Who is a Class Member
Class members of the Le Cordon Bleu/Western Culinary Institute Portland Settlement include “all former students who enrolled at and attended Le Cordon Bleu Portland on or after March 5, 2006, up to and including March 1, 2010.”
If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Estimated Award
- Up to 44% Tuition Reimbursement
Class members who submit a valid and timely claim form by the deadline can receive up to 44% of the total amount paid to Le Cordon Bleu Portland, Western Culinary Institute, and Career Education Corporation. This includes the amount paid for tuition, books, and fees, less any amounts received in grants or scholarships and any amounts owed directly to the defendants.
Proof of Purchase
- Claimants will need to provide their unique Claim ID number included in their mailed settlement notice.
Claim Form
Le Cordon Bleu/Western Culinary Institute Portland Settlement Notes
- Nathan Surrett v. Western Culinary Institute, Ltd.; Le Cordon Bleu North America, LLC.; and Career Education Corporation
- Case No. 0803-03530
- Pending in the Circuit Court for the State of Oregon, County of Multnomah
Former students of Western Culinary Institute (formerly Le Cordon Bleu) have finally reached a settlement agreement in a decades long consumer fraud class action lawsuit. Plaintiff Nathan Surrett initiated this class action lawsuit back in 2008 on behalf of over 2,000 students at the now defunct Le Cordon Blue in Portland and its parent company Career Education Corporation.
The complaint detailed the school’s failure to provide students with adequate career training and quality materials, even thought it advertised itself as a highly selective and prestigious school. According to an article in Eater, Surrett’s lawsuit further claimed that Career Education Group “encouraged students to take out “predatory loans because it had a secret deal with Sallie Mae to overcharge students by 44 percent.”
Under the terms of the Le Cordon Bleu/Western Culinary Institute class action settlement, Class members will be refunded up to 44 percent of the amounts they paid for tuition, books, and other school-related fees. For instance, if you paid $40,000 towards your degree and you do not own any money back to the school, you can expect to receive a $17,600 payout.
Additionally, approximately $1 million in debts owed by former students will be wiped cleaned and those with student loans in collections can now exercise their rights to dispute their loans using proof of fraud. These actions will need to be undertaken individually by each former student and filing a claim form does not pertain to this aspect of the settlement.
The FAQs section on the settlement website further summarizes the terms of the settlement and how Class Members can file a claim. Complete details are provided in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available on the Le Cordon Bleu Settlement website.
Class members who wish to exclude themselves or object to the terms of the Le Cordon Bleu Settlement must do so by May May 8, 2018. Class members who wish to submit a claim for up to 44% of tuition must do so by June 7, 2018.
Important Dates
- 6/7/18: Claim Form Deadline
- 5/8/18: Objection or Exclusion Deadline
- 6/8/18: Final Hearing at 3:00 pm PT* (class members do not need to attend this hearing in order to receive a slice of the settlement pie).
*Settlement Class Members who wish to speak at the hearing should check LeCordonBleuPortlandlawsuit.com to confirm that the date or time of the Hearing has not been changed.
Contact Information
- Mail: Surrett v. Western Culinary Institute Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 5270, Portland, OR 97208-5270
- Phone: 1-844-551-1720
- Email: info@LeCordonBleuPortlandLawsuit.com
Class Counsel
- David F. Sugerman of David F. Sugerman Attorney PC
- Amy Johnson
- Tim Alan Quenelle of Tim Quenelle PC
Settlement Website