Class action against US Law School Admission Council may provide a template for a class action against the NSW LPAB,and The College Of Law- Cause of action , applicable laws are different, but NSW Chief Justice and NSW LPAB Chairman Andrew Bell's admission cannot be without consequence

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                                                                      

Reuters reports:

 The Law School Admission Council and the Association of American Medical Colleges are facing a pair of proposed class actions accusing them of overcharging thousands of aspiring lawyers and doctors for application fees.

Both lawsuits, lodged by the law firm Hilgers Graben, alleged the groups violated federal antitrust law by fixing prices for fees that are required for applying to member schools. The law school council has “gouged law school applicants attempting to follow their dreams,” the lawsuit,said.
The medical college association annually collects more than $50 million in application fees from prospective medical school students, according to the lawsuit. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) collects more than $30 million annually in fees, the lawsuit said, amounting to an average of nearly $500 from each applicant.

That brings to mind   NSW Chief Justice and NSW LPAB Chairman  Andrew Bell's admission that The College Of Law PLT , which his LPAB accredits, and has previously  defended, is too expensive, not worth the money, and  not fit for practise. As reported, both PLT students and the Commonwealth Government have suffered losses as a result of LPAB and College Of Law's misconduct. 

Bell himself has admitted that the compulsory PLT is a barrier to practise and is now demanding that “The College of Law, with its $80 million-plus accumulated reserves, would be expected to subsidise the costs of (a far shorter, restructured PLT) and/or offer an extensive series of bursaries to facilitate access to the legal profession.”

While  that cause  or causes of action  and the  applicable laws of an action in Australia similar to that in the US will be  different, Andrew Bell's admission cannot be without consequence and can provide that factual basis for a class action in Australia against his LPAB, and The College Of Law.

While  that cause  or causes of action  and the  applicable laws of an action in Australia similar to that in the US will be  different, Andrew Bell's admission cannot be without consequence and can provide a  template for a class action in Australia against his LPAB, and The College Of Law.



TO BE READ WITH

Class action lawsuits challenge law and medical school application fees
By Mike ScarcellaAugust 6, 20254:45 AM GMT+10Updated August 6, 2025

Aug 5 (Reuters) - The Law School Admission Council and the Association of American Medical Colleges are facing a pair of proposed class actions accusing them of overcharging thousands of aspiring lawyers and doctors for application fees.
The lawsuit against the law school organization was filed on Monday in the U.S. federal court in Philadelphia, and the case against the medical college association was file, opens new tab in Washington, D.C.’s federal trial court.

Both lawsuits, lodged by the law firm Hilgers Graben, alleged the groups violated federal antitrust law by fixing prices for fees that are required for applying to member schools. The law school council has “gouged law school applicants attempting to follow their dreams,” the lawsuit, opens new tab said.
The medical college association annually collects more than $50 million in application fees from prospective medical school students, according to the lawsuit. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) collects more than $30 million annually in fees, the lawsuit said, amounting to an average of nearly $500 from each applicant.
The lawsuits both alleged the organizations conspired with their member schools to keep prices high and restrict rival application processes.
The medical college association on Tuesday declined to comment on the allegations, but in a statement said it was "committed to a fair and convenient application process for all medical school applicants and will vigorously defend this lawsuit."
A spokesperson for the Law School Admission Council in a statement said it strongly disagreed with the allegations in the lawsuit. "We are committed to expanding access to legal education and supporting prospective students every step of their journey to law school," the council said.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs said they looked forward to pursuing their claims in both cases.
The Law School Admission Council develops and administers the Law School Admission Test and provides other services to law schools. The medical school association advocates on behalf of the profession and includes 160 accredited member institutions.
What you don't know is that this is an illegal gambling operation and sports rigging operation that spanned the course of years.


Tens of thousands of people every year apply to law school and medical school.
The application fees imposed by the law school and medical school organizations are on top of what individual schools also separately charge.
The lawsuits said there are at least two models for competitive processing of higher-education applications. In one, applicants use a centralized platform to apply to many schools. In the other, schools host their own application platforms.
The cases seek class action status and unspecified monetary damages, in addition to court orders barring the defendants' allegedly anticompetitive conduct.
The cases are Nirvana Durbal v. Association of American Medical Colleges, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, No. 1:25-cv-02537, and Linvel Risner v. Law School Admission Council, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, No. 2:25-cv-04461.