By: Minh N. Vu and John W. Egan
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Department of Energy recently issued a fast-track proposed rule that would eliminate accessibility standards for facilities of recipients of federal funding under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Are the ADA Title III regulations next?
On May 16, 2026, the United States Department of Energy (“DOE”) published a Notice
Continue Reading Facilities Accessibility Standards on the Chopping Block at the Department of Energy
By: John W. Egan and Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two recent New York district court decisions underscore how serial website accessibility plaintiffs are encountering greater challenges to demonstrate their standing to pursue ADA claims in federal court.
SDNY Judge Orders Jurisdictional Discovery
In Fernandez v. Buffalo Jackson Trading Co., LLC, U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan granted the defendant’s
Continue Reading New York Federal Courts Are Not Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Serial Plaintiffs in Website Accessibility Lawsuits Anymore
By: Kristina Launey and Minh Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: The FTC issued a Decision and Order prohibiting accessibility plug-in/Widget vendor AccessiBe from making misleading claims and to pay $1 million.
As the number of website accessibility lawsuit filings have exceeded 2,200 per year since 2018, so too has the list of companies offering solutions for making websites accessible to users
Continue Reading Federal Trade Commission Orders accessiBe to Pay $1M For Misleading Claims Relating to Automated Website Accessibility Remediation ToolBy Kristina M. Launey & Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: Plaintiffs filed 2,452 website accessibility lawsuits in federal court in 2024 – a 13% decrease from 2023.
Website accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court fell for the second consecutive year in 2024, with a significant decrease from 2023 filings. The total number of lawsuits filed in federal court alleging that
Continue Reading Federal Court Website Accessibility Lawsuit Filings Continue to Decrease in 2024
By: Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth Synopsis: A recent case from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida illustrates how businesses should handle scenarios where service animals present health risks to others with severe allergies.
We all know that public accommodations must allow service animals accompanying individuals with disabilities onto their premises, but what if doing so places
Continue Reading Can Businesses Exclude Service Animals Based on the Allergies of Others?
By: Ashley S. Jenkins and Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth synopsis: The Trump DOJ rescinded five COVID-19 related documents and six older guidance documents designed to educate businesses on the requirements of the ADA, claiming that the recission will reduce the burden on businesses to review them.
On March 19, 2025, to comply with President Trump’s January 20, 2025 memorandum
Continue Reading DOJ Withdraws Eleven ADA Guidance Documents For Public Accommodations
By: Lotus Cannon and Kristina Launey
Seyfarth Synopsis: Are web-only businesses subject to Title III? A Minnesota federal court joins the controversy and says yes.
Courts around the country are split on the issue of whether a “place of public accommodation” subject to Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act must have a physical location where it serves the
Continue Reading Minnesota District Court Says Web-Only Businesses Are Subject to Title III of the ADABy Minh N. Vu, Kristina Launey, and Susan Ryan
Seyfarth Synopsis: The two-year decline in ADA Title III filings stopped in 2024, with plaintiffs increasing filings back to 8,800 complaints in 2024.
When we first started tracking ADA Title III lawsuits in 2013, the total for the year was only 2,722. The number climbed steadily to an all-time
Continue Reading ADA Title III Federal Lawsuit Numbers Rebound to 8,800 in 2024
By: Pamela C. Huynh, Minh N. Vu and John W. Egan
Seyfarth Synopsis: Concerned that serial plaintiffs are not actually ensuring that defendants are removing access barriers under their confidential settlement agreements, EDNY Judge Cogan takes charge.
Be careful what you ask for – that’s the adage that a serial plaintiff and her attorney should have considered before asking
Continue Reading Serial Plaintiff Seeking to Enforce a Delinquent Settlement Payment Gets a Sharp Judicial Rebuke from EDNY Federal Judge
By: Ashley S. Jenkins and Minh N. Vu
Seyfarth synopsis: The DOJ’s new step-by-step guidance for state and local governments on how to comply with new regulations that mandate accessible web content is also useful for public accommodations looking to make their websites and mobile apps accessible to individuals with disabilities.
In April 2024, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) published
Continue Reading The DOJ Provides Practical Guidance on How to Implement a Digital Accessibility Program