A $1.5 million settlement resolving class action claims over Georgetown University’s move to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic scored initial approval, but a D.C. federal judge expressed concerns about the limited payout class members will receive after accounting for attorney fees.
Judge’s Concerns on Attorney Fees and Class Member Payouts
U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden on Tuesday noted that up to $500,000 of the Georgetown Tuition Refund Deal may go to counsel at Leeds Brown Law PC, representing as many as 7,300 Georgetown students who were enrolled during the spring 2020 semester.
“If the remaining $1 million were apportioned between all class members equally, each member’s recovery would be limited to around $137,” Judge McFadden said. He directed the attorneys to be “prepared to discuss whether that is an adequate award for the class members in light of comparable class actions” at a final approval hearing slated for November.
Georgetown Tuition Refund Deal : Settlement Comparisons with Other Universities
The Georgetown Tuition Refund Deal is one of several recent settlements between universities and their students after the pandemic forced a transition to remote learning. In May, a D.C. federal judge approved a $5.4 million deal resolving a similar student-led suit against American University. Additionally, another nearly $5 million settlement between the University of Chicago and its students received final approval in Illinois federal court.
Background and Class Action Details
Georgetown students sued their university in April 2022, accusing the Washington, D.C., school of depriving students of the educational experience for which they paid tuition. The lawsuit argued that Georgetown refused to refund any tuition or fees for the spring 2020 semester despite canceling in-person classes and activities.
