Recently I received a message from ClaimsHero suggesting that I opt-out of the Anthropic settlement and instead hop on their legal bandwagon in the hopes of getting a richer payout. (Need an explainer about the Anthropic case? Visit this page.)
Who is ClaimsHero? It’s an Arizona law firm that tries to make money from class-action lawsuits. It has no connection to the Anthropic case, but it’s trying to get a cut of the action by skimming off authors in the class who may be unhappy about the current $1.5 billion settlement. The plaintiffs in the Anthropic lawsuit have asked the court to stop ClaimsHero from soliciting authors to opt-out, especially since they may not understand the full implications of doing so.
For a more in-depth discussion, read Victoria Strauss at Writer Beware.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
If you review the ClaimsHero terms of service, you will see that, among other things, the “agreement” prohibits disparaging comments about the firm and requires relinquishment of your right to a class action against the firm. In my experience, competent law firms acting in good faith do not impose such oppressive terms on their clients. It is a red flag.