What Are Cy Pres Awards?
Cy Pres awards are an invaluable source of support for non-profit organizations like California ChangeLawyers (formerly California Bar Foundation). Cy Pres awards are often the unclaimed class action settlement funds that are authorized by a court and distributed to a 501(c)(3) public charity.
You can make a difference for California ChangeLawyers by listing us as a Cy Pres beneficiary!
Why Choose ChangeLawyers?
In recognition of California ChangeLawyers’ 30 years of work pursuing our mission to build a better justice system for all Californians, state and federal courts have approved Cy Pres awards to our organization. This funding is invested in our scholars, grantees, and fellowship programs, which address issues related to 1. access to justice and/or 2. diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In fact, there is a close alignment between our organizational mission and state law, which reads, “It is the policy of the State of California to ensure that the unpaid cash residue and unclaimed or abandoned funds in class action litigation are distributed, to the fullest extent possible, in a manner designed either to further the purposes of the underlying class action or causes of action, or to promote justice for all Californians.” (emphasis added) [CA CCP §384(b)]
For federal cases, Cy Pres awards to California ChangeLawyers are also appropriate as long as there is a close nexus between the subject matter of the lawsuit and the work of ChangeLawyers, which is to build a better justice system for all Californians.
Recent California ChangeLawyers/California Bar Foundation Cy Pres awards include:
- Li v. Cargo Solution Express et al
- Aguilar v. Hook Burger
- Bernandino v. Target Corporation
- Correa v. Sabah International
- Cusator v. Shared Imaging LLC
- In re Pfizer Inc. Securities Litigation.
- Jarvis v. Diamond Sharp Cutlery
- Kinney v. National Express Transit Services Corporation
- Matthews v. Red Hill Country Club
- Morales v. OPARC
- Ortiz v. Ghirardelli
- Pickard v. Lunday-Thagard
- Vinnitsky v. L.A. Overnight
- Reyes Gonzalez v. Bighorn Homeowners Association
- Delgado v. Steritech Group
