open- and closed-captioning and descriptive narration technologies (California, Oregon, Washington).
    • Consulting on audits of detectible warning devices and self-checkout point-of-sale machines for a national retail client (California, Florida, Pennsylvania).
    • Managing national and regional dockets of public accessibility cases for national retailer, casual dining and movie exhibitor clients (Arizona, California, Florida, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Washington, DC).

Insights